tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71957038014336929672024-03-20T11:09:43.321-04:00Jeff S.C. presents:"You're really talented, I like reading what you say about movies." - My #1 fan. Thanks, mom.Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.comBlogger818125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-15687974935424506912023-10-23T17:13:00.004-04:002023-10-23T17:13:49.458-04:00All Tony Scott films ranked<p>It started off as an accident, a few random Tony Scott rewatches because I was going through a Denzel phase and wanted to see how I felt about Unstoppable and Crimson Tide years later. Then I decided to see how a few older Tom Cruise movies aged, so I did a Top Gun/Days Of Thunder double. Well, before I knew it I had seen a good chunk of Tony Scott's filmography and found myself enjoying all of them even more the second time watching them. At that point I was committed. In his lifetime, Scott directed 16 features, and I was going to watch (or rewatch) all of them. And now that I've done this, what do I do with it? Make a list, of course. So I'm gonna rank all of his directorial efforts from least-favorite to most-favorite. Keep in mind these are all pretty fresh in my mind and I don't have a nostalgic connection to almost any of them at all, so I'm just gonna be coming at this whole list essentially as a new convert -- someone who wasn't a fan of Tony Scott who has become a very big fan in a very short period of time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkoP5zvNE7g6D8IPCJGEpwf_VR6cbY52hVAJRFZMuvlqu6Ldyh2o-GlPH857k04WoDa2ZGqmTDrWsjkmwiUGkhi9xiHzHuabMfAMxWUYNlMN4jhCqnZPOUw11Ogp4HguT3X-U3ZQz2kzr8rDmYQbhVIvRXcZoBGmRgwicSGJvpcqXQ9_5uO9OoJYlCQ9E/s3500/TonyScott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3500" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkoP5zvNE7g6D8IPCJGEpwf_VR6cbY52hVAJRFZMuvlqu6Ldyh2o-GlPH857k04WoDa2ZGqmTDrWsjkmwiUGkhi9xiHzHuabMfAMxWUYNlMN4jhCqnZPOUw11Ogp4HguT3X-U3ZQz2kzr8rDmYQbhVIvRXcZoBGmRgwicSGJvpcqXQ9_5uO9OoJYlCQ9E/s320/TonyScott.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I guess I'll get started now so as not to become like an online recipe where you scroll past 80 pages of anecdotes and the history of cooking before finally seeing how much flour to put in a cake. My least favorite Tony Scott movie and the first on my list is, unsurprisingly...</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNBgFHV0qB9BvNGUAGz-5tZxnmfcBdhgv9yoC-LJRj9_8658GbH8GpWJ2_Z7StKT6bQ-AszxAvlR2E618zXQ61Ktr6tMtXjOXR8sataFJAHqCEG2ZsdBk9XSOHCDwvOslbEJxQaLShwQegPWheemDezDIaEQUIn7uV0OG_QgmHVHfbHPZdFKP8Rh8pPs/s986/740full-domino----------------------------------(2005)-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="740" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNBgFHV0qB9BvNGUAGz-5tZxnmfcBdhgv9yoC-LJRj9_8658GbH8GpWJ2_Z7StKT6bQ-AszxAvlR2E618zXQ61Ktr6tMtXjOXR8sataFJAHqCEG2ZsdBk9XSOHCDwvOslbEJxQaLShwQegPWheemDezDIaEQUIn7uV0OG_QgmHVHfbHPZdFKP8Rh8pPs/s320/740full-domino----------------------------------(2005)-poster.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">16. Domino, 2005</span><p></p><p>If you were to ask any number of casual Tony Scott fans what the worst movie he made was, I'd bet close to half would name Domino. And while I didn't actively hate the movie, I found it mostly difficult to watch. He's a very stylistic director, but he didn't usually go so heavy in style that it felt like a genuine replacement for good characters or storytelling. Domino is the flashiest kind of bland movie around, and while I'm always excited to see the likes of Delroy Lindo and Mickey Rourke, the material they're given doesn't do much to distract from the coke-inspired aggression of the editing that loosely holds the whole thing together. Keira Knightley was alright in the lead, but nothing about her performance really jumped out to me. It's not my cup of tea for sure, but I felt obligated to watch it as I reached the end of his filmography, and it's handily my least favorite he ever did. Maybe a rewatch would change my mind, but somehow I doubt that.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdI-v_egfkRDBPKi4AA-DXSI3GNpeS05Y4vT4MbCW6sAhaykNJMZgSdo_wGshedPeQiQOPv4OP5DYseLI4-Q8T1ByKCW5FQjtYCuDwZRibj63VDjhhtOtj3iR-7w4aTBZH9zKe5LlQZbe5rmncMlqrQFsDfL4BNH7Ib57TTuJxw1SHbmsnE5XJMSKstzM/s862/R.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdI-v_egfkRDBPKi4AA-DXSI3GNpeS05Y4vT4MbCW6sAhaykNJMZgSdo_wGshedPeQiQOPv4OP5DYseLI4-Q8T1ByKCW5FQjtYCuDwZRibj63VDjhhtOtj3iR-7w4aTBZH9zKe5LlQZbe5rmncMlqrQFsDfL4BNH7Ib57TTuJxw1SHbmsnE5XJMSKstzM/s320/R.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">15. The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3, 2009</span><p></p><p>This one is a problem for me for two major reasons, both of which aren't necessarily Scott's fault. Issue one, the original (which I've only watched for the first time within the past year or so) is a far superior movie with greater sense of character, tension, and much needed humor and payoff that I found infinitely more satisfying than what this remake gave. And issue two, John Travolta's performance in this movie is among the worst I've ever seen from him. He's so over the top and unconvincing to me, which I get to a degree is my fault for not wanting to see a character that was played with such subtlety and menace by Robert Shaw to be turned into a hokey cartoon train robber, but it just took what could have worked as a tense and stylish thriller and turned it into something much more difficult for me to become invested in. That said, I do still enjoy the look and feel of the movie, and Denzel brings it as he always does, so I did still enjoy the movie in spite of my issues with it.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NTMB8gXGwuOsHeIocYWPNcOPHXMhcbDgA5zKEFRMV5u-JexTS1iadJUMwjLQlv2xWfrKzd22syVvtpnrf0cnhyphenhyphenPUYXFzjgf9SPqUStL7g9lVtoOdDX6u7WMVIPBLITl87lJj2ZQ_-tGaX6N5ehVVLefVft6hry7LmTyrPYNpcZgL-4CThyO_oO0hcVU/s743/93610e9a75d6e4afc16882b5200f856f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NTMB8gXGwuOsHeIocYWPNcOPHXMhcbDgA5zKEFRMV5u-JexTS1iadJUMwjLQlv2xWfrKzd22syVvtpnrf0cnhyphenhyphenPUYXFzjgf9SPqUStL7g9lVtoOdDX6u7WMVIPBLITl87lJj2ZQ_-tGaX6N5ehVVLefVft6hry7LmTyrPYNpcZgL-4CThyO_oO0hcVU/s320/93610e9a75d6e4afc16882b5200f856f.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">14. The Fan, 1996</span><p></p><p>While every movie he made before and after this have had a certain amount of edge and kineticism to their look and feel, I see this movie as being the first where he went really hard with the editing style that he implemented more in 2000s that I personally don't care much for. It's a very aggressive editing/cinematography style with flashes and cuts, quick camera movements, and odd angles, but this isn't the hardest he ever went with this approach. It may be a bit much at times, but the problems with this movie lie in how that particular method feels contrary to the very dark and moody material. It's like Tony Scott is trying to make a sexy movie about a sad, baseball-obsessed middle aged lunatic, which just feels tonally off. Still, it's an interesting movie and both De Niro and Snipes give pretty strong lead performances. I didn't love this one, but it really does have some great stuff to offer.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHC1F4m_kKYqIVevGWkTPk6kEXX3Bc-VvbXs_TqtIfSzhYKyw4hFgx_5Z0jTag8wi6raTcEzTVpDFgkaSFoabiJGSr6CS3uLk7R7K63gVGEktKAmnnqbjYPn0f8jSnbV2CrcleVtJgGO9RPqf787w-KU7Y96JXhVYSYOOtaZOQR-LeWnTC7BpsRfYyq4/s1345/eotsbbz%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHC1F4m_kKYqIVevGWkTPk6kEXX3Bc-VvbXs_TqtIfSzhYKyw4hFgx_5Z0jTag8wi6raTcEzTVpDFgkaSFoabiJGSr6CS3uLk7R7K63gVGEktKAmnnqbjYPn0f8jSnbV2CrcleVtJgGO9RPqf787w-KU7Y96JXhVYSYOOtaZOQR-LeWnTC7BpsRfYyq4/s320/eotsbbz%20(1).jpg" width="214" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />13. Enemy Of The State, 1998</span><p></p><p>There isn't anything particularly wrong with Enemy Of The State, but there isn't much here for me to sink my teeth into. This is a pretty straight forward paranoid action thriller with an alright Will Smith lead performance (though I admit I've not been a fan of his for many years now), hampered slightly by how basic it all really is. While it's got some slick camera work and the editing and story keep the pace up, this is too long of a movie (130 minutes isn't Titanic, but it's still pretty beefy) that doesn't feel like it has more to offer than some solid action set pieces, a pretty typical narrative, and a fun final act payoff. All this is to say it's really not a bad movie, but feels very much like a lazy Sunday movie you'd pick up 30 minutes in on TNT and enjoy just fine. It's funny to me that an action movie (with some legitimately good action, mind you) could be maybe the most boring film Scott ever made, but that just says a lot about how good he was at making some pretty exciting stuff. Oh, and Hackman is pretty great in this, feeling sort of like a return to his character in The Conversation.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8OPSVqS0dbrbxBhl_mZX7WkBW7LkF2aV7TZqPgqrac_OohM1LikBGKFnv6bQAQvB4VC-rLbhMihTVpqgW7sgZZR7_7xUjviHoX9K8KnmFCPtRFy3kXW8h-qepjFzgx_YSicmr9SzQFLZp9QtKsH-fBKuePy644Z9175Wtucs0K1PqTrj6j68V1i7zzw/s1185/R%20(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8OPSVqS0dbrbxBhl_mZX7WkBW7LkF2aV7TZqPgqrac_OohM1LikBGKFnv6bQAQvB4VC-rLbhMihTVpqgW7sgZZR7_7xUjviHoX9K8KnmFCPtRFy3kXW8h-qepjFzgx_YSicmr9SzQFLZp9QtKsH-fBKuePy644Z9175Wtucs0K1PqTrj6j68V1i7zzw/s320/R%20(1).jpeg" width="216" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />12. Beverly Hills Cop 2, 1987</span><p></p><p>I'm gonna sound like a real hypocrite right now, since I've spent so much time complaining about Tony Scott's style-over-substance abuse issues, but this is a movie that ultimately doesn't have too much of the look and feel I really hope for from his movies. While that is by no means a bad thing, and I do find the movie quite entertaining (and even very visually striking at times), this is probably the least "Tony Scott" movie he ever made. Which makes sense, it is a sequel to a hugely successful movie with one of the biggest movie stars of the '80s front and center, they weren't gonna let Scott go totally wild with style. But in a way I think that does help the movie to a degree, it stays focused and does what it needs to do while still affording Scott opportunities to dazzle and make the whole movie feel slick and cool. It's a fun movie, but not one of Scott's very best.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPE3XSNuUZySN1AXFjBe_vy3Cwkq9jdAIgaiMqufDE96tfxskhW7CYCGD3yi_mnufPDANNXT5YPxqIioLFRBoqhBn7SPePSiahi0695DI6QmdbDpDRkiG6thNTJz1XZ6_zxpMDNkuwfAFQRMeYK4VMqcKV5m7wPr_t0ETEyQOgQYkl0DR5blxd0Mos-U/s3000/uNM8X7hAYXcktqePg6rfeDo6q2R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPE3XSNuUZySN1AXFjBe_vy3Cwkq9jdAIgaiMqufDE96tfxskhW7CYCGD3yi_mnufPDANNXT5YPxqIioLFRBoqhBn7SPePSiahi0695DI6QmdbDpDRkiG6thNTJz1XZ6_zxpMDNkuwfAFQRMeYK4VMqcKV5m7wPr_t0ETEyQOgQYkl0DR5blxd0Mos-U/s320/uNM8X7hAYXcktqePg6rfeDo6q2R.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">11. Days Of Thunder, 1990</span><p></p><p>I shouldn't have watched this movie directly after Top Gun, as it really is just an inferior version of the same thing. But while it is a downgrade and I can't deny that, I do feel like if you were to watch this movie in a vacuum you'd enjoy it quite a bit. I know I did. It just carries with it the weight of being designed from the ground up as the NASCAR version of Top Gun. Still, I love the way this movie is shot, it's got a great sense of speed to it, and it's able to get you really invested in the hastily thrown together relationships between the characters, which really helps add some weight to the final act. I fully acknowledge that this movie is derivative, but it's such an entertaining and unabashedly over-the-top speed demon of a movie that I can't help but to admire it both for its craft and its straight-forwardness. Tom Cruise and Michael Rooker are a lot of fun to watch in their scenes together, and you've got suitably strong support from Robert Duvall. It may be a total guy movie, but I'm a guy, and I like movies. Perfect fit.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRq-nwoly48p-FAbNwzMrXVyl-RG5pA1M4kTnaV7jzrXwmEoMz_821JmPVQ9zYDvx-cDo3WieB0YLOODH_W1CsCWIQPMhA8XCgPz16Nd7DAdGwwNENBw6IwylOrpQOlVrceG3w4HJMieDnMee0AAqvVgwyv8DuUVsWifsZy_nSsH-nnHCBd6ymUQkep0/s1500/pbbGhKVZdZTpHobA66JG7xIglxg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRq-nwoly48p-FAbNwzMrXVyl-RG5pA1M4kTnaV7jzrXwmEoMz_821JmPVQ9zYDvx-cDo3WieB0YLOODH_W1CsCWIQPMhA8XCgPz16Nd7DAdGwwNENBw6IwylOrpQOlVrceG3w4HJMieDnMee0AAqvVgwyv8DuUVsWifsZy_nSsH-nnHCBd6ymUQkep0/s320/pbbGhKVZdZTpHobA66JG7xIglxg.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">10. Spy Game, 2001</span><p></p><p>It's sharp, it's cool, it's filled with great character moments and has one of the best late-career Redford performances, but I still can't put it much higher than this on the list. That's a testament to how great Tony Scott was at making super slick films that give the audience exactly what they want, that something as objectively good as this can't make the top half of this countdown. But here we are. Many of the movies he made around this time were so drenched in style that the stories and characters almost took a backseat, but this is a definite exception to that. While it doesn't sacrifice the sense of cool, and there are more than a couple badass moments, this is a lot more focused and does a great job at building the relationships and making you really root for both Redford and Brad Pitt...oh, did I forget to mention Brad Pitt is also in this and is super cool? Cool is the word for this movie, and I really dig it.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepESNPrxbu628Hebd8Fdpz0diuRZpFfqZ-pReb-PI-B1_Xsj-l2kDFAsk5-hh1dKfEZQWjDg2T9H57N92BVsbn8pWLIuttknm-h4eXaDP4fsLPm6xEDNjfDUTKxwGtEh-hQPI5Yae2_bKI29NTk6T7zGYVsgHEvb8s3pLoNHkAIBjqxMXepkYWOcz3-U/s769/R%20(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="520" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepESNPrxbu628Hebd8Fdpz0diuRZpFfqZ-pReb-PI-B1_Xsj-l2kDFAsk5-hh1dKfEZQWjDg2T9H57N92BVsbn8pWLIuttknm-h4eXaDP4fsLPm6xEDNjfDUTKxwGtEh-hQPI5Yae2_bKI29NTk6T7zGYVsgHEvb8s3pLoNHkAIBjqxMXepkYWOcz3-U/s320/R%20(2).jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">9. The Last Boy Scout, 1991</span><p></p><p>While I know some people who would call it borderline insane by putting it so low, I do quite like this movie. Just not enough to put it in the top half of his filmography. With Bruce Willis at his Bruce Williest, and Damon Wayans taking a step or two back from his usual overtly comedic type of performance, you've got a really solid buddy cop pair, just not one of the best we've seen from writer Shane Black, who I feel tackles his own material best in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys. Still, this is a highly entertaining action comedy with more than one moment that got me to audibly scream "YEAHHHHH!!" and "LET'S GOOO!" at the screen like someone's drunk uncle. And while I am in fact an uncle, I was not drunk, this movie just brings the party out of me in the best ways possible. It's not overly stylized, but still looks good and places the appropriate amount of emphasis on character and story. A definite crowd-pleaser.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBP6BzBTcRvDrMOVhx2xjQU3mXkGT0FChg19iNDv_nqYqeTTy33iS2kBEKu-53yD6GrkCgrnvIa7ilu0Hvc2ZVBiEiPywFChyphenhyphen6uTVoaRa9DXSbn-NJpjBim9ifncWJeEMEsbQbmi-ldABfoQL7IscPvxtOj1K4o37a2C9_MiWYabWNFZfeluZ9lUkWZh8/s3265/16acf4dde0b6ef40344d21748887fd10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3265" data-original-width="2189" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBP6BzBTcRvDrMOVhx2xjQU3mXkGT0FChg19iNDv_nqYqeTTy33iS2kBEKu-53yD6GrkCgrnvIa7ilu0Hvc2ZVBiEiPywFChyphenhyphen6uTVoaRa9DXSbn-NJpjBim9ifncWJeEMEsbQbmi-ldABfoQL7IscPvxtOj1K4o37a2C9_MiWYabWNFZfeluZ9lUkWZh8/s320/16acf4dde0b6ef40344d21748887fd10.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">8. Revenge, 1990</span><p></p><p>I'm slightly torn with this movie, as I seem to be with several others that land around this spot, because it's one I genuinely think could wind up landing much higher when I rewatch it, but based solely on my one viewing of it I'm still somewhat distracted by the Costner of it all. He's just not a good actor, I've never got it with him, and this movie relies very heavily on its central performances to sell it. That being said, he isn't terrible here, just his usual bland self, which only takes some away from the overall effect. Madeleine Stowe and Anthony Quinn, however, are both excellent, and I feel they more than make up for any other issues in the casting. This is a very dark movie about forbidden love that is bound to not click with a lot of people, or just be flat-out forgotten. I don't think that's fair, as this was one of the biggest surprises of his filmography for me, and the style he infused in this film was the perfect blend of his signature cool and classic noir. I'm a big fan of noir, so seeing Scott lean so heavily into this particular subgenre was a real treat for me, and I can only imagine a rewatch or two will bump this movie even higher up.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Y0FtDnhnrA7xfs8KE3J5wYln9A5CLUnu_mHSHp_VsEphjNSmoRVhXkMI7kBdbZVRaBje-YqCqdL3p9WkNi_D5niOEWdMbirSTF3o-53kTb5merAzOlzgdTbXSzn4J0PH3KTlPJHNaZJAC2BLJCR4DKCnMUhyJJPOQ8iPPikwJyoRrNCDADLlPEbW734/s1296/4f3c1e01e695928513309d7d79d367a3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Y0FtDnhnrA7xfs8KE3J5wYln9A5CLUnu_mHSHp_VsEphjNSmoRVhXkMI7kBdbZVRaBje-YqCqdL3p9WkNi_D5niOEWdMbirSTF3o-53kTb5merAzOlzgdTbXSzn4J0PH3KTlPJHNaZJAC2BLJCR4DKCnMUhyJJPOQ8iPPikwJyoRrNCDADLlPEbW734/s320/4f3c1e01e695928513309d7d79d367a3.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">7. Man On Fire, 2004</span><p></p><p>I've really went back and forth and struggled over what to do with this movie. When it works, this is the best movie of Scott's career. But when it doesn't work, it REALLY doesn't work. And I think a large part of that is due to the "You Wouldn't Steal A Car!" early-2000s aesthetic that feels like it's been vomited all over this movie during the entire editing process. That, and the slightly bloated second act, of course. But in the end I feel like the central relationship between Denzel and Dakota Fanning's characters is so perfect and so pure that I can't help but to love the movie in spite of the negatives. All that just circles back around to me not knowing what to do with this movie. So I'm plopping it here, because I'll feel bad about where it lands either way. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbRxtu2QxqWtwwQxwWEJQ0YzbqYVQvYAjH479KEJYOxJWqirjoj7AQTGrkibSXtdsjbrkBi9cA3zuHux-kq1trJz6ZGCZRozs83MRb9GGt7b7AusU3ny3dQejufOcgxaB6OAnnIRYNqYfgIedo4hP4DlZF3CGQUweRa-hLCI4ztY4QE2KzQzcDtKxd-M/s693/R%20(4).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUbRxtu2QxqWtwwQxwWEJQ0YzbqYVQvYAjH479KEJYOxJWqirjoj7AQTGrkibSXtdsjbrkBi9cA3zuHux-kq1trJz6ZGCZRozs83MRb9GGt7b7AusU3ny3dQejufOcgxaB6OAnnIRYNqYfgIedo4hP4DlZF3CGQUweRa-hLCI4ztY4QE2KzQzcDtKxd-M/s320/R%20(4).jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">6. Deja Vu, 2006</span><p></p><p>Probably the biggest surprise of all of Scott's films, I honestly went into Deja Vu expecting something at the level of Domino, but walked away feeling very strongly about what I'd just seen. Everything about this movie just clicked with me, from the performances to the story and the sci/fi concepts behind it. It's a pretty tight movie with some big ideas and set pieces that made for a very good genre thriller. Denzel gives a typically solid performance, Jim Caviezel is a very effective villain, and Paula Patton does a great job as well. I think a big part of what makes or breaks this movie is in how well you can buy into the science fiction of it all, but I had no problem accepting it outright, which I can only partially blame on my personal tastes since I think the writing is just good enough to sell the idea without feeling like it's trying too hard to blow your mind. It's just a really fun action movie with some big stakes and a solid payoff.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj6ZDM23-uz41-J7E8w6_UufKsHgSN9m-xY_BaepgXQOsb7bVFT6vnjcP2WSktM2LIb6vol9ySEVQiNCUtecof_XMDx2qyPBEwfBwLKEwEpQsOSlr1eIAwLrAllzvM7Td_trI0qKKO5thMGGmEpsQVimo4bQyP7oXn72oZiE2FefD5dRLq7-DaMQKVf4/s1500/R%20(3).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1034" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj6ZDM23-uz41-J7E8w6_UufKsHgSN9m-xY_BaepgXQOsb7bVFT6vnjcP2WSktM2LIb6vol9ySEVQiNCUtecof_XMDx2qyPBEwfBwLKEwEpQsOSlr1eIAwLrAllzvM7Td_trI0qKKO5thMGGmEpsQVimo4bQyP7oXn72oZiE2FefD5dRLq7-DaMQKVf4/s320/R%20(3).jpeg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">5. True Romance, 1993</span><p></p><p>When someone like Quentin Tarantino writes a script, it almost feels like a given that the director would essentially morph their own style to match the tone of that script. We saw Oliver Stone do this (to a degree) with Natural Born Killers, but Tony Scott never loses his identity with this one. Serving as a perfect marriage of Scott and Tarantino, True Romance is loads of fun and never feels like anything less than a true Tony Scott film. It's got the slick camera angles and edits, his signature lighting style, and operatic violence. Not only that, but this movie features some genuinely amazing supporting performances by Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, and Gary Oldman. While I've never been the biggest Slater and/or Arquette fan, they're perfectly matched not only for each other, but for their roles. The music used in this movie is very odd and memorable, and gives the whole thing a playful atmosphere, even amidst the darkness and danger the characters are fully submerged in. I never used to be a big fan of this movie before this most recent rewatch, but I'm very glad to have it this high on the list now. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfi0DBlYdQ-sY3pVJeiU52e6qP1gbJm1hInu0BPTrnHSaQrsCp_UXyuqq6Yrrwb1kUGxX43cwWd8xME8CB2KH090-zRMWTnxsJXYvhtu3A_OkrNA1LV-xeVYaB17gusTREn0hBgLszxdjrcnzbWErQXnwP-nOZ4_Nx968B38zMnbbGvwmWtl1OBcwWkk/s859/549626a3-2ad1-48f3-8e07-1acec37e078a_1.3ef1b825013fdbd7c923ad910baa5e92.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfi0DBlYdQ-sY3pVJeiU52e6qP1gbJm1hInu0BPTrnHSaQrsCp_UXyuqq6Yrrwb1kUGxX43cwWd8xME8CB2KH090-zRMWTnxsJXYvhtu3A_OkrNA1LV-xeVYaB17gusTREn0hBgLszxdjrcnzbWErQXnwP-nOZ4_Nx968B38zMnbbGvwmWtl1OBcwWkk/s320/549626a3-2ad1-48f3-8e07-1acec37e078a_1.3ef1b825013fdbd7c923ad910baa5e92.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">4. Top Gun, 1986</span><p></p><p>I gotta admit, when I first watched Top Gun I kind of hated it. All style, no substance, they wouldn't stop playing that Berlin song, sweaty beach volleyball was definitely an odd choice, the pro-war sentiment is a little too pro for my taste, and I just didn't get into the characters. And honestly, I wasn't too big on the 2022 sequel either, so I almost just didn't bother doing this one again. But I just felt like giving it a second try, and all of a sudden almost every negative opinion I had on it flipped. This movie sucked me in from the beginning, I loved the way it was shot, I got invested in the relationships, and found the story as a whole very exciting and satisfying. Maybe this movie is pro-war propaganda designed to make impressionable teens want to sign up for the military, but its success in that field proves how effective it is as an action, romance, war, and buddy film. I really enjoyed it this time around, and now think of it with great fondness.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UP0c3D9S7swC0ea-JDGxoHDU6L_OfGpGS4yDOhkTqtGoFMAPcTBe4TcOZPL0oA7Qi6ZJ2Q8nDh9f852kJcPfdYqOL15CJDeB5qcKn7e9MDlHqRq_HYc0NQ-xP63XhCpQvz8T7a1pnHN6Q2UboLJvhXKiha-IUO46tG7yYTwIO6V10-alQWhvXXcYkdM/s1200/crimson-tide-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-UP0c3D9S7swC0ea-JDGxoHDU6L_OfGpGS4yDOhkTqtGoFMAPcTBe4TcOZPL0oA7Qi6ZJ2Q8nDh9f852kJcPfdYqOL15CJDeB5qcKn7e9MDlHqRq_HYc0NQ-xP63XhCpQvz8T7a1pnHN6Q2UboLJvhXKiha-IUO46tG7yYTwIO6V10-alQWhvXXcYkdM/s320/crimson-tide-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">3. Crimson Tide, 1995</span><p></p><p>What do you get when you have a great director make a claustrophobic submarine movie about mutiny and the chain of command led by two of the greatest actors of all-time? Obviously you can guess by how high I put this movie that I'm a pretty big fan of it, as this was just a pure thrill the entire way through. The tension and stakes of this movie were almost oppressively high, and your ability to see and understand both sides of the Denzel/Hackman struggle make it all the more effective as a character drama. Both sides are unbending and determined to do what needs to be done to save the lives of their crew, as well as countless more outside of the sub, but their methods, impulses, and rationale couldn't be further apart. It makes for an incredibly tense movie where you aren't necessarily able to root for both sides (Denzel is clearly the hero of the movie, after all), but you can at least get the sense that, although Hackman is the antagonist, he isn't some mustache-twirling psycho hellbent on violence without reason. I loved this movie, it's beautifully shot, well-acted, and a pure adrenaline rush.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H_3njcePw_I-xSgPIHN5zoKtiIbqt6GSKZdFSNP1BV9LDAd8PwXgAxgrl8Bfb_NBWgVXVj2jtkMAqMw-PbEUTT-xEucin3Fi_3LS9_w4QcKG3BcVKq4oSljddgcFz_if1i9d3iTKA4BW_J_JWR1U6OWMsBciUJfF7ag89ACKyQGwtJG2CrxbLUT1oIY/s3000/qXUwrIluUyQ3L69g0QgeLoOH1Ko.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H_3njcePw_I-xSgPIHN5zoKtiIbqt6GSKZdFSNP1BV9LDAd8PwXgAxgrl8Bfb_NBWgVXVj2jtkMAqMw-PbEUTT-xEucin3Fi_3LS9_w4QcKG3BcVKq4oSljddgcFz_if1i9d3iTKA4BW_J_JWR1U6OWMsBciUJfF7ag89ACKyQGwtJG2CrxbLUT1oIY/s320/qXUwrIluUyQ3L69g0QgeLoOH1Ko.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">2. The Hunger, 1983</span><p></p><p>Here's another movie I really didn't like the first time around, and yet again I find the current me struggling to understand why. With an incredible goth aesthetic and a fairly simple albeit effective story, this vampire movie isn't a shock horror type, but instead gets under your skin in a more existential sort of way. The fate of certain characters leave you feeling more horrified than any kind of visual ever could, but that's not to imply this film doesn't work on a visual level. This might be the most striking movie of Scott's career, with its stark blue visuals contracting beautifully with the use of deep red blood. Cool and sexy are two words that apply to a lot of what Tony Scott movies strive to be, and that pairs incredibly well with vampires, which are basically the supernatural distillation of the two. I know a lot of people probably consider this a lesser Scott film (I recall seeing a list or two with it sitting at the very bottom, which is absurd to me) but it was a really close race between this and my #1 for that top spot. Oh, and before I forget to mention the trio of lead performances by Deneuve, Sarandon, and Bowie are all terrific. Wouldn't want to forget that.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkiz8_jYv0iFfkZ-NIwAsXx-ucSBlo70cXN6nPQ00p4bhQbM24FAPDT0NufLIrki0DVm1bZUWRc1OKO0HldK-pYLuY9C4aqr8no0KqUkyr2lqCnyCT5TQDWQyRPcp3abryebT8ZESMggEMPn-B_73hnc74ABHHoqa8DDZDG-8qerK8SWyck1BO0KQw2c/s2960/R%20(5).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2960" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkiz8_jYv0iFfkZ-NIwAsXx-ucSBlo70cXN6nPQ00p4bhQbM24FAPDT0NufLIrki0DVm1bZUWRc1OKO0HldK-pYLuY9C4aqr8no0KqUkyr2lqCnyCT5TQDWQyRPcp3abryebT8ZESMggEMPn-B_73hnc74ABHHoqa8DDZDG-8qerK8SWyck1BO0KQw2c/s320/R%20(5).jpeg" width="216" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />1. Unstoppable, 2010</span><p></p><p>Like I just mentioned in my last snippet, picking #1 was really tough for me, but I think deep down I always sort of knew Unstoppable would be at the top. For all of my complaints about how overly stylized some of the later-period Scott movies are, this is a case that it really doesn't bother me, as I feel the adrenaline and kineticism of its visuals ultimately add to what the movie is at its core. Now, in gonna use a few words that might on the surface feel disparaging, but I only mean them here with love. Unstoppable is pretty much a perfect dumb movie. It's filled with ridiculous decisions that I can't help but to applaud, and makes the whole rush of a movie fly by in very satisfying and crazy ways. Watching these people try to come up with often illogical and bizarre ways of dealing with this runaway train makes for a massively entertaining action thriller, and it's all held together by Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, who are never less than a blast to watch together. This is one of the most unabashedly entertaining movies of the 2010s and this most recent rewatch only confirmed that for me. It's a Tony Scott movie through and through, and as he never directed another film after it, it was ultimately a perfect movie to cap off his career. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Usually with these kind of posts I find myself feeling overwhelmed and it turns more into work for me than it really should, but this wasn't the case here. I loved going through Tony Scott's career as a director and writing a little about each of these movies came pretty naturally. So overall, this was just a positive experience for me across the board. To anyone who read this (or skimmed, I'm very guilty of that too), thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a lovely day.</p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540480104359490939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-78154621810680920852023-03-26T06:01:00.003-04:002023-03-26T06:01:55.696-04:00My Top 25 Movies of 2022<p style="text-align: justify;">2022 was a step up for movies over the past couple, and I hope this list reflects that. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've done a terrible job at keeping up on writing any kind of reviews for the movies I've been watching over the past few years, but even though I'm a little later on this than I would usually aim to be with a 2022 countdown, I'm still happy that I've gotten this done at all. I watched about 90-100 movies from this last year, and these are my favorite ones. At least, as I see them right now. I really want to start doing a series of redos on these lists that show how much my opinion has changed over the years, but that's for another time. Anyway, here is the list.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Also, there are too many movies for me to cover in honorable mentions, so if your favorite isn't on here, just pretend it barely missed the cut if that helps you sleep at night.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">25. Nope</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Jordan Peele</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXEmlGXFbx3KKr_ieGcgOJorbkSL3Ir5F6Jm3KG94m1Exunhg5F_M9JsVrpQN-1iGqh40C5bj0wOXkwtdbNoy-1q3ibDhYbR0RaHEJtrDTinczvqWaEIvh_Kxs8aN4pOTzqOFP9JG94d0qGSzonAufy-go34ETDdqzZ44K5rb2f55od4tZk9ZJZfs/s1480/nope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXEmlGXFbx3KKr_ieGcgOJorbkSL3Ir5F6Jm3KG94m1Exunhg5F_M9JsVrpQN-1iGqh40C5bj0wOXkwtdbNoy-1q3ibDhYbR0RaHEJtrDTinczvqWaEIvh_Kxs8aN4pOTzqOFP9JG94d0qGSzonAufy-go34ETDdqzZ44K5rb2f55od4tZk9ZJZfs/w400-h225/nope.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm still a bit torn on Nope, as it's probably my least favorite of Peele's three films so far, but the first half is some of the best material he's got. While I feel it falls off a bit near the tail-end (sacrificing the mystery, horror, and intrigue in favor of the metaphorical and subtextual), that doesn't stop me from having an overall very positive feeling from the whole experience. I'm a sucker for alien movies, and you combine that with the wit, performances, atmosphere, and the incredible cinematography/filmmaking standards of Jordan Peele, and you've got an entertaining movie across the board.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">24. Drive My Car</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZELWHVurtNPo2mqSZxRw3M2h9WBWkLEzf_x3T1CWcDGcpq30TeiwxChDXn-yqy7XZDavdpH0mKvw1Tqs37bAcAvN7rAemi2fRfLL8e-sYVkds5qhHKcn46E_D3ZTSTfZM_u2L7VpWNixWeJODg8Oupka7wJ1nXak_ii_RzCfExAaCWgYvdip1sac7/s960/drivemycar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZELWHVurtNPo2mqSZxRw3M2h9WBWkLEzf_x3T1CWcDGcpq30TeiwxChDXn-yqy7XZDavdpH0mKvw1Tqs37bAcAvN7rAemi2fRfLL8e-sYVkds5qhHKcn46E_D3ZTSTfZM_u2L7VpWNixWeJODg8Oupka7wJ1nXak_ii_RzCfExAaCWgYvdip1sac7/w400-h225/drivemycar.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">A 3-hour character drama that's bound to bore most people to tears, unless they have a particular weakness for long-ass melodramas and/or Uncle Vanya. This isn't the kind of movie that might hit you right away, but as it went along and long after it was finished I found myself returning to it again and again in my mind. It may be very long, but it didn't feel tedious to watch at any point for me. The performances are great, the cinematography, editing, etc. were all top-notch. Not really much to say about this one, apart from it being very good. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">23. The House</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Emma de Swaef, Marc James Roels, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Paloma Baeza</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxubDNddaDBs9zPyK0SiPOjYA_IzFQerYTjGmXY26V9O1C3TPKUr4qVcoJu0Rx3vylpEKAec5W-JFnL4fn4am5n99We0AEIrWsmm-fTjco1nqqXHif7bENIPsDcfr1OdzRszOMFbUW4ujsZwTGF44MMuIIcpeuuthqcnrr4m-LQSzOMxIX1eFmQUQ/s474/thehouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxubDNddaDBs9zPyK0SiPOjYA_IzFQerYTjGmXY26V9O1C3TPKUr4qVcoJu0Rx3vylpEKAec5W-JFnL4fn4am5n99We0AEIrWsmm-fTjco1nqqXHif7bENIPsDcfr1OdzRszOMFbUW4ujsZwTGF44MMuIIcpeuuthqcnrr4m-LQSzOMxIX1eFmQUQ/w400-h200/thehouse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Anthologies are very hard for me to judge, as they're by design quite inconsistent. But luckily, while this one has peaks and valleys, with only 3 stories and a dark, whimsical tone that remains throughout, I found this to be an overall very strong anthology. The first part is the most straight-forward "horror", but I always think back on the next two parts when I replay the events of the movie in my head. Overall, though, I think it's the third, non-horror, but very solemn segment that I enjoy the most. There's a feeling of melancholy that I admire, and the world it manages to create is beautiful, twisted, and somehow hopeful. It's a really cool stop-motion film.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">22. Marcel The Shell With Shoes On</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy32YC3XG8k8JXlaj3hG00xSFVMqJ0Z1EoMdkkJhFwfmb0B1JXKhcOS35sQOOsxFPnQXpw34Cz9l1suReySNOHb5VaeqXnLVZ1yUthNMGdSH9dYK8CZM9SeBMfxJ0EtTEKnK0tETipMG_aHvZdFJF_HfvGywas3Uzq_I5AEbsJS97jihL9B5KyvZAi/s474/marceltheshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy32YC3XG8k8JXlaj3hG00xSFVMqJ0Z1EoMdkkJhFwfmb0B1JXKhcOS35sQOOsxFPnQXpw34Cz9l1suReySNOHb5VaeqXnLVZ1yUthNMGdSH9dYK8CZM9SeBMfxJ0EtTEKnK0tETipMG_aHvZdFJF_HfvGywas3Uzq_I5AEbsJS97jihL9B5KyvZAi/w400-h225/marceltheshell.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">And we've got ourselves some more stop motion! But unlike the last one, this is an incredibly adorable movie that manages to make you feel a whole load of emotions that often are rooted in the fact that it's just so very cute. This is a heart-warming movie that focuses on a central character that you can't help but to love and often feel quite bad for. Jenny Slate's vocal performance is great and works perfectly in unison with the animation. While I disagree with this movie getting an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film (large portions of it are very much live-action), seeing it find its way into the awards circuit was still a very lovely surprise. It's difficult for me to imagine anyone watching this movie and disliking it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">21. The Pale Blue Eye</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Scott Cooper</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubOThe5jCs-RMmrmK2AcqFWJm9DJmivNy-8TxHyzs16koq7Tcleo-u-JtAthFY_OrVSKhU67CxRjozO0gspV9-bTJt-I4TL01zrvfnbkLM75786KBovvpPu_AK97PnK4SUPxMMl6PXpTBLUcKJjngkWqTajJTBBnBbADuN9UmENLhPC-y5_R9VEkW/s640/paleblueeye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubOThe5jCs-RMmrmK2AcqFWJm9DJmivNy-8TxHyzs16koq7Tcleo-u-JtAthFY_OrVSKhU67CxRjozO0gspV9-bTJt-I4TL01zrvfnbkLM75786KBovvpPu_AK97PnK4SUPxMMl6PXpTBLUcKJjngkWqTajJTBBnBbADuN9UmENLhPC-y5_R9VEkW/w400-h250/paleblueeye.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I sometimes feel like I'm alone in liking this movie as much as I did. I'm not the world's biggest Christian Bale fan, but I think he gave a pretty solid lead performance here, but he's not even close to the film's strongest attribute. The production design is beautiful, the atmosphere, cinematography, music, costuming, etc. all do an excellent job at placing you firmly into this setting, which makes the central mysteries all the more compelling. Watching the story unfold in not always the most surprising ways didn't bother me, but some of the twists (that probably bugged a lot of people) actually worked for me, particularly the one with [REDACTED]. Maybe not a masterpiece, but I really liked it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">20. A Love Song</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Max Walker-Silverman</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjnMbbmnp7PkphNazFrWa_w1Kgp5ZrcGMm4NuCbpgX-ZBUpqy4W2TDdxK6NfpF2s6uOx25Q2ya9-ea0qdtlBPeYQSuKQdVgvIRMcZiRxuKWs1Fhs0qMbB7TXX-ycaZwGthpqD8cRXxcOjOOU2MutK5br3s3esWc7b0pe7SYBRUgH9zgiqA0yqjT4t/s600/alovesong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjnMbbmnp7PkphNazFrWa_w1Kgp5ZrcGMm4NuCbpgX-ZBUpqy4W2TDdxK6NfpF2s6uOx25Q2ya9-ea0qdtlBPeYQSuKQdVgvIRMcZiRxuKWs1Fhs0qMbB7TXX-ycaZwGthpqD8cRXxcOjOOU2MutK5br3s3esWc7b0pe7SYBRUgH9zgiqA0yqjT4t/w400-h223/alovesong.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Almost objectively the most boring movie on this list, A Love Song is a beautiful character study starring Dale Dickey, a very unique career supporting performer who finally is given room to give all she's got, and it does not disappoint. This is a very quiet movie all about an aging widow trying to fill the gaps left by others. It's a very slow, melancholy film that most people will probably find tedious, but I found wholly captivating. Dale Dickey and Wes Studi are both terrific, and the subtle emotion behind their performances are genuinely incredible. Not a movie for everyone, but it deserves to be on my list. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">19. The Northman</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Robert Eggers</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzPX2v5PbomtVeqYeewNahA0fv8e4jMi5U_h5UYnlmG-WPrZ6JHnYGCA7PSS8h68cQvsX-WpubTHiFVbSIZ6dC1-GeTlqr4b34U-T3A6r3XyPVHmRjmfnPkrdMEKM5on8XcoBphyxeKE5k9hQIkN3ADkwu1mgk9tUJVxofyEqmTLhSxhpTXzcmkUg/s1280/northman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="1280" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNzPX2v5PbomtVeqYeewNahA0fv8e4jMi5U_h5UYnlmG-WPrZ6JHnYGCA7PSS8h68cQvsX-WpubTHiFVbSIZ6dC1-GeTlqr4b34U-T3A6r3XyPVHmRjmfnPkrdMEKM5on8XcoBphyxeKE5k9hQIkN3ADkwu1mgk9tUJVxofyEqmTLhSxhpTXzcmkUg/w400-h190/northman.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">It's been a year since I saw this movie and I'm still not sure how I feel about it as a whole, but when I think back on it I don't generally have negative thoughts pop up in my noggin. There are a few weird/awkward scenes near the beginning, Nicole Kidman (despite giving a solid performance) doesn't fully mesh, and some of the fight choreography is a bit stilted at first, but it doesn't take long before all of the filmmaking aspects drown out all that, and you're left with a very simple revenge story with an awesome setting, loads of violence, and some pretty epic set pieces. This is a weird movie for Eggers, but seeing as his last film was The Lighthouse, I'd say by most people's standards it's not very weird at all. Either way, I need to watch it again before I totally decide where I land on it. It's a really cool visual experience, and has some scenes that I can't get out of my head.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">18. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Joel Crawford</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQ2Kt7kdW9W39jPDKJnlmKPhdWk13o7xpQpvkyTYBaxTV2zELFKFj5ZzDW8QpYesO1RYxIedqBz72UnRa56mGmfW46ZIcEJ1SK53c8gWNlXQXOxHAIOiA_yFlnof9LdOQoK_e3Q_UcsYiztZdfRnJsfK8UDpZrJQ19EIxZmBUTj_xHa7cAcwf10ZY/s1200/pussinboots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1200" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQ2Kt7kdW9W39jPDKJnlmKPhdWk13o7xpQpvkyTYBaxTV2zELFKFj5ZzDW8QpYesO1RYxIedqBz72UnRa56mGmfW46ZIcEJ1SK53c8gWNlXQXOxHAIOiA_yFlnof9LdOQoK_e3Q_UcsYiztZdfRnJsfK8UDpZrJQ19EIxZmBUTj_xHa7cAcwf10ZY/w400-h216/pussinboots.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">The most recent viewing that's made it onto my list, this 11-years later sequel to a ho-hum Shrek spinoff wasn't exactly something I had high on my list of priorities, but those lowered expectations definitely aided in making this one of the most surprisingly entertaining and lovely movies I saw from 2022. There are some weird visuals during action sequences (jury's still out for me on that), but the overall look and feel of the movie is very impressive, and I loved how often the jokes actually landed. It took a little bit for me to get totally invested, but by the time the main adventure was underway, I was already fully immersed. It's a fun, exciting, sweet little movie, and I'm just as surprised as anyone else that it wound up this good.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">17. Beavis And Butthead Do The Universe</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by John Rice, Albert Calleros</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOv1lCfWZbQRl4H_hsf9KPX2kG7l0WdW8OJW7DMjFpF6vu4Uo6wsZ1ASWy60Rb5-fWcrFnjDC6z2Eoq4Gai1aw5q4YvpiH8iCKbkIoPNEaRcZNk3NII5WSc8wy0oedeUMF1z_9qOZ_06yvOaJeNgqtJPRGcRhptOeB73G8ypgGXTecG3w9WBj3gVN/s1200/beavisandbutthead.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOv1lCfWZbQRl4H_hsf9KPX2kG7l0WdW8OJW7DMjFpF6vu4Uo6wsZ1ASWy60Rb5-fWcrFnjDC6z2Eoq4Gai1aw5q4YvpiH8iCKbkIoPNEaRcZNk3NII5WSc8wy0oedeUMF1z_9qOZ_06yvOaJeNgqtJPRGcRhptOeB73G8ypgGXTecG3w9WBj3gVN/w400-h225/beavisandbutthead.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">And another sequel I didn't expect to enjoy has found its way onto my list. What's even happening? I've never been the world's biggest Beavis & Butthead fan, not for any particular reason apart from relative lack of exposure, but of what I've seen I think I enjoyed this as much as anything else featuring these characters. The plot is silly and a bit thin, but that's not really anything surprising, mostly just finding new settings for these two goobers to interact with things in new and interesting ways. There are a lot of bits that had me laughing my ass off, and the gap between jokes was never too long. This is a fun movie, but I would never recommend to anyone who isn't already familiar with Beavis & Butthead.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">16. Triangle Of Sadness</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Ruben Ostland</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6axfr_EAuYnO7KLRIj4tbiR6HAqLT6YDvW90z1blW6SppMy2q7CWtdQozJqEIVZh4o_AHE9cOfdaWAntXINCrgM9_E1iXoE0HECkHCIaPaFiZBvExxBlbELtN21q7ydozjYZg8cy07oA0neBsel61Gphz4W2PG_jMWOOKp60MVRSxxcydax_4EdP/s1216/triangle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="1216" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6axfr_EAuYnO7KLRIj4tbiR6HAqLT6YDvW90z1blW6SppMy2q7CWtdQozJqEIVZh4o_AHE9cOfdaWAntXINCrgM9_E1iXoE0HECkHCIaPaFiZBvExxBlbELtN21q7ydozjYZg8cy07oA0neBsel61Gphz4W2PG_jMWOOKp60MVRSxxcydax_4EdP/w400-h230/triangle.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">There are quite a few movies on this list that I would struggle to recommend to most people, and this is definitely one of them. A film essentially split into two pieces, pretty much everyone prefers one half over the other. But, lifelong contrarian that I am, </span><span style="text-align: left;">I kinda like both halves equally. The performances are loads of fun, with strong characterization, and the bits of shock comedy are...well, shocking. It's a really bizarre movie that I was very happy to see get some Oscar nominations, but knew it had almost 0% chance of winning any, considering how bonkers the thing is. There's a 5-minute scene that's just people projectile vomiting, so if that's the kind of thing you don't want to see, don't watch this movie. But if you're a sick and twisted person who enjoys a bit of commentary on social class, give it a go.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">15. The Worst Person In The World</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Joachim Trier</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5YbkNpEfTnivWBT1RSCOYsdc7UYOvlUnQLaKCc96lbvPtyiYhZxWmL4npnxY5Ded4rfHBAVAwKkn1C65ygwtvw8I5WOyOLIkSVs15b3-GjrkX8pw_JMGQ1ZGpHp-Z_oWu1wmqt8sI11hDZhwz8u3O6DYRk-EqM3oqjpaqwHYG5gSlgApGzUqy06f/s1000/worstperson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5YbkNpEfTnivWBT1RSCOYsdc7UYOvlUnQLaKCc96lbvPtyiYhZxWmL4npnxY5Ded4rfHBAVAwKkn1C65ygwtvw8I5WOyOLIkSVs15b3-GjrkX8pw_JMGQ1ZGpHp-Z_oWu1wmqt8sI11hDZhwz8u3O6DYRk-EqM3oqjpaqwHYG5gSlgApGzUqy06f/w400-h225/worstperson.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">This isn't a fun movie to watch. In fact, it's pretty devastating, but sometimes that's what you really need out of a movie. The fact it's able to get you so emotionally invested in the story and characters is definitely one of its strengths, but it goes deeper than just the writing. All aspects of this film from a technical perspective work beautifully, and the performances are among the best of the year. I suppose some people might consider this a 2021 movie (it was even up for the Oscars for the 2021 year), but since I wasn't able to watch it until several months into 2022, I'm counting it here. Great movie, but not one I could recommend to everyone -- as per usual.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">14. Cha Cha Real Smooth</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Cooper Raiff</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGySVY6topUC5rJXyErh3shHD7myvIvsW3OJ3kfjwuyOMIvcfoyzW0fFYZEUN_xMcarrliQv1ZVrhHsmngBZxK4yLQrn8WCJfd1Jty09-tOoecE4cb6AjdQT0BdtTqCMvHHUktewQcrTKdYc3bMG3Jr4lGTGs1cvRbJ17gv0uhTV3ixB642z-liIu/s1200/chacha.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGySVY6topUC5rJXyErh3shHD7myvIvsW3OJ3kfjwuyOMIvcfoyzW0fFYZEUN_xMcarrliQv1ZVrhHsmngBZxK4yLQrn8WCJfd1Jty09-tOoecE4cb6AjdQT0BdtTqCMvHHUktewQcrTKdYc3bMG3Jr4lGTGs1cvRbJ17gv0uhTV3ixB642z-liIu/w400-h225/chacha.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I went into this one expecting a pretty bland and forgettable comedy-drama, and left it absolutely amazed. Usually these indie darlings come and go by the end of the year without really leaving much of a mark, and while this one was definitely forgotten by most people by the time year-end lists rolled around, I still found it very noteworthy and enjoyed every minute of it. It's a surprising movie in a lot of ways, and one of the big ways it delivers is in its treatment of certain supporting characters, with major arcs not playing out the way you would expect them to. Dakota Johnson was a huge highlight for me, once again proving that she's one of the best actresses of the past decade, but she is by no means the only strong performance. This movie is sweet, funny, emotional, ticking all the boxes for an effective coming-of-age dramedy.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">13. Kantara</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Rishab Shetty</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7gWqmFHu_gx6IQpcVrc1UiH3KtTJRIoHVPjZUD9G93GGEO6weDvpcqAuigdJxWYmrqO-QX7-UHhA6yGcifYCZ0M5Zpp1gEgSYRJVJHAlbdyABv6Zn6fuXnOqkD55vYTXQgnBxywFo_jVvxBlC3u-2OUSUn_oH3A5RhRg4OESPThFnKgVMrPObivv/s750/kantara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7gWqmFHu_gx6IQpcVrc1UiH3KtTJRIoHVPjZUD9G93GGEO6weDvpcqAuigdJxWYmrqO-QX7-UHhA6yGcifYCZ0M5Zpp1gEgSYRJVJHAlbdyABv6Zn6fuXnOqkD55vYTXQgnBxywFo_jVvxBlC3u-2OUSUn_oH3A5RhRg4OESPThFnKgVMrPObivv/w400-h266/kantara.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Let me start by saying this movie is incredibly dumb, too long, a huge vanity project for the director/star, weirdly sexist, and overall not really good by most metrics. But I kinda loved it. In spite of running almost 3 hours, this movie found ways to entertain me throughout, offering little bits and pieces of the kind of cultural mysticism I can't help but to find fascinating. There are tons of entertaining action scenes, some hugely over-the-top sequences of a different ilk, and the plot took enough turns to keep me from ever getting bored by it. This is the kind of movie you replay in your head, skipping through to find all the good parts, of which there are plenty. I don't want to spoil a big chunk of what I love about this movie, but let me say the final act offered so much raw entertainment for me, it would have been worth watching for that portion alone -- but it helps that I liked the setup as much as I did. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">12. Bodies Bodies Bodies</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Halina Reijn</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYVou8p-4G1GprLul6137FB345HJU60yEwKzo5tuCg-P8Kyk8lfyzaC5Dm9Um9pMIpqTzEcbO7CqdIYtATEjw7uolurOKp_9-AH8NxdP2QzThgwCtTWmn6pJkc1OVI0Cpk0sltwm659ThvwoFgmivN_A83evYILDGhjVw5Iwe3l4KT7dkdlfachec/s696/bodies.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="696" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYVou8p-4G1GprLul6137FB345HJU60yEwKzo5tuCg-P8Kyk8lfyzaC5Dm9Um9pMIpqTzEcbO7CqdIYtATEjw7uolurOKp_9-AH8NxdP2QzThgwCtTWmn6pJkc1OVI0Cpk0sltwm659ThvwoFgmivN_A83evYILDGhjVw5Iwe3l4KT7dkdlfachec/w400-h225/bodies.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">If I were to simply name the most entertaining movies of the year without going into anything more detailed than just how simply fun it was to watch, this would land even higher on the list than this. Watching a trailer for this one will do a great job in preparing you for exactly what you should expect from the way the characters in this one act/speak/interact, but if you're turned off by the type of dialogue they have, it helps to realize this movie is meant as a pseudo-mockery of this kind of person. Fun performances across the board (yes, even Pete Davidson), the mystery is an interesting one to watch unravel, and the ending wraps the whole thing in a perfect, hilarious bow. This isn't really a pure horror movie as some people might hope, but I got everything I hoped from it, and much more.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">11. The Sadness</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Rob Jabbaz</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgO0XtnT03h-NKGhuQMFiQTU7tibaHF6qIwDbanHz3kY38FiD8Xpioz7yDSwSHZ8SAZqCUluaU0JQlzjOoDxwUXI7Z6hQGNwlXWMAHo2fLfrbJYYPr4jpvKk7MGC_3NYKDlmy_Xni6vPEfjgcxjmANgfudh7X1g8ivUSxo3VkXwWjo_EIjV6by_58/s1151/sadness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1151" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgO0XtnT03h-NKGhuQMFiQTU7tibaHF6qIwDbanHz3kY38FiD8Xpioz7yDSwSHZ8SAZqCUluaU0JQlzjOoDxwUXI7Z6hQGNwlXWMAHo2fLfrbJYYPr4jpvKk7MGC_3NYKDlmy_Xni6vPEfjgcxjmANgfudh7X1g8ivUSxo3VkXwWjo_EIjV6by_58/w400-h216/sadness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">This is a very disgusting, brutal, violent, psychotic movie that I would never recommend to anyone who doesn't have a thick skin. That being said, if you like very bloody, gory, messed up movies, this might scratch an itch for you in ways few things truly can. There isn't much for me to say about this one outside of that, but even though it is a deeply disturbing and twisted movie, I still found it very entertaining and at times weirdly funny. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I did, and as far as I'm aware I'm still not on any kind of watch list. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">10. The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Tom Gormican</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhZUkPzbA9w2qtOEdTAt3sd8VyAgpg01lHppuZAMC7VAxKnIXmrmWg8hFOxu_qm_4VJ1xYgRxa5Rwza_J8n0neLLYkQoduJst580PmSLvd71hEpg5NvptXwffGJ9GdM9JBsSp8GoBhQUpwVqhYjH1EvE9nCCa5t29EMZa-m0g3F6VzGba2U9Qh_JW/s1500/unbearable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1500" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghhZUkPzbA9w2qtOEdTAt3sd8VyAgpg01lHppuZAMC7VAxKnIXmrmWg8hFOxu_qm_4VJ1xYgRxa5Rwza_J8n0neLLYkQoduJst580PmSLvd71hEpg5NvptXwffGJ9GdM9JBsSp8GoBhQUpwVqhYjH1EvE9nCCa5t29EMZa-m0g3F6VzGba2U9Qh_JW/w400-h198/unbearable.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I love a good buddy comedy, which isn't the kind of thing I would have expected to say to start off a segment about a meta-Nicolas Cage movie, but that was a very welcome surprise. Since the rise of the Nic Cage meme, his career has gone in even more interesting directions than ever before, resulting in some of the best movies in recent years (see: Mandy, Pig) and some of the worst (don't see: Willy's Wonderland). So when I first saw about this movie and read the description before there was any footage released to the public, I was equal parts worried and excited. The results were a lot less psychotic, and a lot more funny, focused, and palatable. The big surprise for me was Pedro Pascal, who I'd not really seen in anything outside of his brief appearance on Game Of Thrones, but who managed to totally steal the movie away from Cage himself. Together they make for a very entertaining pair, and make this movie something truly special.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">9. Babylon</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Damien Chazelle</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nhfU3YEGd4SzVSy2N1hwzh8r6m4fO7z7kso-oDr9NmUj0O58AgnrCZGNPxBROhaZvt5Ni81DpKzt3ubMaiH1HsGR9CdMdlqs7xBIh_0Bo9N-2nA6QeasrgiC0iDQvh3-9SP_VXhKV7K7YsCfHzRf6meCo4xqp6wfinUn41golvo-wV9LSIskZtQB/s780/babylon.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="780" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-nhfU3YEGd4SzVSy2N1hwzh8r6m4fO7z7kso-oDr9NmUj0O58AgnrCZGNPxBROhaZvt5Ni81DpKzt3ubMaiH1HsGR9CdMdlqs7xBIh_0Bo9N-2nA6QeasrgiC0iDQvh3-9SP_VXhKV7K7YsCfHzRf6meCo4xqp6wfinUn41golvo-wV9LSIskZtQB/w400-h266/babylon.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">If you're a fan of the excess of something like Scorsese's The Wolf Of Wall Street, this might be your new favorite movie. Everything about it is loud, brash, in your face, over-the-top, ridiculous, and stunning to behold. I'm not the world's biggest Brad Pitt fan, but I really enjoyed his performance here, and Margot Robbie is of course difficult to ignore, as she really is the driving force of a great deal of the plot of the movie. While the crassness might be a bit too much for some people (you should know within the first 10 minutes if this is a movie you won't be able to stomach), but for people who just want to enjoy an entirely different, wild, and borderline psychotic experience that equally glamorizes and criticizes the excesses of the Hollywood lifestyle, give it a go. It may be 3 hours long, but I thought time flew by watching this one, and apart from Whiplash, it's the best thing Chazelle has done.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">8. Mad God</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Phil Tippett</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoi5NuZcJOmq5XNjagd68iydzfI3jFGZP6sYkDEtz5qzrqHEE013X-Ky9D0uP63HddAxXttKikOVS5AdvLXY5lWOk0h_h8vyQRofsFbISWQZAIq-gXtZJmB2Q1tucknY72bx1DNK4O-RCSTAsrive10vliYl4mptMxf4QSdb3oX1bUJilkBgol6GxH/s1552/madgod.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1552" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoi5NuZcJOmq5XNjagd68iydzfI3jFGZP6sYkDEtz5qzrqHEE013X-Ky9D0uP63HddAxXttKikOVS5AdvLXY5lWOk0h_h8vyQRofsFbISWQZAIq-gXtZJmB2Q1tucknY72bx1DNK4O-RCSTAsrive10vliYl4mptMxf4QSdb3oX1bUJilkBgol6GxH/w400-h225/madgod.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Among all the top-motion movies I saw this last year (I think there were about 5, actually), this one easily takes the top spot as my runaway favorite. In spite of some minor nitpicks about the brief inclusion of live-action performers (which I acknowledge as being as much of a narrative choice as an aesthetic one), this might be the most visually impressive movie of the past several years. Phil Tippett poured so much time and effort into this film, working on it for something like 30 years, and while I'm sad to say not many people seem to have seen it, I like to think that time wasn't wasted, considering how absolutely awesome it is to those of us who have given it a look. Narratively, there isn't much to say about this one, but this isn't the kind of movie where you even care if there are characters, dialogue, or anything like that. It's very atmospheric, and a lot more about the visuals and world-building, which I definitely appreciate from time to time. Maybe it's not quite the 10/10 masterpiece I was hoping for, but it's really close. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">7. Bones And All</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Luca Guadagnino</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA8TSa9UMtK5rUw2qRTEnGek4bE-Sd9L3Xa5wloK-W0o1JkCiCsjN-kXRGOHxmnfFHMjP3-u9tECLMIdNXNMUMCxnwRwk0ssm2mJYqeXKBYinv6C8k-ZjIuuOjliQshpnf6c2A2wUat_uC9njFOTRr_mU3L2zTedw6nLpb3SXOHXJsH1aCOWmmeuD/s1920/bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYA8TSa9UMtK5rUw2qRTEnGek4bE-Sd9L3Xa5wloK-W0o1JkCiCsjN-kXRGOHxmnfFHMjP3-u9tECLMIdNXNMUMCxnwRwk0ssm2mJYqeXKBYinv6C8k-ZjIuuOjliQshpnf6c2A2wUat_uC9njFOTRr_mU3L2zTedw6nLpb3SXOHXJsH1aCOWmmeuD/w400-h225/bones.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Luca Guadagnino has had a very odd sort of career as a director. Going from more high-brow dramas like 'I Am Love', into slightly more pulpy but still very classic material like his Swimming Pool remake 'A Bigger Splash', into one of the great romantic dramas of the past decade in 'Call Me By Your Name'. This trajectory isn't the strange part, but what he did next in reinventing the Italian horror classic 'Suspiria' by basically completely transforming the source material in every way, and then to this: a coming-of-age road trip romance about cannibals. I'm not a big Chalamet fan, but he's solid here (as he was in Call Me By Your Name), and Taylor Russell is also pretty great, but in a lot of ways it's the supporting performances that make this movie stand out and give it the sense of progression the story needed -- Mark Rylance and Michael Stuhlbarg in particular are incredible. This is a weird movie that reminded me a lot of Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark, but dare I say it's a far better film. It may not be for everyone, but the same can be said of a lot of the best movies out there.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">6. RRR</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by S.S. Rajamouli</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4LvbvId49MvD2ZdLeyfhoYfqgdBiJRhSYDLyKTaC61xmuspmALVOT92huDYMDYX6QvMrMwuWUR2nh-l5BGSwGpBubtTzYXc3IIVnDmyqh7qGLgh4tmj_HlwgIQoVjrAeNiQTr-t6UvkvvCf7U2Ht74QsTObV-gi0Zti9VGspixi1ykBIi2B2HgOe/s1035/RRR.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1035" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4LvbvId49MvD2ZdLeyfhoYfqgdBiJRhSYDLyKTaC61xmuspmALVOT92huDYMDYX6QvMrMwuWUR2nh-l5BGSwGpBubtTzYXc3IIVnDmyqh7qGLgh4tmj_HlwgIQoVjrAeNiQTr-t6UvkvvCf7U2Ht74QsTObV-gi0Zti9VGspixi1ykBIi2B2HgOe/w400-h211/RRR.png" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">This is one of the biggest movies of the year, in more ways than one. It's over 3 hours long, it's got action, comedy, drama, music, history, and pretty much does everything it possibly can to entertain you the entire way through. I really didn't know what to think going in, as I've never really given Bollywood (or any other major foreign blockbusters of any type) much of a chance, and even though I suppose this isn't "technically" Bollywood, I'm still going to count it as the first one I've ever watched. Maybe the huge runtime, foreign language, and inherently silly and over-the-top nature to it will turn a lot of people off, but if you're apprehensive, I still think it's worth giving a go. Just watch it in small chunks (like you would a TV show), flip the audio to English if you can't be bothered to read subtitles, and give yourself in to a movie so excessively macho, there was a point in the movie one of the main characters was bitten by a venomous snake and I fully expected him to flex the venom out of his veins. It's big, stupid, and fun in pretty much every way. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. The Menu</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Mark Mylod</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVyhM-sVuJKClAJY6URNBB7zhn-BbrYxQqMhqg84Zz6donBBUpNLmsuWyw-9_CJoRy-6Z2zI78PfCWvhRlEFobsrmh4JKjSY4nMc4laeyUXG5zYrFdCb6NlFG0sW51NToukFYy4Naq5wdHny9HNvMoVwAyUdPWTbKE728ioKU5zfL4mPCKo1Hj_Ws/s1000/menu.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1000" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVyhM-sVuJKClAJY6URNBB7zhn-BbrYxQqMhqg84Zz6donBBUpNLmsuWyw-9_CJoRy-6Z2zI78PfCWvhRlEFobsrmh4JKjSY4nMc4laeyUXG5zYrFdCb6NlFG0sW51NToukFYy4Naq5wdHny9HNvMoVwAyUdPWTbKE728ioKU5zfL4mPCKo1Hj_Ws/w400-h256/menu.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">If you ever find yourself irritated by smug art critics, the rich and entitled, people who would frequently refer to themselves as "intellectual", or just people who find ways to turn food into an obnoxious art piece, this might be the film for you. It does a great job at skewering pretense in a way that's both hilarious and satisfying to the audience, all while telling a story that, though not truly pushing any boundaries, is sure to entertain fans of the horror genre. It's a very dark, sarcastic sort of movie that works largely in part to the cast. Anya Taylor Joy is great in the lead, Nicolas Hoult is super annoying and funny, Hong Chau is terrific (even better here than she was in her Oscar-nominated performance in The Whale thsi same year), but it's really Ralph Fiennes who steals the show. There is so much intensity and mystery surrounding his enigmatic chef character, and it makes the plot revelations all the more fun to watch unfold. His arc, while simple enough, does a great job at wrapping both the story and the themes of the film in a lovely little bow. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Aftersun</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Charlotte Wells</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2O9i7fZRPRyySxV0Mwzr_QlcpdMk4NR-EiRhttWZqjKVIbNUPaVmb-JERyrLu6yTMzpVSGaJxxtTxKQHlqj4xGhrL24BHxb-MrgJSpzfwNa4bRrlmDar9yzEukFTMuhw4uBtxqi1SltlvWtdlZyxQaAG7Mc91nslMdJymeEsheX3SiShXzASl55X/s2834/aftersun.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1532" data-original-width="2834" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2O9i7fZRPRyySxV0Mwzr_QlcpdMk4NR-EiRhttWZqjKVIbNUPaVmb-JERyrLu6yTMzpVSGaJxxtTxKQHlqj4xGhrL24BHxb-MrgJSpzfwNa4bRrlmDar9yzEukFTMuhw4uBtxqi1SltlvWtdlZyxQaAG7Mc91nslMdJymeEsheX3SiShXzASl55X/w400-h216/aftersun.png" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">In spite of the fact that I arguably don't have a soul, this movie devastated me to watch. It's one of the most sad, genuine, and powerful dramas I've seen in years, and it all relies so heavily on the main performances that it becomes even more impressive to me that it worked so well in spite of one of the lead actors being only like 10-12 years old. I make special note of that fact since child actors are usually terrible and drag everything down with them. But that doesn't happen here, and watching Frankie Corio and Paul Mescal's chemistry here really makes you feel like you're just watching a real life father-daughter relationship. It's so filled with love and compassion, which makes the more emotional bits hit all the harder. While some of the Best Actor nominations this year were quite good, and I was totally fine with Brendan Fraser winning for The Whale, to me it wasn't even a question who was the best of the bunch, as Paul Mescal gives one of the best performances I've seen in years in this movie. This movie hits like a hammer, and I can't say enough positive things about it. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Decision To Leave</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Park Chan-wook</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOe5AqFPtTl-4LH7f8633qBtN07hb5CPkimWfxQJvRGFsU0bE11xoKd3XpBcoeGjrUYur3OSFxExynZdRJjpRq-6Gru7zrgMfbK1HiK9uWLpiKrWRgMu1dXBapaN3FN-nudycQeV4fNtA4HRlW_phACUAAaoEMDblLfL0UlOmY243ceCu__OMkFGV/s740/decision.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="740" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOe5AqFPtTl-4LH7f8633qBtN07hb5CPkimWfxQJvRGFsU0bE11xoKd3XpBcoeGjrUYur3OSFxExynZdRJjpRq-6Gru7zrgMfbK1HiK9uWLpiKrWRgMu1dXBapaN3FN-nudycQeV4fNtA4HRlW_phACUAAaoEMDblLfL0UlOmY243ceCu__OMkFGV/w400-h205/decision.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">In spite of the fact that there are other more emotional movies out there, there's something unavoidable to me about the filmmaking style of Park Chan-wook. This guy is one of the greatest directors ever, and it seems like anymore when he releases a movie, it's bound to be one of the best things to come out that year. While it took me a couple watches to fully appreciate The Handmaiden, this one struck me instantly, helped in part by my more recent infatuation in the film noir genre, as this one of the best neo-noirs I've seen in years. The main performances are terrific, the plot keeps you guessing, and there really isn't a single thing about it that I could ever criticize. This is a fantastic mystery, an amazing character study, and a surprisingly effective romance. From beginning to end, it had its hooks in me, and the way it all wraps up works perfectly to match the sort of tone you might expect out of him based on his previous films. If you've got a decent amount of time and the patience to read subtitles, this is an excellent crime film that deserves even more praise than the already-massive amounts it received upon release. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. The Banshees Of Inisherin</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Martin McDonagh</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkSrAcaio-6LhossA9kg6iGjdG3JeSfojDmYk_pwQCpbdbB9601JXJ8r0tmsnKK2rx7Uzova4D9beg0j4ml30zq0qGlubOdGj_b1RBtw1z-W3Lw1MCE0Tq5StvAEGPfBnAx7RFSVLq6J29tnCp0YtdMRqZLOTCtpNfSMJvUysTn451mlvfwT-7XAw/s1200/banshees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitkSrAcaio-6LhossA9kg6iGjdG3JeSfojDmYk_pwQCpbdbB9601JXJ8r0tmsnKK2rx7Uzova4D9beg0j4ml30zq0qGlubOdGj_b1RBtw1z-W3Lw1MCE0Tq5StvAEGPfBnAx7RFSVLq6J29tnCp0YtdMRqZLOTCtpNfSMJvUysTn451mlvfwT-7XAw/w400-h266/banshees.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Martin McDonagh, at least up to this point in his career, seems incapable of releasing a bad movie. That being said, while I didn't enjoy Three Billboards quite as much the second time around (I gave it a perfect score the first time around, to put it in context), Seven Psychopaths is still a very solidly enjoyable movie, and In Bruges is probably bound to always be my favorite of his due to very nostalgic, personal reasons, this might well be the best thing he's ever made. It's a fantastic character drama that would have worked perfectly fine being just that, but it's also one of the funniest movies I saw all year. Colin Farrell has never been better, and Brendan Gleeson is just about as great here as he's ever been. I also have nothing but praise for Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan, not to mention all the other supporting performances in the movie that I can't be bothered to name. This is a bleak little movie about friendship, isolation, meaninglessness, and ambition when facing your own mortality. Sounds like a lot of fun, right? Well, it's not meant to make you feel good. In fact, I've heard this referred to as a feel-bad movie, so keep that in mind if you feel like popping on a movie for a fun little time -- this isn't the kind of "funny" that you'll probably ever find "fun". But I loved it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Everything Everywhere All At Once</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Directed by Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IeKy0N5zOGLMn-91IyVb7EZwd4eIc_YnlTWrhd0xwA_Ob5-B4htRkVNmegC2JTdKih5TcGOmYF-q66NlXtXSmcztshd5j8v2De2R-EI21o5oMFjnQe5zhD0rUIs2pOof76eBvYyqm4tfR4OM5LwTf-8ffdv0zJse0l6YJPI9LZnQQoKY4NYmGhiT/s2560/everything.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1707" data-original-width="2560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IeKy0N5zOGLMn-91IyVb7EZwd4eIc_YnlTWrhd0xwA_Ob5-B4htRkVNmegC2JTdKih5TcGOmYF-q66NlXtXSmcztshd5j8v2De2R-EI21o5oMFjnQe5zhD0rUIs2pOof76eBvYyqm4tfR4OM5LwTf-8ffdv0zJse0l6YJPI9LZnQQoKY4NYmGhiT/w400-h266/everything.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Guess what? The Oscars got it right this year! The actual best movie of the year won Best Picture, and while I'm certain that will mean people will start to use that as a reason to start hating this movie now, that isn't likely to happen with me because I'm not an easily influenced nitwit who can't enjoy something just because it's gotten popular. This is an absolute wrecking ball of a movie that flies all over the place, offering entertainment on every level with its chaotic action, sci-fi/fantasy concepts, emotional character drama, absurdist comedy, and some very dark themes that touch on mental health, familial pressure, and suicide. The fact I can say I was basically crying for the last 45 minutes of the movie and still walked away from it feeling uplifted is very impressive to me, especially considering some of the things it did to get me feeling emotions that strong. If you found yourself moved at all by the Daniels' previous movie 'Swiss Army Man', you'll probably understand a little better, but it still feels almost like a magic trick the way they're able to control your emotions like they do. But it's not just the way this film is able to pull on your heartstrings, it's also a very interesting multi-verse story that does more with parallel timelines than any other movie I've seen. Their take on Ratatouille and the hot dog-fingered people are some pretty great examples of the ridiculous directions this movie takes, but they never have that annoying "LULZ RANDOM" quality that so many things had 10-20 years ago. Oh, and the performances are great. Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis were all wonderful, 3 of these 4 even going on to win Oscars in their categories -- even if JLC's win did feel especially odd. I really have nothing but praise for this movie, and it's the first perfect score I've given to a new movie since Parasite. So, pretty much by default this is the best movie of the decade for me, and I'm not disappointed by that at all. I love this movie, and I want people to still keep watching it and appreciating it for all the lovely things it has to offer. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for reading.</p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540480104359490939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-69933263402071496662023-03-18T06:33:00.001-04:002023-03-18T06:33:22.586-04:00My Top 10 UGH Movies of 2022<p>I generally don't bother watching a lot of the "worst" movies of the year. That being said, sometimes movies that I really do hate slip through the cracks, which is bound to happen when you watch around 100 movies from each year. So instead of doing a traditional countdown of the worst movies of the year, I do what I call the top "ugh" movies of the year. Basically, that means the movies I found the most disappointing, overrated, over-hyped, or bad. It's an all-encompassing thing that's (almost) purely subjective, so there's (almost) no objectivity to it. </p><p>I don't remember doing one of these lists for the past year or two, but hopefully I'll be able to go back in time and fix that, but until then here are my top UGH movies of 2022!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">10. Don't Worry Darling</span></p><p>Directed by Olivia Wilde</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3fPS6qBPWar1L65xyEZKneY-y_FagiKqJ60qFc-XIXdDv3kukgsgDXroJx9wrBc6Ikz26bkF3Hr85xjInDlIatg5JLlMogAMqnpGs4M6dIi5vqexvnFskRq0f3HcH06M2MCbCx5J5i9TWnE5M7agy_mCXe1VrzvMQwAtPJmykJ0OS4OvFszN57C7/s600/dontworry.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3fPS6qBPWar1L65xyEZKneY-y_FagiKqJ60qFc-XIXdDv3kukgsgDXroJx9wrBc6Ikz26bkF3Hr85xjInDlIatg5JLlMogAMqnpGs4M6dIi5vqexvnFskRq0f3HcH06M2MCbCx5J5i9TWnE5M7agy_mCXe1VrzvMQwAtPJmykJ0OS4OvFszN57C7/w400-h266/dontworry.webp" width="400" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><p>It's hard to talk about this movie at all without mentioning all the crap that went on around it, all the drama, and the fact that the behind the scenes story is 1000% more interesting than the movie itself, you've got a serious problem. Because when you're able to separate the movie itself from all the ridiculous controversies surrounding it, what you're ultimately left with is one of the most bland, obvious, and derivative sci/fi stories to come out since the pandemic -- maybe even longer.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">9. The Outfit</span></p><p>Directed by Graham Moore</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lWTGhwsO4G7CWPjDLZVc39e12Gzdp8618zbpa9T7Ct8628mrRMMzeKBY8SKqTU5DDo64Fec9_yuHd3H-7eZ4eoOIqhEjNO_ozDeLueJEYN6kLXt4XKatwPo2-DhA5bXzmoNnS9p9MlWbj_BwvDX4kKrlppKwauIGh1ya9s_mFwFz9UYoKWoRs5Fb/s1615/outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="909" data-original-width="1615" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lWTGhwsO4G7CWPjDLZVc39e12Gzdp8618zbpa9T7Ct8628mrRMMzeKBY8SKqTU5DDo64Fec9_yuHd3H-7eZ4eoOIqhEjNO_ozDeLueJEYN6kLXt4XKatwPo2-DhA5bXzmoNnS9p9MlWbj_BwvDX4kKrlppKwauIGh1ya9s_mFwFz9UYoKWoRs5Fb/w400-h225/outfit.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Almost instantly, I was totally into this movie. I loved the music, the setting, the costuming, the cramped quarters, the acting, the dialogue, you name it. But once that third act started to creep in, I began to realize there was something horribly wrong with this script. And as every minute passed, it got worse and worse, and the twists got dumber and dumber, to the point where in the final 5 minutes of the movie I was almost laughing at how much this movie fell off a cliff. For an hour, I was totally captivated, and then the rug was pulled out from under me and I felt betrayed. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">8. Three Thousand Years Of Longing</span></p><p>Directed by George Miller</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstMxERuI8uYVjnu9GUvO5Eg16u78SqcGO0LYs_lPk6I2jqj0cBTdMsqMqJd0f3Gd6Kbx8UzFm8YNK_-5MAT89NdxkmIikwwA2IYR24rhiNlljJ3lXy_dVylWevFVyNSOwuShrfCiWS7JGl4SwLmVoa3mGmZ9OfbYEbBO-nFssv8Y2U2prmfVpt43o/s3037/3000.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1709" data-original-width="3037" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstMxERuI8uYVjnu9GUvO5Eg16u78SqcGO0LYs_lPk6I2jqj0cBTdMsqMqJd0f3Gd6Kbx8UzFm8YNK_-5MAT89NdxkmIikwwA2IYR24rhiNlljJ3lXy_dVylWevFVyNSOwuShrfCiWS7JGl4SwLmVoa3mGmZ9OfbYEbBO-nFssv8Y2U2prmfVpt43o/w400-h225/3000.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p>Following the awesome Mad Max movie from 2015, I was pretty hopeful for the next project of Miller's. When it was announced he would be making a movie about djinn featuring Tilda Swinton (one of the greatest actresses of her generation) and Idris Elba (one of the coolest actors of his generation), I was very much excited. But sadly his reach exceeded his grasp here, and where Mad Max had amazing special effects and never had a dull moment, the literal opposite could be said of this one. I was bored and unengaged pretty much the entire way through, and the visuals were legitimately awful.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">7. Vengeance</span></p><p>Directed by B.J. Novak</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMiTbgSU1UXiRueGMdnDYUH3whdUk4EP8Pld4FnjqStNvei5eMX_fZS-ZMIkqhTCxQ7TZrXIuQ_sl99fN2kh2f7c9sOTs47AXlHu_QQ984melK2YJtdvLtfLrnUeuQHxvYHSHASjSaDfuMsCR-syBaWXKiz7ZnPTijL7fAdu94a43VzLjqtWkh8w9/s1371/vengeance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1371" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMiTbgSU1UXiRueGMdnDYUH3whdUk4EP8Pld4FnjqStNvei5eMX_fZS-ZMIkqhTCxQ7TZrXIuQ_sl99fN2kh2f7c9sOTs47AXlHu_QQ984melK2YJtdvLtfLrnUeuQHxvYHSHASjSaDfuMsCR-syBaWXKiz7ZnPTijL7fAdu94a43VzLjqtWkh8w9/w400-h225/vengeance.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>In the past year or so I've found myself getting really into classic film noir, so seeing a new one coming out getting pretty positive reviews had me really excited. But I didn't take into account the Novak factor. The smugness of this movie on every level was borderline insufferable, the acting wasn't natural at all, the dialogue is stiff and over-written...I just didn't like it, and as time has passed I've only come to like it less and less. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">6. Wendell & Wild</span></p><p>Directed by Henry Selick</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbf67ZVukwauH1qITxbiSt0Ew4FlCZRbi99TviN8Ylx491yt0oktlcP7zPXNTwRQgJK4RY3kiv-aq7hk26AVkl8pFaRWOQXtzFymQhWxCozixl8kAvE_cYdi5xRKXMVVHpw-3EcUcB2nVBt2yKauZARo4THSVOTtnmotHVIzyOB9I-4w3AioxDlF1/s1100/wendell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1100" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZbf67ZVukwauH1qITxbiSt0Ew4FlCZRbi99TviN8Ylx491yt0oktlcP7zPXNTwRQgJK4RY3kiv-aq7hk26AVkl8pFaRWOQXtzFymQhWxCozixl8kAvE_cYdi5xRKXMVVHpw-3EcUcB2nVBt2yKauZARo4THSVOTtnmotHVIzyOB9I-4w3AioxDlF1/w400-h225/wendell.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I'm a huge fan of stop-motion animation, and Henry Selick is one of the kings of feature length stop motion, so I naturally was really excited to hear he had a new one coming out. But there was something very unfinished and annoying about this movie that I just had trouble connecting with. The animation is beautiful, but the writing, characters, motivation, etc. are all severely lacking. It felt like they were far more concerned with ticking diversity boxes within the characters than in actually giving them strong character moments or arcs. I really disliked the characters, and the ones I didn't dislike I just didn't feel like I knew, and that is a huge problem. It was just a huge letdown for me, especially after such a long wait since Coraline. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">5. White Noise</span></p><p>Directed by Noah Baumbach</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2S_Ioroh6p8H7fA-t2l_nlgWlheN0XucBn2CfkIi4b2UDEcBSJGzpcTrga9XfobyOrwP5bGq0WU-JXeaWX1gqmmftzvkH4y2Yz2M5cW5S_OFW72QZFd81-P-Hk873sMAk7n3nsHmbA0faJ-PxHecXIqMC4iGC155jxAnbvddNYhbdrDGrjWheZgh2/s1280/whitenoise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2S_Ioroh6p8H7fA-t2l_nlgWlheN0XucBn2CfkIi4b2UDEcBSJGzpcTrga9XfobyOrwP5bGq0WU-JXeaWX1gqmmftzvkH4y2Yz2M5cW5S_OFW72QZFd81-P-Hk873sMAk7n3nsHmbA0faJ-PxHecXIqMC4iGC155jxAnbvddNYhbdrDGrjWheZgh2/w400-h225/whitenoise.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Noah Baumbach has always felt like a sort of bargain bin version of Wes Anderson to me, and while he has made some pretty great movies, I think this one really helped me to solidify that thought. It's trying to be funny and quirky in that same sort of way, but it fails. It's trying to tell an ever-shifting narrative, but it fails. The acting is awkward but not in a fun way, and I mostly just found myself irritated during it. I actually spent most of the second half of the movie stuffing a bean bag chair with shredded memory foam, and trying to clean up that disaster was less obnoxious to me than the movie was. I'm glad other people can enjoy this, but it's just not for me. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">4. Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness</span></p><p>Directed by Sam Raimi</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1NqCgVKXye9K6zZ3dakDEuGS5pmboGEn8jl8FgidX6g9UpqzmY6kuCzXQNEGWLrXIjsxeIaMfjXL2tbqAqVCmupxB3xeYGtDM3LHIfGCzEpw_pPV0slic7rKWQXoAgHwtyHFeQzlmy4e5IvSwghV_ot9V8Tzoe9cP3teRwfjl81YQ-Z_-tn0NptM/s681/drstrange.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="681" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1NqCgVKXye9K6zZ3dakDEuGS5pmboGEn8jl8FgidX6g9UpqzmY6kuCzXQNEGWLrXIjsxeIaMfjXL2tbqAqVCmupxB3xeYGtDM3LHIfGCzEpw_pPV0slic7rKWQXoAgHwtyHFeQzlmy4e5IvSwghV_ot9V8Tzoe9cP3teRwfjl81YQ-Z_-tn0NptM/w400-h225/drstrange.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p>It feels a bit like I can't escape crappy Marvel movies. Not even a global pandemic that shut down the entire world was enough to prevent Disney from churning out more smarmy, blurry, CGI nonsense. And now we don't just have 35 movies we need to see before watching the next movie, we also have to apparently watch a bunch of shows to understand what the hell is going on with this crap. I've had enough of it, this movie is annoying, it's too much, it sucks, and I hate having to do 60 hours of homework to get what's going on with the plot of a 2-hour movie. I didn't have fun watching it, Elisabeth Olsen was TERRIBLE, and I lost interest very very quickly. I'll stick around for Spider-Man and Guardians Of The Galaxy, but I'm done with the rest of this diarrhea. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">3. Elvis</span></p><p>Directed by Baz Luhrmann</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiupv-c5Lp_qY2gACEzZSrqesYjVayOqTg_7idLrz7TNeTws63YKn9EQ6motVYPlsbWG3pWbqxBbRbH8MF_CKC3Sso0ePTq3iULpKYxHsEpl5O8RD1jVYrU7zgkCAJ3pDUAxwxuSJ_08tGxZUlAEBYGCxDuBxlV-TFsh4b4iUHwMAvanjL83Wjq9xz/s1408/elvis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1408" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiupv-c5Lp_qY2gACEzZSrqesYjVayOqTg_7idLrz7TNeTws63YKn9EQ6motVYPlsbWG3pWbqxBbRbH8MF_CKC3Sso0ePTq3iULpKYxHsEpl5O8RD1jVYrU7zgkCAJ3pDUAxwxuSJ_08tGxZUlAEBYGCxDuBxlV-TFsh4b4iUHwMAvanjL83Wjq9xz/w400-h225/elvis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Hey, know what I don't really care about? 160-minute movies that have the attention span of TikTok videos. Baz Luhrmann is a garbage fire of a director, who seems to exist only to cause pain to people who like watching movies that don't cause epilepsy in those unfortunate enough to see them. Elvis is a person who has been covered before, there are billions of hours of footage about him and his story, so this isn't a movie that really was telling us anything new or interesting, so all it has to offer is the spectacle. And while I definitely felt like I was watching something, all I could really see was how poorly constructed the movie is. The editing and makeup are horrific, and Tom Hanks gave a very deserving Razzie-winning performance. Austin Butler was pretty solid, but I felt like I barely got to see his performance thanks to the manic presentation of the story. It was just an annoying thing to sit through, and it was way way too long. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">2. The Munsters</span></p><p>Directed by Rob Zombie</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO80qpoQwBeFLfHCqyZQa5nco0_MTlkKP3DUEDPN1Mi6koMaMRMiCtw_emc1kiFmu3x35aetyox0cYeCsjVI0Bp67To9MOoR8q-7GmILROYZdFWnZqBFJ_dVaa9m_BgsJzD5MfNw7Ce2sAplZ0lQAbViI6S7KuQbyiq4gDnFstdw3HAwuvwIAUuVL/s1920/munsters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbO80qpoQwBeFLfHCqyZQa5nco0_MTlkKP3DUEDPN1Mi6koMaMRMiCtw_emc1kiFmu3x35aetyox0cYeCsjVI0Bp67To9MOoR8q-7GmILROYZdFWnZqBFJ_dVaa9m_BgsJzD5MfNw7Ce2sAplZ0lQAbViI6S7KuQbyiq4gDnFstdw3HAwuvwIAUuVL/w400-h225/munsters.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>When I first saw this movie announced I knew it would be different, likely awful, but something I didn't think I'd bother watching unless it was well-received. Then the trailer came out and I knew I had to watch it, because there is no way such a half-baked, ugly looking, stupid, cheap, and awful could really come out based on such a notable IP. Turns out it was even worse than I thought, because I assumed it would be accidentally amusing, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Everything about this movie is bad, on an objective filmmaking level, and a subjective "dear God, why is this happening to me" level. This is a terribly unfunny movie with zero redeeming qualities. It was painfully stretched, the acting (particularly from the talentless Sheri Moon Zombie) was horrible, the set design, cinematography, and lighting made me want to puke...I just couldn't stand a minute of it. I assumed there was no way anything I saw in 2022 could even come close to as bad as this, but roughly a month later I came across this next divisive piece of trash...</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">1. Blonde</span></p><p>Directed by Andrew Dominik</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBx9xJw2oTJ1zAaoc9RhyTJCY3hfYZJM7luapNnjByg40TPaHNYmOace7KX0ARgAUj_ffeMvf7_s1ItJ-5pqC1vqxOgMlWsiWD1abm6SOvrFS0KIogf7jMhE7zOBCm0y7CPepAkfso40zaYIYrIgxv9855cl_R_FC1E2n1Wk1vyf9oQnYi505MSL9/s2290/blonde.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="2290" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBx9xJw2oTJ1zAaoc9RhyTJCY3hfYZJM7luapNnjByg40TPaHNYmOace7KX0ARgAUj_ffeMvf7_s1ItJ-5pqC1vqxOgMlWsiWD1abm6SOvrFS0KIogf7jMhE7zOBCm0y7CPepAkfso40zaYIYrIgxv9855cl_R_FC1E2n1Wk1vyf9oQnYi505MSL9/w400-h230/blonde.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p>This is one of the most appallingly misguided, ugly, uncomfortable, inaccurate, offensive, and every other bad word you could think of to describe a movie movies as movies could possibly be. That sentence is probably horrible grammatically, but in a way I feel like that's an accurate representation of the movie itself; it went on for far too long, was filled with redundancies, loads of ugliness, and in the end probably left you puzzled and frustrated by the end of it. This is a serious contender for my least favorite movie I've ever seen. Everything about it made me angry to watch, and when you throw in the fact that it's about 3 hours long, the entire experience of sitting through this disgusting heap of vomit made me furious and sickened. This movie is so excessive and gratuitous, I got tired of nudity by the end of it. Other better writers than me have gone into great detail about how genuinely terrible this movie is, and the idea of reliving this experience any further by into those details myself has made me really infuriated, so I'm going to leave it at that. This might be the worst piece of trash I've ever sat through, and believe me when I say I've seen some horrible crap. I'm done with this one, I don't ever want to see it again, and I hope Andrew Dominik never has the opportunity to make another big budget movie again, that's how much I hate it. </p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks for reading.</p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540480104359490939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-74262419435716463032022-09-25T08:35:00.005-04:002022-09-25T08:35:57.084-04:00My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 1940<p style="text-align: justify;">You've read the title, let's not waste any time. These are my favorite films of 1940, in the order I thought felt right at the time of my posting this. I might try to do more of these moving forward, but I'm terrible at committing to any series of lists, so why even pretend that I'll follow through with that?</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">10. Pinocchio</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCKWPpCFPepvPHzzm2wssLhsKTatzFPqzCi3B0-7ptUFuIBUx5mdV9atmEVZoJztQXjfTxQ1cpQ0QxNa0fSKFseFtLCX5ursvINwQ5d87E-7r8sIYaqgOlJtB9qKrXO5FbGlj8HZtLbsb1XOuvBiaCtKb0_F2hTxglSHni0FMFB0ZzlFAuMJnF1uN/s1920/pinocchio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCKWPpCFPepvPHzzm2wssLhsKTatzFPqzCi3B0-7ptUFuIBUx5mdV9atmEVZoJztQXjfTxQ1cpQ0QxNa0fSKFseFtLCX5ursvINwQ5d87E-7r8sIYaqgOlJtB9qKrXO5FbGlj8HZtLbsb1XOuvBiaCtKb0_F2hTxglSHni0FMFB0ZzlFAuMJnF1uN/w400-h225/pinocchio.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>While I don't consider myself a fan of Disney in pretty much any capacity, that doesn't mean I don't have an objective appreciation for their classics. That being said, this wasn't my favorite of theirs when I was little, but as I grew up and started to see it as being the risque dark fable that it really is, it's only grown in my estimation over the years. This isn't the most polished or fun thing Disney has ever made, and that's honestly a big part of what I find so appealing about it. The animation is great, the story is bonkers, and there are some genuinely horrific things in this movie if you really stop and think about it for a second. Pretty great combo, if you ask me.<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">9. The Man With Nine Lives</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxuCo3o_2fXWctuqcPGY2VnFzHsdTBfFUAjVFyOybbFqg0J7oA8pFlhGpoNfySfUBjWElYbdbltrn1CiKWz1oexh6obU54WYXtmLW5U1eGeexH_OcQqU03eAq5-O6qqjJERUJ-F5IuQ7urw2Y16Qj2UGD_7J1oIVP_viEN69hszz_LyUqqmHESy5u/s640/manwithninelives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="640" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmxuCo3o_2fXWctuqcPGY2VnFzHsdTBfFUAjVFyOybbFqg0J7oA8pFlhGpoNfySfUBjWElYbdbltrn1CiKWz1oexh6obU54WYXtmLW5U1eGeexH_OcQqU03eAq5-O6qqjJERUJ-F5IuQ7urw2Y16Qj2UGD_7J1oIVP_viEN69hszz_LyUqqmHESy5u/w400-h254/manwithninelives.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have a particular soft spot for Boris Karloff and the classic horror movies of his era, but this isn't one I was raised on, as I only first saw it a few years back. I say this to clarify it isn't a purely nostalgic pick, but it is largely an aesthetic one. I love the ice/cold design of this movie, and of course Karloff carries the rest. It may not be anything mind-blowing, but of his mad scientist movies, this is definitely in my top 2 or 3. It's short, fun, and has a really great atmosphere that I can pretty much throw on and get sucked into and enjoy any time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">8. The Great Dictator</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-9OXjozHK7Rc3-ix-1xQSfn1pok9HbGYteONQLqVfEOAlHDUdzfhBsYUurdjHTAsFdjHjRw2hsiEyGh_JP4fAZBQsM7ltlwZJQ8I8FwE3mpD7EYWqHJ3VDJl48qHUCHkcGoByYvAVT7Ujt9Bxfmra7moXJzIMSXCWuTeOrTJPwE0HuIMakDzCKgu/s1280/greatdictator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-9OXjozHK7Rc3-ix-1xQSfn1pok9HbGYteONQLqVfEOAlHDUdzfhBsYUurdjHTAsFdjHjRw2hsiEyGh_JP4fAZBQsM7ltlwZJQ8I8FwE3mpD7EYWqHJ3VDJl48qHUCHkcGoByYvAVT7Ujt9Bxfmra7moXJzIMSXCWuTeOrTJPwE0HuIMakDzCKgu/w400-h225/greatdictator.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Charlie Chaplin's transition to talkies definitely took him a little longer than most of the rest of the world, but not only was this a huge change for him, but a considerably high-brow risk in a lot of ways. It's weird to think of a time where making an anti-nazi/anti-Hitler movie would be considered controversial in any way, but that's just how things were at the time. Regardless of all that, this is one of Chaplin's most entertaining movies, and has an enjoyable dual lead performance by the man that might have you questioning why he had trouble moving on from the silent era in the first place. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">7. Rebecca</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPqEu6Vm7v8xuUm80d0zgF_2wqBsQrHZN3MDZiANsidk7nsZ5sgpEy3T2AVCeJCoNH4P8TQd336WNIYJXJNtldLTICJHU-GjhV4gZjeAPAstTWvokDkq0MzQh7vMvcJIHUJZgLBS_vLZfDhGleCO6h8tkZfCb-6B6tlCvyQLOoq0LTvupn4ecgUoN/s1068/rebecca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1068" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPqEu6Vm7v8xuUm80d0zgF_2wqBsQrHZN3MDZiANsidk7nsZ5sgpEy3T2AVCeJCoNH4P8TQd336WNIYJXJNtldLTICJHU-GjhV4gZjeAPAstTWvokDkq0MzQh7vMvcJIHUJZgLBS_vLZfDhGleCO6h8tkZfCb-6B6tlCvyQLOoq0LTvupn4ecgUoN/w400-h239/rebecca.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The only Oscar winner for Best Picture that Hitchcock ever made, Rebecca is maybe not his most remembered work, but I still consider one of his better films. The performances in this movie are terrific (as any movie led by Laurence Olivier might be), I love the set design, and the mystery and omnipresence of the titular Rebecca must have been an influence on Otto Preminger's Laura from 1944. This is a great mystery/drama/romance that I still recall pretty clearly even 10 years after watching it. That's pretty impressive, especially since I can't remember much at all about 90% of the movies I've seen since then. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">6. The Mummy's Hand</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i9pzb8v5KM87SlPvfiy2KATSV941sedTvH3Lu9wxvW4ST31deD0HXS050ftatcfC2JoCQqmr2zwgWztkqmImY0anRO5vGZDDH1Ji2oZFF25sJrwo8hVQnxLlDVNsof0UjrAFKRR7_By3TbU4zogy9AfGQdD8Q8OgWxKwXdqzW2UJ6pworSlbbujw/s530/mummyshand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="530" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i9pzb8v5KM87SlPvfiy2KATSV941sedTvH3Lu9wxvW4ST31deD0HXS050ftatcfC2JoCQqmr2zwgWztkqmImY0anRO5vGZDDH1Ji2oZFF25sJrwo8hVQnxLlDVNsof0UjrAFKRR7_By3TbU4zogy9AfGQdD8Q8OgWxKwXdqzW2UJ6pworSlbbujw/w400-h264/mummyshand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And we're back to low brow horror that I can watch again and again. This movie isn't good, and I'm sure that makes me look like an idiot for having it directly higher than Rebecca and The Great Dictator, but to be totally honest I would put The Mummy's Hand on 99% of the time over either of them, and I will stand by that. In a lot of ways, this movie plays out like a slasher (and was perhaps more directly an influence on the Hammer version than the original by Universal), and the way they blacked out the mummy's eyes is actually effectively creepy. This movie is only about an hour long, it's got some cornball humor, and doesn't waste any time getting to the point. Maybe it's not a timeless classic to a lot of people, but I've seen it more times than possibly anything else on this list. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Fantasia</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvZstGfOjvFQZw1JTroTWTXVHmnt8o_nym3jaeTUMM0wMFGr6lKLgClx-uDhchIgEL7XclLh0gDrLI-Mrr0koW3gkw-y-A2dMVqnJnXxT4e-tCJ1y88n7FSQVnEuGzbO0GoAmQOTMsiFKEaxF5JsNEDvRU1Cx6n1SaqtZnDW7wJ0ioQ7e5Y2zuJ_Y/s1800/fantasia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="1800" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghvZstGfOjvFQZw1JTroTWTXVHmnt8o_nym3jaeTUMM0wMFGr6lKLgClx-uDhchIgEL7XclLh0gDrLI-Mrr0koW3gkw-y-A2dMVqnJnXxT4e-tCJ1y88n7FSQVnEuGzbO0GoAmQOTMsiFKEaxF5JsNEDvRU1Cx6n1SaqtZnDW7wJ0ioQ7e5Y2zuJ_Y/w400-h295/fantasia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And we go directly from fun into completely immersive and not hardly fun at all. Fantasia is one of the most experimental things Disney ever did, and the fact that I can still hear just tiny pieces of classical music and instantly conjure up images from this movie is a testament to how well the project's concept worked out. Some might complain that it moves a little slow, but to me that's just part of the whole experience. This is a weird movie that you can't really compare to others with traditional narrative and pacing. It's because of that that I struggled to find a place for it on my list, but I couldn't have possibly put it anywhere lower than the top 5, I love it that much.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. The Philadelphia Story</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENNgZvnvqG4bCLEqfXyhZutEnC1v8B7GCQ0G6pL_8y_G0SgI5tE0-Bqbx8iTo4aDtvDxua-ZM7LoiJk9obdkn0bn5-vOCi262HFYKdXZ4ukkXY4hutRSFcXjVG4-Bp8qHszdl9p_X9lRXiER1U-VgTqMmLY5z7e1JwvJWXXZoitjMiQZmck0T4HUD/s700/philadelphiastory.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="700" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgENNgZvnvqG4bCLEqfXyhZutEnC1v8B7GCQ0G6pL_8y_G0SgI5tE0-Bqbx8iTo4aDtvDxua-ZM7LoiJk9obdkn0bn5-vOCi262HFYKdXZ4ukkXY4hutRSFcXjVG4-Bp8qHszdl9p_X9lRXiER1U-VgTqMmLY5z7e1JwvJWXXZoitjMiQZmck0T4HUD/w400-h240/philadelphiastory.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm bound to bring it up again in a little bit, but I really can't help but to love James Stewart and Cary Grant, and seeing them together in a movie this well-written is nothing but pure joy for me. This is a lovely little movie that is just as funny and charming to me now as it was when I first saw it close to 20 years ago. Maybe it's not the most narratively dense thing ever made, but there's something about these classic comedies that still are able to stand the test of time that I find absolutely amazing. Making jokes that are still funny over 80 years later is not something I think you can disregard, and this movie does that while providing a fun and satisfying romance plot. Good stuff from everyone involved.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. The Grapes Of Wrath</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwtiC0c97wa_jZaWdf6TAnEzpTcwpRGCprPPaZLYOJj-fWj3L7HLf5HZail4Y1A-W_t8cmJqcSaiPLHAYgfRTFhvZJvjBM3V3BsT32vIao4Rp05dV-aXTmaEA9MnyE-1a2XHfr8DUSfIOBBWfKhKRi00Oze1PFJSEzrMKqp2tkLt3B-GnF8RVC3_f/s960/grapesofwrath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwtiC0c97wa_jZaWdf6TAnEzpTcwpRGCprPPaZLYOJj-fWj3L7HLf5HZail4Y1A-W_t8cmJqcSaiPLHAYgfRTFhvZJvjBM3V3BsT32vIao4Rp05dV-aXTmaEA9MnyE-1a2XHfr8DUSfIOBBWfKhKRi00Oze1PFJSEzrMKqp2tkLt3B-GnF8RVC3_f/w400-h300/grapesofwrath.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And back to something that isn't fun to watch at all. This is one I never used to like as a kid -- but I was a kid, which means I was an idiot. This is a great, classic American film that is not supposed to be a fun watch. The performances across the board are effective (I never used to totally buy Henry Fonda in this one, but I came around on him), the barren landscape and equally stark cinematography does a great job at establishing the desperation of its characters, and the film's disinterest in giving you a happy ending where everything is sunshine and roses just elevates it even more in my eyes. This is a classic, everyone knows that, moving on.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. The Shop Around The Corner</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELCgzqUDpKhMlJKLLqX6S4T5KgX1fTXr3z_6k31m7dyqmh7vqBYMBNu5K29cnCv0_3vOVgUlMBZfLiQEqyXNKen6PNpK4Tu54N0Nb-yUAtS8-gl1c85MHWJnjGzLTL0-bFwImTeghg9l5D4wzz6-fzl1PjoZTIZcQ5yxqNfEhc_Wrnbi1xji6_1q7/s1000/shoparoundthecorner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="1000" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhELCgzqUDpKhMlJKLLqX6S4T5KgX1fTXr3z_6k31m7dyqmh7vqBYMBNu5K29cnCv0_3vOVgUlMBZfLiQEqyXNKen6PNpK4Tu54N0Nb-yUAtS8-gl1c85MHWJnjGzLTL0-bFwImTeghg9l5D4wzz6-fzl1PjoZTIZcQ5yxqNfEhc_Wrnbi1xji6_1q7/w400-h249/shoparoundthecorner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I very nearly put this movie in the number one spot, but having only seen it once I would have felt a little odd doing that. I think that's a good way of saying I think it's quite good. James Stewart makes his second appearance on my list here, and while his role here is less showy than in The Philadelphia Story (for which he won the Oscar), he's got a lot more of the mellowed out charm you see in some of his later performances here, which I think really helps the story out. This isn't a loud, brash, in your face comedy. This is a lot less aggressive, but equally fun movie that finds plenty of room for some very effective drama and a bit of romance. In time, and after a rewatch, I might very well bump it up, but don't let that take anything away from my #1 pick...</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. His Girl Friday</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibid1DNXr05FuM5towfAfYABIxOCMx0L_lKIa20KbnofXOPgvTmpNmlhw2_GXTVYD9lQK3S1gW_ml3mxW0GhP3fx9WH7LdlXKiRiBKIDasjAWUn9AAYPtNAB7UXRvD4tCs9_DXvGg7sVu8yVemGTLx5CR7BsmRwMix0ZyPTMFB37AZ99OBoQIQvnSF/s3500/hisgirlfriday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibid1DNXr05FuM5towfAfYABIxOCMx0L_lKIa20KbnofXOPgvTmpNmlhw2_GXTVYD9lQK3S1gW_ml3mxW0GhP3fx9WH7LdlXKiRiBKIDasjAWUn9AAYPtNAB7UXRvD4tCs9_DXvGg7sVu8yVemGTLx5CR7BsmRwMix0ZyPTMFB37AZ99OBoQIQvnSF/w400-h260/hisgirlfriday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I want to start off by repeating, I love Cary Grant. Secondly, I would love to see a screenplay for this movie, because I can imagine it being about 300 pages long, as the dialogue in this movie is insane. It's honestly one of the most impressive feats of writing and acting I've ever seen. Watching these actors (mainly Russell and Grant) blast through this movie at a million miles per hour, quipping, shouting, shooting barbs and dodging verbal bullets for an hour and a half is almost exhausting to watch, but I love every minute of it. This movie is still hilarious even after watching it multiple times, and it's still overwhelming to sit through in the best way possible. At this point in time, I had trouble not throwing this on top of the list, and I can't picture it dipping any lower than the top 2 or 3 at any point. Great fun, great movie. Thanks for reading. </p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-29429925013758247262022-07-12T23:45:00.000-04:002022-07-12T23:45:18.932-04:00Survivor: The Australian Outback - contestant ranking (spoilers)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd60-rVzGzfoDpG6dL-nEIQsbfKUrc5ptcUeXUSVmizOACgp-VJMGV7lycpt-rMlDs8XnSnOffzEdkTNkXfCCFREKQSADTd2l5VOIhbBhMY_onKGzJBVYPbqSOah_pQveXsvHQIuxgXrxCgf5-a9QxJNfEZPhMT8HCSLcxBfV9f1Up_iQq0iRDHy4h/s2000/australia.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="2000" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd60-rVzGzfoDpG6dL-nEIQsbfKUrc5ptcUeXUSVmizOACgp-VJMGV7lycpt-rMlDs8XnSnOffzEdkTNkXfCCFREKQSADTd2l5VOIhbBhMY_onKGzJBVYPbqSOah_pQveXsvHQIuxgXrxCgf5-a9QxJNfEZPhMT8HCSLcxBfV9f1Up_iQq0iRDHy4h/w400-h253/australia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><b>Before beginning, I'm making this list based on how the contestants came across as characters on a TV show, not based on who they are or what they did outside of the show. This means I'm going to try my hardest not to let the awful things many of the people who have been on this show have done outside of Survivor have any effect on this list. Additionally, for any repeat contestants, I'm trying not to allow my feelings about them elsewhere change the way I judge them on the season in question. I know it's difficult, but it's what I have to do in order to maintain the "integrity" of my already-difficult-to-make list. </b></p><p>I'm including the above statement on every one of these lists, so in the future you can skip it if you don't want to read the same thing over and over again. But what I've said in that opening actually does have a direct impact on people (who I don't choose to name) involved on this list, and many more in the future. To me, they're TV characters, and for better or worse I have to judge them as such.</p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>This was the first season of the show I watched live, as it was becoming a huge hit and my mom wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So, starting with this season and going on for another 5-10 seasons afterwards, I do have (sometimes very clear) recollections of events and characters from the show that aren't entirely based on my new experience in watching them this time through with my wife, roughly 20 years after the first airing. Because of that, there's a certain amount of nostalgia that will impact this list, but even without viewing it through that lens this list wasn't too hard to put together.<p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">16. Kimmi (12th place)</span></p><p>There are people we love to hate, and people we just don't want to see anymore. The kind of people who don't really have any power or impact on the game in any way, and are just overall annoying for most everyone to watch. Kimmi is that second kind, and still holds up as one of the most insufferable I've seen on the show so far.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">15. Debb (16th place)</span></p><p>First eliminations generally don't leave a terribly strong impression, and Debb is no exception to that rule. She was kinda annoying and we understand why they chose to get rid of her right off the bat. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">14. Mitchell (13th place)</span></p><p>At times mildly amusing, but overall a pretty boring contestant who didn't really stand out in any way. I had to look him up to remember what he even looked like, which isn't a good thing. At least Kel had some controversy.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">14. Kel (15th place)</span></p><p>It's the beef jerky guy. One of the first episodes of the show, he got caught with what appeared to be some kind of snack food that he supposedly smuggled and hid from his tribemates. I still have no clue if it was true, or if I even care one way or another, but the fact remains that's pretty much the only memorable thing about Kel's time on the show. And when *maybe* having eaten beef jerky is all you've got, that's not much. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">12. Jeff (10th place)</span></p><p>Jeff was pretty unlikable, but definitely had moments of genuine entertainment. He was conniving, petty, sassy, and definitely had an air of superiority to him. But he had *something*, which is more than I could say about the people below him on this list. Plus, his ejection marked the shift that allowed for a complete takeover.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">11. Maralyn (14th place)</span></p><p>Most notable, perhaps, for being Tina's friend who she unfortunately betrayed super early on, showing a darker side to the sweet southerner who would go on the win the series. Maralyn seemed like a decent lady, and it's a shame she was voted off so quickly, but not a huge loss.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">10. Nick (7th place, 3rd in jury)</span></p><p>Pretty much the least interesting of the post-merge characters, Nick didn't really have much to remember him by. He wasn't a terribly hard worker, wasn't very funny, wasn't physically dominant, and mostly just kind of existed on the show until he was voted off for being the only potential physical threat left against Colby. Nothing more to say.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">9. Amber (6th place, 4th in jury)</span></p><p>Amber is boring. She just hung around the camp, being innocuous, posing no real threat to anyone, and didn't really factor into anything that happened the entire way through the game. She's another who just winds up this high because she didn't annoy me, but not because she was compelling to watch in any way.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">8. Keith (3rd place, 7th in jury)</span></p><p>Keith is one I'm still not sure about. He was very loyal, relatively competent, and surprisingly physical. But he also was a source of friction more often than not, which more than anything gave Tina the opportunity to slide in closer with Colby, allowing her to go in for the win without really having much competition. Keith was alright, and sometimes made me laugh. Moving on.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">7. Alicia (9th place, 1st in jury)</span></p><p>One of the more surprising inclusions in Survivor All-Stars, considering she didn't leave a huge impact on a lot of viewers at the time, but Alicia was fun. She was a very strong person, both physically and personality-wise, and I still look back in fondness of her feud against Kimmy. Very strong-willed and loyal to a fault. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">6. Michael (11th place)</span></p><p>The fall of Michael marked the beginning of the end for his whole tribe. The accident that got him evacuated from the show was huge, and caused a power shift that pretty much determined the final 3, although it wasn't so obvious at the time. He took over as leader of his tribe, caught and butchered a wild pig, and was generally just interesting to watch. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">5. Jerri (8th place, 2nd in jury)</span></p><p>Jerri being this high on the list isn't a way of saying she was actually good at the game, or even particularly fun to watch. But she was so much fun to watch get voted off, and seeing her desperate attempts at milking an apology from Colby in the jury portion of the finale (he, hilariously, didn't apologize) just made her even more petty and annoying than we already knew her to be. She was a memorable villain, and for that reason alone, she's in my top 5.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">4. Tina (1st place, winner by 4-3 vote)</span></p><p>The first time through I saw Tina as being a coattail rider who never really deserved being in the final 4 to begin with, but this wasn't wholly accurate. Apart from at times just being the right level of cutthroat, Tina also very much steered votes in the directions that would ultimately best suit her, leaving Colby to receive most of the negative attention for decisions she had subtly pushed for all along. No, I still don't think of her as a worthy winner, but she played the game the only way she could, and it worked for her really well.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">3. Elisabeth (4th place, 6th in jury)</span></p><p>Elisabeth was adorable. Her relationship with Rodger was adorable. She seemed like a genuinely decent person, and I really hated seeing her go, but the majority rules portion of the firm alliance of Colby-Tina-Keith made her ejection inevitable, especially considering Colby's individual challenge dominance. She tried her hardest, and never turned her back on Rodger, which I found incredibly wholesome.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">2. Rodger (5th place, 5th in jury)</span></p><p>As sweet and lovely as Elisabeth was, purely on a personality basis, Rodger was my favorite player of the season. An all-round good guy with a strong work ethic who never seemed to have a bad thing to say about anyone, Rodger didn't just keep his head down to avoid notice, but was so genuinely likable that his personality alone seemed to keep him around as long as he did. He even requested to be voted off before Elisabeth, because he felt she needed to money/chance more than he did. What a sweet guy. If he had somehow made it into the final 2, I can't imagine a single combination that wouldn't have resulted in him winning by a landslide. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">1. Colby (2nd place, runner-up)</span></p><p>Runner-up on the show, but not on my list, Colby was the breakout star of the season -- and, arguably, the biggest success in the business outside of the show across all seasons. He ticked all the right boxes that resulted in pretty much everybody loving him, and it wasn't just because people found him handsome and charming. He was also a very strong challenger who basically carried the final three through to the end, when it easily could have ended a different way had he not been so loyal. The first truly dominant contender on the show, but far from the last, Colby very much set the bar for physical threats, and I feel it's largely due to him starting this trend that so many future contestants would start being voted off early just for being strong and competent. </p><p><br /></p><p>While I didn't enjoy anyone on this season as much as Richard from Borneo, the overall impression I got from most everyone involved here was a lot more positive. There are always duds, and some of the people are truly awful outside of the show, but as a TV cast I liked the dynamics here really well. I'd give this group on average a solid B rating. </p><p>Thanks for reading. </p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-86724040548429944922022-06-25T01:27:00.023-04:002022-06-26T03:31:41.890-04:00Survivor: Borneo - contestant ranking (spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoc7jHq85lvdC5_I2s9VgR16yMDft7-osabahJO4Y8BqZQ_pxZaqRSpuA-ASexw7JU__xrPpZTwM6Mc19vJRZfcUQY8m4O2h4MYk5-sZUl3--zuxN4cvtcdpI2Mf-qoQWb2JIrxcxnoITE_A6wtRMCtXj9_VD45pGFy-xkEF0VnkCFfOxCG394T7L/s400/borneo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoc7jHq85lvdC5_I2s9VgR16yMDft7-osabahJO4Y8BqZQ_pxZaqRSpuA-ASexw7JU__xrPpZTwM6Mc19vJRZfcUQY8m4O2h4MYk5-sZUl3--zuxN4cvtcdpI2Mf-qoQWb2JIrxcxnoITE_A6wtRMCtXj9_VD45pGFy-xkEF0VnkCFfOxCG394T7L/w400-h250/borneo.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b>Before beginning, I'm making this list based on how the contestants came across as characters on a TV show, not based on who they are or what they did outside of the show. This means I'm going to try my hardest not to let the awful things many of the people who have been on this show have done outside of Survivor have any effect on this list. Additionally, for any repeat contestants, I'm trying not to allow my feelings about them elsewhere change the way I judge them on the season in question. I know it's difficult, but it's what I have to do in order to maintain the "integrity" of my already-difficult-to-make list. </b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Making a ranking list of Survivor contestants by season is inherently going to be difficult compared to the contestant rankings I do for Taskmaster, since a good deal of the people on this show will have significantly less screen time than the comedians on TM, as well as different sorts of appeal. While some may be more fun to watch, others will be more strategic, or conniving. Others are going to be useful around camp but worn out for challenges, while others will be lazier at camp and dominant in challenges. Some people will have made it further in the game by slipping under the radar but lack much personality, others have big personalities and almost instantly knocked out. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p style="text-align: justify;">What I'm basically saying here is that a large portion of my ordering is going to be pretty subjective and almost impossible to fully justify. I will try to make sense as I go along, but I'm sure I'll be riddled with inconsistencies, so try not to take anything I write too seriously. Like I said at the very beginning of this post, a good deal of what I'm basing my list(s) on is how compelling they are to watch, for better or worse. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">16. B.B. (15th place)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first season of Survivor definitely wasn't immediately approached with the kind of tactics that would be implemented later, but one relatively routine early season trend was set up here: an unpleasant old person will try to boss everyone around and get voted off quickly. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">15. Stacey (14th place)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Stacey didn't start off on the right foot, pretty quick to start drama and complain about everyone. She also left early, to the surprise of no one.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">14. Dirk (12th place)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Dirk came on a little strong with the religious angle, which pretty much turned people off. No one wants to be preached, especially not when they're hungry and tired.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">13. Greg (9th place, 1st in jury)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Greg wasn't just a weirdo, he was reality TV weird, which I find a lot more annoying. He knew he would be able to be memorable on TV if he played up his strangeness, and seemed to enjoy the spotlight a little too much: even when it focused on his creepy, borderline incestuous tendencies.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">12. Sonja (16th place)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">While she may have been the first to be voted off, there seemed to be no animosity towards her by anyone. She simply wasn't physically strong enough to be helpful, but seemed to be a sweet person. She's only this low because she didn't have time to really shine.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">11. Ramona (13th place)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the first contestants on the show to have a discernable arc, Ramona started off feeling sick and standoffish, but eventually came around to being a productive part of her team, only for it to be deemed "too late" and voted off. Pretty sad seeing Jenna do her dirty like that. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">10. Gervase (7th place, 3rd jury)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">While he seemed to get a free pass a lot based on his charms, Gervase's poor work ethic and successes during challenges was a source of consistent irritation for me. That being said, he knew how to stay alive on the show, and his confidence wasn't unjustified. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">9. Sean (5th place, 5th jury)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Sean was, for lack of a better term, a complete moron. His idiotic voting system led to a huge shift in power, his dingbat attempts at building a beach bowling alley were a huge waste of effort that didn't seem to yield any positive results, and he mostly just spent his time wandering around looking confused. What I find the most concerning about him is that he worked in the medical field. Truly frightening.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">8. Joel (11th place)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I found Joel to be a mostly likeable figure, who wound up being voted out for sexism. Which I find funny, considering the comments that were made that got him in hot water were clearly said by Gervase, but for whatever reason he got a pass for that. That being said, Joel was a hard worker and a strong leader -- even if his ego seemed to imply he thought he was much more than that.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">7. Gretchen (10th place)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Had Gretchen made it further into the merge, she may well have been a more interesting character on the show, but as it stands what she brought to the table was a loner whose survival skills were unparalleled by anyone else in the first season. Sadly, this aspect of real life survival isn't really what makes the show fun to watch, since a good chunk of the entertainment comes from interpersonal relations, of which she didn't seem to have many. </span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">6. Kelly (2nd place, runner-up)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm not putting Kelly this high on the list because I like her, but because of the impact she had on the show as a whole. Her loyalty shifts/betrayals, her total immunity dominance over the last several tribal councils, and the general unpredictability of her actions made her one of the players most capable of changing outcomes during the post-merge portion of the show. Also, she was the main source of inspiration for the iconic "snake and the rat" speech, which still holds up as pretty hilarious -- albeit totally ridiculous.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">5. Sue (4th place, 6th in jury)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Oh, Sue. She was totally obnoxious, constantly going on about how stupid everyone else was, how much she hated driving trucks in Chicago, constantly whining about how people needed to find tapioca, and at least during this first appearance of hers I found it all hilarious. She wasn't a smart player, but she got in early with Rudy and Rich, which really was the only thing that wound up saving her. While her later appearance on All-Stars (and everything surrounding that, which I will get into when I write about season 8) definitely made me dislike her more, I still found her pretty fun to watch here.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">4. Jenna (8th place, 2nd in jury)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jenna got some of the biggest emotional reactions of the entire first season during a devastating reward challenge, but even apart from that Jenna left a pretty strong impression. She was the one who fell victim to Sean's supreme stupidity, making her one of the most unlucky contestants from the very beginning, but she was still not quite clever enough to save herself after the merge. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">3. Colleen (6th place, 4th in jury)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the few people opposite the Richard/Rudy/Sue/Kelly alliance who could clearly see the writing on the wall with the threat of their block of votes. Colleen was a funny, perceptive, and overall competent player. She lasted quite a while in spite of being one of the only people who knew what was going on with the alliance of 4, but was unable to keep herself around any longer due to the inaction of others. It's a pity she never came back for another season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">2. Rudy (3rd place, 7th in jury)</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I kinda loved Rudy. From the beginning, Rudy made the wrong impression with a lot of other players, but was able to realize he was best off not coming on so strong and found footing in an alliance with Richard that ultimately carried them both through the show together. While many other players' loyalties were questionable, Rudy was pretty much the most consistent and honest person there. He was abrasive at times, but spoke his mind and was almost always hilarious in confessionals due to his no-nonsense old man bluntness. A lot of the things he said would probably offend modern audiences, but that's honestly a big part of why I found him so enjoyable. He was just funny, and usually because it didn't even occur to him how astonishingly offensive or tasteless his comments might be. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">1. Richard (1st place, winner by 4-3 vote)</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Not only is Richard the first ever winner on the show, but from the very first episode he made his presence known as an excellent social strategist and all-round devious S.O.B. without a worthy rival to oppose him. Forming a strong alliance early, and establishing himself as an excellent provider due to his fishing skills, Richard knew how to play the game before the game even started, brashly commenting in the first episode that he already won the game and was just waiting to make it all official. He was not just a great villain for the show, but had all the charm and humor required to make every episode worth watching just to see what he might do next, whether it was to manipulate a vote to his favor, or to strip off all his clothes and walk the beach nude. Richard was easily the most entertaining character on the show, and a totally worthy winner. I don't even know if he was someone I loved to hate, or just loved in general, but he's one of the best players/characters the show has ever seen. </span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Overall Impression</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">While the first season of Survivor remains a classic in a lot of ways, a great deal of what makes this cast stand out hinges on the Richard alliance. As could be expected, many of the early ejections are relatively forgettable or annoying, but this isn't something exclusive to the first season. While I don't overall find this batch of players as interesting as the seasons that immediately follow it, this group does still hold up as better than many of the casts to come. I'd give this group a B- rating.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thanks for reading.</p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-91787129661694238072022-03-14T06:26:00.005-04:002022-03-14T06:29:11.213-04:00My Favorite Movies of 2021<p>No honorable mentions, no B.S. This is my list of my top 25 favorite movies of 2021. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><span></span><span></span><p><span style="font-size: xx-large;">25. Malignant</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. James Wan</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgraQXR3PQ_dp9aGiIMecac9QwUpZOXvvr4cwShuxnY1CkSHdrykpzSrBj4M17GJpgOKQz9kWQwvYXTy8RVuN62t9xCYBflaHqclS7g7DFkACEL_bgI5w_z9dFsk1NOldDZnbVfdTyReXPf56v-gh5QZyEjcxk6P78eW2xH6JYSDqrLggw95kux9CfH=s1280" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgraQXR3PQ_dp9aGiIMecac9QwUpZOXvvr4cwShuxnY1CkSHdrykpzSrBj4M17GJpgOKQz9kWQwvYXTy8RVuN62t9xCYBflaHqclS7g7DFkACEL_bgI5w_z9dFsk1NOldDZnbVfdTyReXPf56v-gh5QZyEjcxk6P78eW2xH6JYSDqrLggw95kux9CfH=w400-h225" width="400" /></a><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>What an absolute disaster of a movie, a complete mess of a motion picture that fails in all the most spectacular of ways, and managed to be one of the most entertaining and idiotic movies I saw all year. I couldn't really justify putting this any higher on the list, but there's no way I wasn't going to find a home for this mess on my list, since I enjoyed it so much. <p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">24. The Suicide Squad</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. James Gunn</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1eZvus2NjRTSdLlUoKK4w-ZXa5hke91ln744lOXxnMpJ3SJmEUTeC65CZRpqAV6_BjxevVDjMRz-TTqX6tZ0WnKXkPoKIhgnQECAdT3dxw99ZIEbd-vI7y4MCgpl9VAI5iQITIlILUoN2Zj4IHftK8T36SOo4JKXVocqIrrMLqJDSFEacZqUwCoEq=s2000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1054" data-original-width="2000" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1eZvus2NjRTSdLlUoKK4w-ZXa5hke91ln744lOXxnMpJ3SJmEUTeC65CZRpqAV6_BjxevVDjMRz-TTqX6tZ0WnKXkPoKIhgnQECAdT3dxw99ZIEbd-vI7y4MCgpl9VAI5iQITIlILUoN2Zj4IHftK8T36SOo4JKXVocqIrrMLqJDSFEacZqUwCoEq=w400-h211" width="400" /></a></div><p>If you're anything like me, you probably hated the original Suicide Squad, which somehow manages to become even more unbearable with the gift of hindsight, but with James Gunn behind the camera, this one managed to be funny, wild, and everything that the first horrific failure was incapable of being at all times. Great cast, fun characters, and really just a fun time. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">23. The Night House</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. David Bruckner</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihLxvjNx3FVe7qHYd-XCobDlxTtRzcIVwFDcPrWbCef8p3WSlPYRovc0DixcHj71JGA9eju8wn8g2Zj_WtWlRm8BaMxhBulK_Czj-D0WhfeUDFurohWDO-tVV7I3YABWgantzhSqvGdLlfwjD9-4iB312sgtA-vq_BZw8SRRMV_p7isVJ1Zoe0J6md=s2060" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="2060" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihLxvjNx3FVe7qHYd-XCobDlxTtRzcIVwFDcPrWbCef8p3WSlPYRovc0DixcHj71JGA9eju8wn8g2Zj_WtWlRm8BaMxhBulK_Czj-D0WhfeUDFurohWDO-tVV7I3YABWgantzhSqvGdLlfwjD9-4iB312sgtA-vq_BZw8SRRMV_p7isVJ1Zoe0J6md=w400-h229" width="400" /></a></div><p>Although the script may not always be the most polished I've ever seen put on film, the scares in this movie are effective, and that matters more in a dramatic horror movie anyway. Plus, this movie has the added bonus of Rebecca Hall's lead performance, which is one of the best of the year, and among the strongest horror performances of the past several years. It might not be a game-changer, but it worked for me.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">22. Parallel Mothers</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Pedro Almodovar</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaA_kkNHc7SRYQ28cCpF0JyrHwmugo3aqsfbMI1Gc4O7BDFILeqiR2daYbltZBd7LITwa1qzypp5rfJHee6fq3Z2V7lQIuEICKRC5xCNET5fHcMmY6EqcyI1Me_axk3Umt17zm1Qlz_kJDDEWToHNXPSDveHaVIFf8DuimqFkPLjdzBai0F4ZbUBjV=s1500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1500" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaA_kkNHc7SRYQ28cCpF0JyrHwmugo3aqsfbMI1Gc4O7BDFILeqiR2daYbltZBd7LITwa1qzypp5rfJHee6fq3Z2V7lQIuEICKRC5xCNET5fHcMmY6EqcyI1Me_axk3Umt17zm1Qlz_kJDDEWToHNXPSDveHaVIFf8DuimqFkPLjdzBai0F4ZbUBjV=w400-h230" width="400" /></a></div><p>It almost feels weird to put Almodovar on a list like this and not have it close to the top 10, but I'm not gonna lie and pretend this movie didn't have its flaws. But I'm also not going to act like Penelope Cruz alone isn't worth finding a spot for this film on the list. She's terrific here, as usual, and handles the melodrama perfectly. She carries the movie, and stands as one of my favorite performances of the year. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">21. Swan Song</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Benjamin Cleary</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmNUbNFVpl1XRiJ_0B8aQTOihDRfrPo1j4oz_YyFoF6FH_rOzDRu1MBT-5KgUURzoHDmbgxpn05kQaTn-gv5S44GpuCBOMzeaDJro9h8X-qrJMJOufWhpptcCNjgIB-QXqh3hwQrKU6hWGgkgUCxBOhPYNoM_x0S-H3wpzJ8AGUxUrD3DMC4_BmY0s=s780" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmNUbNFVpl1XRiJ_0B8aQTOihDRfrPo1j4oz_YyFoF6FH_rOzDRu1MBT-5KgUURzoHDmbgxpn05kQaTn-gv5S44GpuCBOMzeaDJro9h8X-qrJMJOufWhpptcCNjgIB-QXqh3hwQrKU6hWGgkgUCxBOhPYNoM_x0S-H3wpzJ8AGUxUrD3DMC4_BmY0s=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Another wonderful acting vehicle for the lead, Swan Song (not to be confused with Swan Song, the Udo Kier movie from this very same year) also has a pretty great script that tackles all sorts of emotional sci/fi material in a deeply human way. Mahershala Ali is, of course, terrific, and I really loved how immersive the world created by the film was. It's definitely among my favorite sci/fi films of recent memory. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">20. Licorice Pizza</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Paul Thomas Anderson</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiarpqUL57DayoX8oTuSbYT5OvL9ocMMZQr3Zt66hb2yVCgql5QwBsWqgnmoqFYzbqkqSa_Rr2JKKnTat-rBzHgkKIOKzdggd8e0I0AHBOqxIoR3gZFqPtchq_ChvuEJivwv0uAkwIk7xUkRZ7sXCvn2c0S7EIeekTTTwbUi4x8NICTIDK7u0Sou9la=s681" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="681" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiarpqUL57DayoX8oTuSbYT5OvL9ocMMZQr3Zt66hb2yVCgql5QwBsWqgnmoqFYzbqkqSa_Rr2JKKnTat-rBzHgkKIOKzdggd8e0I0AHBOqxIoR3gZFqPtchq_ChvuEJivwv0uAkwIk7xUkRZ7sXCvn2c0S7EIeekTTTwbUi4x8NICTIDK7u0Sou9la=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Paul Thomas Anderson is another one of those directors who, every time he makes a movie, I know it's going to be great. Sadly, this is one of his weaker efforts, which means it's only *kinda* great. People have plenty of complaints about the movie, but as usual, I think people need to lighten up a tad and maybe do a modicum of research into filmmakers before they walk into a movie and being angry that there aren't enough farts and people falling over for their comedic tastes. There's lots of fun little sequences of events (Bradley Cooper totally steals the show here), and I found the leads to be totally unique and charming in their own quirky sort of way. This isn't a movie that anyone could pull off, and while this is by no means PTA's finest work, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. Plus, I sat next to an old guy who was playing Pokemon GO right before the movie started, so I was already in a good mood going in.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">19. Mandibles</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Quentin Dupieux</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIB5YMJxnQBDQh0-v6nXoZAyL6CmMR7DTPXhhGvYdyMEMVftxcG3iWZIIq_4rZBDE3lqipqj-cIOO2y8i-8ikkaSMty_OgGgcWCsgKj_PR004AF4civQgiOqTczkj6a_keJ7c2QQPL9HQdh8x40QfcrE10qPIB8jzXv-gXzNOEfI540cOiRKcBBv0A=s681" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="681" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIB5YMJxnQBDQh0-v6nXoZAyL6CmMR7DTPXhhGvYdyMEMVftxcG3iWZIIq_4rZBDE3lqipqj-cIOO2y8i-8ikkaSMty_OgGgcWCsgKj_PR004AF4civQgiOqTczkj6a_keJ7c2QQPL9HQdh8x40QfcrE10qPIB8jzXv-gXzNOEfI540cOiRKcBBv0A=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>So quickly after Deerskin, which is perhaps the most absurd movie of 2020, I didn't expect Dupieux to have another wacked out comedy up his sleeve, but I guess I shouldn't expect anything different from this absolute madman. This is a weird little movie that most people are bound to look at with pure confusion and possible irritation, but I loved it pretty much the entire way through. It's stupid, but not in an insulting way.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">18. Listening To Kenny G</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Penny Lane</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5rxnH_Ha5XYa94f1heHfVW_5zRNuGY4ZsDzSMzp9oGW4yFzrpjkqO-FmvkURuoHjCKqaeVa37gSWLyzGqxxGS8q1stZeTK-06MAgkWcgb_lP9-X9I0vCZH89l5wwyjHq8b1gkI0dltALEl383K8NKJxTC7XNj8ov-LTECDOj_GeHw2Gzw8bhfs3sz=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5rxnH_Ha5XYa94f1heHfVW_5zRNuGY4ZsDzSMzp9oGW4yFzrpjkqO-FmvkURuoHjCKqaeVa37gSWLyzGqxxGS8q1stZeTK-06MAgkWcgb_lP9-X9I0vCZH89l5wwyjHq8b1gkI0dltALEl383K8NKJxTC7XNj8ov-LTECDOj_GeHw2Gzw8bhfs3sz=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>I don't give a single crap about Kenny G or his boring elevator music, but this movie managed to make the subject of both his own passion for music and the passion other people have for (as well as against) him into something I just couldn't stop being totally enthralled by. It's funny, intimate, and really gives you an open-minded and informative look at one of the most seemingly inoffensive yet equally divisive figures in music history. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">17. Copshop</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Joe Carnahan</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj175pRtErgEHkGYo9PnpHFCJccmznXBwJb2V_owMn02IU7GIoozX3LNi-N6bwyFUhkTvKALdBfdZHjgEJAR9XVyzsrUc58XYtv2fPxiXWLnpaEGW1sEivQtf5AbqeVbepjMBBHq4a0BKNDl3ksenebKQ8HbYnRi-TTD94zBPuD0TwTXDCvszVTa1E9=s681" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="681" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj175pRtErgEHkGYo9PnpHFCJccmznXBwJb2V_owMn02IU7GIoozX3LNi-N6bwyFUhkTvKALdBfdZHjgEJAR9XVyzsrUc58XYtv2fPxiXWLnpaEGW1sEivQtf5AbqeVbepjMBBHq4a0BKNDl3ksenebKQ8HbYnRi-TTD94zBPuD0TwTXDCvszVTa1E9=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>I always love when I can look at a movie and just feel the era and tone it's going for without it being made obvious by cheap editing choices (a la Planet Terror), and this cheesy B-movie grime-fest is definitely one of them. Action-heavy but not even remotely devoid of huge chunks of dialogue and character development, this isn't a "great" movie by most people's standards, but I really loved it pretty much the entire way through. Also it has two genuinely wonderful performances to offer, which is pretty rare for an action/cop movie.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">16. New York Ninja</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. John Liu & Kurtis M. Spieler</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_JFgXvhvEULgSMOE1-yfW688SMnBr_xFkoCHmE49kVEZBWXyVLDWrn04e_c4a6VHVJbVL5wCxqWYuZhIxe7smueyXRGtB_uY9n_4lQoUyyJaPfajyOujJYpOOr1EgxW3Iq8EGIShmihWZfAgkTk5KfY5cm6dPxvoHr813yjnGqmOB022JGkypU5Ik=s3840" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_JFgXvhvEULgSMOE1-yfW688SMnBr_xFkoCHmE49kVEZBWXyVLDWrn04e_c4a6VHVJbVL5wCxqWYuZhIxe7smueyXRGtB_uY9n_4lQoUyyJaPfajyOujJYpOOr1EgxW3Iq8EGIShmihWZfAgkTk5KfY5cm6dPxvoHr813yjnGqmOB022JGkypU5Ik=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>What an amazing discovery this movie was. The Vinegar Syndrome found a ton of footage (presumably in a bin somewhere), and attempted to put it all together in a way that made sense, recording new audio for the whole film, music, SFX, voice dubs, etc. The result is a legitimate attempt at doing a film that never had a chance to really exist justice, which makes all the failings of the original filmmakers even more entertaining. This whole thing is so weird and off-kilter, and so unbelievably '80s. For fans of over-the-top '80s action/ninja movies, this film is a godsend.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">15. Belfast</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Kenneth Branagh</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFHMcKVPqUxL5Ty8C__2kId49aoUAztdT0uBHrjWRbcBImC9h9Fgm6Gf3syOXA5ouFkgalFxX39GwVo7ziY0wCmLGUlKR7j_UcN6nPQmDY0uKR66dc_tQ5wXBiXei-mRw1e0hy-reY-EuaEOUICvPBH6zE2IwpecG_D6PewCzkyP9QBiwNb-JwFlnF=s1400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFHMcKVPqUxL5Ty8C__2kId49aoUAztdT0uBHrjWRbcBImC9h9Fgm6Gf3syOXA5ouFkgalFxX39GwVo7ziY0wCmLGUlKR7j_UcN6nPQmDY0uKR66dc_tQ5wXBiXei-mRw1e0hy-reY-EuaEOUICvPBH6zE2IwpecG_D6PewCzkyP9QBiwNb-JwFlnF=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Maybe not the Oscar juggernaut everyone seemed to expect it to be, Kenneth Branagh's wonderfully sweet and sincere semi-autobiography about a period of civil unrest in Ireland told through the lens of a young boy and his family was still a surprisingly entertaining little movie. I loved the main kid in this (which is a rare thing for me to say about a child performance), and pretty much everyone else in the movie was just as great. It's an excellent ensemble with a great script that perfectly balances comedy and drama, all while shot in gorgeous black and white. Good stuff. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">14. Minari</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Lee Isaac Chung</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLcVNzU_a5ID6FdfLw2Czs5GNwmRMPm2cDHx9b6YIqzkkKDJ0YUtwPq4s9ETpMIQMJfYZycNIz4ySGdULYyu7GtOmko7R9Wi1T1n3E75L_eWoI6oYQL_PFuUL_r1Bq2q14VJHZssieKv3qSpT-4nHZAEEB-gfyBy8soo9vrb2iA8dC4eE4roV_S9fW=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLcVNzU_a5ID6FdfLw2Czs5GNwmRMPm2cDHx9b6YIqzkkKDJ0YUtwPq4s9ETpMIQMJfYZycNIz4ySGdULYyu7GtOmko7R9Wi1T1n3E75L_eWoI6oYQL_PFuUL_r1Bq2q14VJHZssieKv3qSpT-4nHZAEEB-gfyBy8soo9vrb2iA8dC4eE4roV_S9fW=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh no, now it's time for me to be both controversial and not controversial at all! Minari, which was up for the Oscars for the 2020 season, wasn't released in any way for me to have seen in in 2020, so I am including it here on my 2021 list instead. To put it simply, this movie was ultimately too good for me to allow it to slip through the cracks, and by the letter of the law, it really was released in 2021. This is a small movie, with wonderful performances, and a realistic setting that allows you to really empathize with its characters. This whole movie feels to lived-in and filled with subtle drama that doesn't feel the need to shove things in your face for the story to work. It's just a lovely little film.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">13. Spider-Man: No Way Home</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Jon Watts</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhWc6-c8m719XQ5egWXAXlihvAGjn8BQVyGHj9ImbDsCIrFl8tSMsd8tDDWOzRBiAxrt5eXO8X6k_nFWZ7VaPn1WiBQLPMdOOt9cFEBVWSdiH8i95tb9zhX7jNmQF_IkEuIZILNBrCCXvaMtOCs7wkX5XyhwO-odBiCj0nJFefF91JolavCAwErYwP=s740" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="740" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhWc6-c8m719XQ5egWXAXlihvAGjn8BQVyGHj9ImbDsCIrFl8tSMsd8tDDWOzRBiAxrt5eXO8X6k_nFWZ7VaPn1WiBQLPMdOOt9cFEBVWSdiH8i95tb9zhX7jNmQF_IkEuIZILNBrCCXvaMtOCs7wkX5XyhwO-odBiCj0nJFefF91JolavCAwErYwP=w400-h205" width="400" /></a></div><p>I think that not being subjected to Marvel movies for a couple years there has really allowed me to find superhero movies slightly more enjoyable again. That being said, I don't think it would have mattered at all how much Marvel crap I'd have had shoved down my throat before this one, I was always going to find it really fun. This is pretty much the most fan-servicey movie that's ever been made, but instead of being too annoying or feeling like it's made only to pander to nostalgia, it weaves its multiple stories together in a way that's exciting regardless of your own history with Spider-Man movies. It's big, loud, fun, and even surprisingly emotional. Maybe it uses a few too many cheap tactics to tug at your heart-strings, but it never feels too manipulative for it to work.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">12. The Sparks Brothers</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Edgar Wright</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6B2Iw4Klbw86yZivcqhzmj--vcl1Zbc0fnRPZ-w0vX7GuZhyuIhQ7SIQ6bIUv6tsWZtpiLXZk_fhlpJuoxIFE7ARtYNK371mtot920vfGvvwbb1VrnSeFavv0IHgplk9lX-NX1LI-JP6RDhYE332adogg5zSGQtkQQ3VAG5Yi_yjZL1ElKJfSXEAS=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6B2Iw4Klbw86yZivcqhzmj--vcl1Zbc0fnRPZ-w0vX7GuZhyuIhQ7SIQ6bIUv6tsWZtpiLXZk_fhlpJuoxIFE7ARtYNK371mtot920vfGvvwbb1VrnSeFavv0IHgplk9lX-NX1LI-JP6RDhYE332adogg5zSGQtkQQ3VAG5Yi_yjZL1ElKJfSXEAS=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>It's not terribly often that I find myself a big fan of multiple documentary films in a single year, but this weird, wonderful, and fast-paced Edgar Wright doc was definitely one I couldn't possibly overlook. Packed with all the fun editing choices that are pretty commonplace for a Wright feature, this chronicling of the bizarre experimental music duo Sparks was so charming and stylistic that it never bored me -- in spite of its near 2 and a half hour runtime. Even if you don't know who Sparks are (I can say I was barely aware of them going into this), there is still a lot to love about this documentary both in how it covers an unsung musical subject, and in how well it manages to find humor and personality in all of the most unconventional ways. It's a rare documentary that actually has real filmmaking behind it, and I absolutely loved it. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: xx-large;">11. The Humans</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Stephen Karam</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtHLJvTDH_4rbA7m2iSV_hVQ8uIirKbWEGsdPUBQPV8Gm0x-wZpr8O9mDSqhip3fEBJHPAWTVk7SbiRDE0YXQX8OjfbZ-mUnpbdKQAIUGU9IY-n37BoLj1PEn2sPSIzeO8hv7iw5IvPYrV1XmzX6rObn_8_SbGTrd3FgDM5M1MScLUxfEAPAvIP1TT=s1100" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1100" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtHLJvTDH_4rbA7m2iSV_hVQ8uIirKbWEGsdPUBQPV8Gm0x-wZpr8O9mDSqhip3fEBJHPAWTVk7SbiRDE0YXQX8OjfbZ-mUnpbdKQAIUGU9IY-n37BoLj1PEn2sPSIzeO8hv7iw5IvPYrV1XmzX6rObn_8_SbGTrd3FgDM5M1MScLUxfEAPAvIP1TT=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div><p>I love when a film is able to capture a sort of horror tone in spite of never actually being a horror movie itself. This is very much a character drama, with a surprising cast full of excellent performances and dramatic tension that permeates through every scene. Richard Jenkins, as always, tends to draw your attention the most, but he is by no means the only one here who deserves praise, as everyone here has more than a few great moments. But really, it's how this dysfunctional family and rundown setting manages to be imbued with such tension thanks to the lighting, cinematography, and editing that makes the movie stand out. Much like Spencer, this movie made me feel suffocated by the time it was done, and I can't say that about many films out there. Hell, even Amy Schumer gave a solid performance. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">10. The Power Of The Dog</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Jane Campion</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy-RowpAUINUEjdOMsN2OkHn_Q8LY43b9JCuZUDZ7Tm7N8c67d1mID2HrxWBiAc8i9oDlDy0AkofSnaWco34WDqzkfhigKVZDgLgK1aNu53PipCDiE0elWBzwey123Sb4WSzB_iTWqMX5ADXU5LoSvCFxVG_ui9Xvwa9mjjBA3FQznK2Bo-sXVc0I-=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy-RowpAUINUEjdOMsN2OkHn_Q8LY43b9JCuZUDZ7Tm7N8c67d1mID2HrxWBiAc8i9oDlDy0AkofSnaWco34WDqzkfhigKVZDgLgK1aNu53PipCDiE0elWBzwey123Sb4WSzB_iTWqMX5ADXU5LoSvCFxVG_ui9Xvwa9mjjBA3FQznK2Bo-sXVc0I-=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>The likely future Oscar-winner for Best Picture, this Jane Campion western drama has been talked about enough for me to almost feel like I can ignore writing about it at all here, but I will still toss out a few things. First, Benedict Cumberbatch is incredible here. It's a deeply complex and conflicted role that he pulls off with menace and charm. He's had issues with accents in the past, but he really came into his own here, and I think that's worth mentioning. Second, the cinematography (in spite of a few weird digital shot) is lovely, doing a great job at capturing a unique feel for a western. Third, this isn't a manly western movie filled with gunfights and cowboys. It's a subdued genre film that most people will probably find boring if they don't have the interest in dissecting the deeper meaning behind what you're seeing on screen. It's a pretty exceptional movie. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">9. Pig</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Michael Sarnoski</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2MSUjuIWFd4jlDWxvUKAeeUnxU9iqr7UvizOUQEFzpY9t_fClKdxZXjMxQZ2DEzWlfk9DoeILZdkAtnNh1SET-7WKw__9i0uMIaNzH9f3Z9yjlK7SLvq_a7uyPv2IXb29ph41CD0Ngm2kCcz7W-4bT5r_MjpBYa6s5ndqSzZbkgkTTOlys_JH-sbo=s1373" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1373" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2MSUjuIWFd4jlDWxvUKAeeUnxU9iqr7UvizOUQEFzpY9t_fClKdxZXjMxQZ2DEzWlfk9DoeILZdkAtnNh1SET-7WKw__9i0uMIaNzH9f3Z9yjlK7SLvq_a7uyPv2IXb29ph41CD0Ngm2kCcz7W-4bT5r_MjpBYa6s5ndqSzZbkgkTTOlys_JH-sbo=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Nicolas Cage strikes again. Going into 2021 I had a handful of Nic Cage movies on my watchlist, and while I was mostly indifferent towards one (in spite of how absolutely insane it was) and loathed the other (I'll go into that mess on a future post), he still was able to give one hell of a lead performance in an unsuspecting character drama that sounds silly and idiotic on the surface. I just can't quite put my finger on the guy, but I will say this movie rests pretty much entirely on his shoulders, which is especially impressive as a performance due to how little he speaks and communicates almost exclusively through mannerisms and body language. This isn't a "Nic Cage movie", but an actually great movie that tells a powerful story of loss, regret, and redemption. Corny synopsis, I know, but it's true.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">8. Spencer</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Pablo Larrain</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-oyscPdd_zjGEe7BPMmgWZwYZJCIWBvuUhlFR2ev0zVlluk02WAt5q-rNGqCxU0qhSJ84GDC6ep6Xs8aBf376-ZT14JnyNg0PlApx_4QzT7aRszt737gX0FqqUQrGp3-5f4LYhszz2cNHRROH6yw-yZyWhi2SZW169fvJLaAvkJ61P_6V0Wvwe7du=s1798" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1798" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-oyscPdd_zjGEe7BPMmgWZwYZJCIWBvuUhlFR2ev0zVlluk02WAt5q-rNGqCxU0qhSJ84GDC6ep6Xs8aBf376-ZT14JnyNg0PlApx_4QzT7aRszt737gX0FqqUQrGp3-5f4LYhszz2cNHRROH6yw-yZyWhi2SZW169fvJLaAvkJ61P_6V0Wvwe7du=w400-h240" width="400" /></a></div><p>Do you like historical biopics that focus more heavily on a particular period of time in the subject's life as opposed to a broad and sweeping overlook of their career like a Lifetime original? Do you think the actors in the Twilight movies were unfairly maligned for their acting skills when a majority of the failings of those movies lied with the poor script and direction? If you said yes to one or both of these questions, watch Spencer. It's not some stupid biopic where they shove Bella from Twilight into a dress and call her Princess Diana, it's a real film made by a real filmmaker, and it's terrific. This movie has a suffocating tone that really gets you into the head of Princess Di, and Kristen Stewart does an excellent job at communicating that. Seriously good.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">7. Red Rocket</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Sean Baker</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOSGUBrI0SkZds2Xk7HW_Mm_kIY_YxVEpR7F1j0ojbf93l4tD-Qb-w9hn0SOijwTPIIiwcLj4R2bw-DVu8DZE8MLHanPDd7T7Mj-tE8bnp9xdvPqpafbDOGfIiKVD8soLSMJxLhqdyaPVEl1tlla4UwPVexNwdYnEUKAJvoLSnZw0u6JTdYLQ2kcWx=s1296" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOSGUBrI0SkZds2Xk7HW_Mm_kIY_YxVEpR7F1j0ojbf93l4tD-Qb-w9hn0SOijwTPIIiwcLj4R2bw-DVu8DZE8MLHanPDd7T7Mj-tE8bnp9xdvPqpafbDOGfIiKVD8soLSMJxLhqdyaPVEl1tlla4UwPVexNwdYnEUKAJvoLSnZw0u6JTdYLQ2kcWx=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>One of the most scuzzy, realistic, and thoroughly unlikeable movies I've ever seen and still somehow loved, Red Rocket is the third movie by Sean Baker (who seems to specialize in making films about the most detestable and grubby people) and by far his strongest so far. In fact, I hihgly doubt he'll ever top this one, as he found something genuinely special in Simon Rex as his film's lead. This is a highlight reel of a lead performance that tackles a lot of tricky material, both emotionally and physically. This is a movie you watch just for a performance, and that he was able to play such a disgusting and sleazy character and still manage to make him somehow charming is a feat I have seen few actors capable of, but here it is. In fact, this might be the performance of the year. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">6. The Green Knight</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. David Lowery</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8bcSRLP3uL6u4KmHa2AcnYaC-u3LeqR8DmHnWgviwMl2SLenm8BrWMPT-k7bWLXQeJ-gHsGAxbo-UIKg3NRoZ8ENwgFLYtPAJRJ_0dKyBBP4cQGg24GtLECwHfXPslbTvbrmDVeCGg1DQj9ktAPQKCgDMQ5NylljmOUx2cOL4StIptMajJssX_kNr=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8bcSRLP3uL6u4KmHa2AcnYaC-u3LeqR8DmHnWgviwMl2SLenm8BrWMPT-k7bWLXQeJ-gHsGAxbo-UIKg3NRoZ8ENwgFLYtPAJRJ_0dKyBBP4cQGg24GtLECwHfXPslbTvbrmDVeCGg1DQj9ktAPQKCgDMQ5NylljmOUx2cOL4StIptMajJssX_kNr=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Another absolutely gorgeous looking movie by David Lowery (A Ghost Story was one I hated when it came out, and have since come to really appreciate), The Green Knight is the kind of medieval adult fantasy that is incredibly rare to come by, as it never really succumbs to any of the Game Of Thronesian tropes that have become standard of the genre over the past decade. It's whimsical, but very dark. It's beautiful, but drenched in mud. The main character goes through a journey that's both physical and spiritual, and watching this unfold and seeing how his attitude changes towards his impending doom is really something to behold. Maybe this movie isn't for everyone, as it seems is true of most things I tend to like, but for those of us out there who like something slightly different, it's one of the best films the genre has produced in years. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">5. Psycho Goreman</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Steven Kostanski</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg4BauqUFPRm8p33cuQADf_h79fK_oReedlFs8jqU0C7kXTTUkAergwN1nquBaF8H3S6lw9yRFeoeTRrsg6shHaKQXg3r5EuNJyST6-B9Nb72FGIIhse4Sx6imYCsUsX0-_nIYi9guWj5cl1YKaRyV2Uy6pwhGJTBVy24RVfYS_x2ovH5XiMVSPJwc=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg4BauqUFPRm8p33cuQADf_h79fK_oReedlFs8jqU0C7kXTTUkAergwN1nquBaF8H3S6lw9yRFeoeTRrsg6shHaKQXg3r5EuNJyST6-B9Nb72FGIIhse4Sx6imYCsUsX0-_nIYi9guWj5cl1YKaRyV2Uy6pwhGJTBVy24RVfYS_x2ovH5XiMVSPJwc=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>And just when I think I couldn't possibly be more self-serious and pretentious, I remember how much I loved this retro B-movie cheeseball splatterfest. It's hard for me to explain to people sometimes just how much I love a really ridiculous, violent movie like this without sounding like an overgrown child, but I think I'm okay with that. Sometimes it's great to feel like a dumb kid who wants to see monsters ripping people's limbs off before exploding into an ocean of blood. Not only this, but the movie has some seriously funny jokes that I still think about from time to time over a year after having seen it. This is a total blast from beginning to end, and every time I was afraid it was gonna lose me, it pulled me right back in. I was never even slightly bored or less than entertained by this one, and I find it hard to believe any reasonable number of rewatches would change that. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">4. Boiling Point</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Philip Barantini</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj3e8-X0hpwPqIDHxTHK8HmU0MZfHZjfZvQHAVNh22XpPebC5gLWJmmJjPke82aFIuIXssoHD7IYbNfXkdmPBP_9jhI_UaPo6Pw3UdC8VeLQT-I44bEuhfZ6XvXVCMnMks0sK18cnGIiinSX8-KTBeaIv-rYPqI-e4onT6FHgjH9qdOuKAu9kaiaJf=s640" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj3e8-X0hpwPqIDHxTHK8HmU0MZfHZjfZvQHAVNh22XpPebC5gLWJmmJjPke82aFIuIXssoHD7IYbNfXkdmPBP_9jhI_UaPo6Pw3UdC8VeLQT-I44bEuhfZ6XvXVCMnMks0sK18cnGIiinSX8-KTBeaIv-rYPqI-e4onT6FHgjH9qdOuKAu9kaiaJf=w400-h268" width="400" /></a></div><p>Movies that were all shot in one take have a sort of gimmicky appeal that I'm never quite sure about. Often these movies sacrifice pacing and decent scripting to instead focus on following through with that gimmick, but this movie isn't like that at all. Much like Birdman (one of the best movies of 2014), this film takes that method of filmmaking and uses it to paint a complete picture of the setting, giving you a glimpse into the lives of its characters in a way that makes full use of the one-take style in a relentless onslaught of dramatic tension and character revelations. The lead performance by Stephen Graham is terrific, the setting is fully realized, and they way the camera weaves in and out of scenes never feels staged, but rather complete fluid and realistic. In a lot of ways it feels almost unfair for this movie not to have wound up even higher on the list, but these last several films are all so terrific, I just couldn't put it any higher. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">3. Mass</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Fran Kranz</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT0ZuyMrdpF24xumxENF7N29-O_FsP9qN3syBQVuFc_zMJqmOu9UzrXTijhmjPL4ItbxR0euKYdEA5CrjsXOqZ4i9wvUhUzPosxvFtHos6DHIuuFnQD9C4u0afyKqGeV9VvRI8zl-YmcXBED-ZLmEziVP3NKQdNBQjaKOse5Tc_x_pPk2501jyLto1=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhT0ZuyMrdpF24xumxENF7N29-O_FsP9qN3syBQVuFc_zMJqmOu9UzrXTijhmjPL4ItbxR0euKYdEA5CrjsXOqZ4i9wvUhUzPosxvFtHos6DHIuuFnQD9C4u0afyKqGeV9VvRI8zl-YmcXBED-ZLmEziVP3NKQdNBQjaKOse5Tc_x_pPk2501jyLto1=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><p>Directed by the stoner from The Cabin In The Woods, this is another movie that's all about acting and dramatic reveals. Basically you plop 4 actors at the top of their game down in a conservatively decorated room and watch them all slowly unfurl their emotions in the most heartbreaking and revelatory of ways. Ann Dowd and Jason Isaacs in particular are incredible as the parents of a tragic victim of... I don't want to go into it any more than that. This is the kind of film that the less you go into knowing, the better you'll probably find it. Suffice it to say this is an emotional powerhouse of a movie that paints vivid pictures exclusively through the words of its actors. You might find yourself being slightly bored near the beginning, but as the characters heat up, the tension in the room both increases and dissipates. It's an absolute whirlwind of emotion. It's heartbreaking, tragic, and genuinely tough to sit through at times, but is still easily one of the best things I saw all year. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. The Father</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Florian Zeller</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQxAiyDSeTmAAvSGiGKdvISQinhHLT1emqLh_v0EuTpcY_w_UIbqgccTrUmfjttCxTKttTN7E5hIMkvzqFw8wBDfSyzUSQ3A9sK5smFveymCxQ8Vng7_rzpJrDBhc0pnazs6uEkqSDecUZkqTtV8nbQU3mY8ymqrmL9JA2BzLYlWtCKI4zrB1bYleF=s930" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="930" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQxAiyDSeTmAAvSGiGKdvISQinhHLT1emqLh_v0EuTpcY_w_UIbqgccTrUmfjttCxTKttTN7E5hIMkvzqFw8wBDfSyzUSQ3A9sK5smFveymCxQ8Vng7_rzpJrDBhc0pnazs6uEkqSDecUZkqTtV8nbQU3mY8ymqrmL9JA2BzLYlWtCKI4zrB1bYleF=w400-h240" width="400" /></a></div><p>Oh look, another hopelessly tragic movie that utilizes veteran actors to the best of their abilities. But this one has the advantage of being a thoroughly engaging film in a visual sense, as we witness the events as they unfold from the eyes of a man suffering from a debilitating mental disorder. This is a gut-wrenching movie that just might feature the best performance of Anthony Hopkins' entire acting career, not to mention Olivia Colman tearing her own heart out as a loving daughter forced to watch as her father fades away in front of her eyes. This movie is emotionally raw, but polished in all the best ways. There were more than a couple moments that blew my mind how they were executed visually and thematically, but I won't go into anything there. This one was up for the Oscars for the 2020 season, but just like Minari didn't have any sort of theatrical or streaming release until 2021, so I had to wait to put this on this list. Even after this very long year, it's held up as one of the best films I saw in a year that was pretty strong.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. Nightmare Alley</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">dir. Guillermo Del Toro</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLSbxN97iL4qhi7OEtbwBoh-fpqkR_GrsiePqsqvNAoMXM6UQkxlY0D9VNo91h0j6IQOnHn4oCunCTuUjF572hfaAYKWYdU0qDVLTUsNnBFgoQkW9_1JFETo2fAimcGHdw7ASQS81mZV6JC7R1VK9ywfo_PtlSyTsoYdBdCec-nK33HBft-wNGjfqf=s1500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLSbxN97iL4qhi7OEtbwBoh-fpqkR_GrsiePqsqvNAoMXM6UQkxlY0D9VNo91h0j6IQOnHn4oCunCTuUjF572hfaAYKWYdU0qDVLTUsNnBFgoQkW9_1JFETo2fAimcGHdw7ASQS81mZV6JC7R1VK9ywfo_PtlSyTsoYdBdCec-nK33HBft-wNGjfqf=w400-h213" width="400" /></a></div><p>Guillermo Del Toro is often too focused on style in his movies for them to really hold up as stories, making many of his post-Pan's Labyrinth efforts come across as shallow. Well, this time around, I think he really landed on something special. Having already seen the 1947 movie (but not read the novel it was based on) I already knew what to expect from this one plot-wise, but still found myself fully immersed in the story, characters, and visuals more than I ever anticipated. Del Toro is able to find tension here that was severely lacking in the original film, focusing on scenes and moments that really helps to up the dramatic stakes and flesh out the characters. I loved the setting, found the performances captivating, and even though the movie was damn near 3 hours long, never found myself looking at the clock hoping it would end soon. This was a triumphant film achievement that proved to be well-worth the trip to a theater to experience, even after it had been close to 2 years since we'd gone to one. I don't know how well most people might respond to this film, but I loved it and couldn't imagine anything else landing in the #1 spot.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As always, thanks to anyone who actually bothered to read this post (I know I personally would have just skimmed through), and I hope people might be able to walk away from this list with a few new movies on their radar to check out. If you like or loathe what I've got on here, let me know, I'm always interested in that stuff. </p><div><br /></div>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-64711914566845646112022-02-19T01:15:00.000-05:002022-02-19T01:15:03.491-05:00Manga review: Vagabond<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgigNn9JnnrgFls8jGZcHKY8ujlbqQr_YWaDcy7zsr1FLpsI-c7gtirASEhDdBRZUB3FZp0zCEBocgj5rAv5ciVH_zQmDRocmJKYHCveybY1cw4mz5KWU99tP2va02bMIqg6Nuizyg40AsC2emo76jH1HHfN0bpEtauvr1eOA81QfHwl8f_VDgcKx_v=s921" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="765" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgigNn9JnnrgFls8jGZcHKY8ujlbqQr_YWaDcy7zsr1FLpsI-c7gtirASEhDdBRZUB3FZp0zCEBocgj5rAv5ciVH_zQmDRocmJKYHCveybY1cw4mz5KWU99tP2va02bMIqg6Nuizyg40AsC2emo76jH1HHfN0bpEtauvr1eOA81QfHwl8f_VDgcKx_v=s320" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> 'Vagabond' by Takehiko Inoue</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">37 volumes, 327 chapters</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1998 - 2015 (on indefinite hiatus)</span></p><p><br /></p><p>Following Uzumaki, I decided to jump headfirst into one of the most well-regarded manga of all-time, and one that was significantly longer, denser, and more impactful by every conceivable metric. I read the first 20 volumes of this one over the course of a single weekend, and I still consider this one of the absolutely best manga I've read, and I doubt that will ever change. The characterization is wonderful, the story flies by in the most satisfying of ways, and the artwork is insanely good. I was in awe of this manga pretty much the entire time. Deeply philosophical, horrifically violent, and filled with unforgettable sequences and character development throughout, as many positive things as I hear about Slam Dunk and Real, I can't see this ever being topped as Inoue's masterpiece. It might not be my #1 favorite manga so far, but it's ridiculously close.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Maybe not the most pleasant thing to read for some people, but for people more receptive to thoughtful violence within the seinen demographic, this is a total must-read. </p><p><span style="font-size: large;">★★★★★</span></p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-21868983913732922862021-12-31T04:57:00.005-05:002021-12-31T04:57:36.831-05:00Oscar Predictions (2021-2022 Awards Season)<p> I enjoy following the Oscars, as stupid and meaningless as they are. So I'm just gonna post this here, before the SAG and BAFTA nominations come out. No edits on this post allowed.</p><p><br /></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>BEST ACTOR</p><p>1. Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power Of The Dog</p><p>2. Will Smith, King Richard</p><p>3. Andrew Garfield, Tick Tick BOOM</p><p>4. Denzel Washington, The Tragedy Of Macbeth</p><p>5. Peter Dinklage, Cyrano</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Nicolas Cage, Pig</p><p>7. Leonardo DiCaprio, Don't Look Up</p><p>8. Bradley Cooper, Nightmare Alley</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BEST ACTRESS</p><p>1. Kristen Stewart, Spencer</p><p>2. Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter</p><p>3. Nicole Kidman, Being The Ricardos</p><p>4. Lady Gaga, House Of Gucci</p><p>5. Jessica Chastain, The Eyes Of Tammy Faye</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Frances McDormand, The Tragedy Of Macbeth</p><p>7. Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza</p><p>8. Rachel Zegler, West Side Story</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR</p><p>1. Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power Of The Dog</p><p>2. Ciaran Hinds, Belfast</p><p>3. Jamie Dornan, Belfast</p><p>4. Troy Kotsur, CODA</p><p>5. J.K. Simmons, Being The Ricardos</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Jared Leto, House Of Gucci</p><p>7. Robin de Jesus, Tick Tick BOOM</p><p>8. Jon Bernthal, King Richard</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS</p><p>1. Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard</p><p>2. Ariana DeBose, West Side Story</p><p>3. Caitriona Balfe, Belfast</p><p>4. Kirsten Dunst, The Power Of The Dog</p><p>5. Ruth Negga, Passing</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Ann Dowd, Mass</p><p>7. Rita Moreno, West Side Story</p><p>8. Cate Blanchett, Nightmare Alley</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY</p><p>1. The Power Of The Dog</p><p>2. CODA</p><p>3. The Lost Daughter</p><p>4. Dune</p><p>5. West Side Story</p><p><br /></p><p>6. THe Tragedy Of Macbeth</p><p>7. Drive My Car</p><p>8. Passing</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY</p><p>1. Belfast</p><p>2. Licorice Pizza</p><p>3. King Richard</p><p>4. Being The Ricardos</p><p>5. Don't Look Up</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Mass</p><p>7. C'mon C'mon</p><p>8. A Hero</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BEST DIRECTOR</p><p>1. Jane Campion, The Power Of The Dog</p><p>2. Kenneth Branagh, Belfast</p><p>3. Denis Villeneuve, Dune</p><p>4. Steven Spielberg, West Side Story</p><p>5. Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car</p><p>7. Joel Coen, The Tragedy Of Macbeth</p><p>8. Guillermo Del Toro, Nightmare Alley</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>BEST PICTURE</p><p>1. Belfast</p><p>2. The Power Of The Dog</p><p>3. Licorice Pizza</p><p>4. West Side Story</p><p>5. Dune</p><p>6. King Richard</p><p>7. Tick Tick BOOM</p><p>8. CODA</p><p>9. The Tragedy Of Macbeth</p><p>10. Drive My Car</p><p><br /></p><p>11. Nightmare Alley</p><p>12. Spider-Man: No Way Home</p><p>13. Don't Look Up</p><p>14. Being The Ricardos</p><p>15. The Lost Daughter</p><div><br /></div>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-52564499688904635922021-12-21T00:21:00.002-05:002021-12-21T00:21:40.278-05:00Taskmaster Contestants Ranked (all 12 seasons + NZ)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I think it's already been established by my <a href="https://jeffscpresents.blogspot.com/2021/06/taskmaster-contestants-ranked-all-11.html" target="_blank">previous Taskmaster contestant ranking list</a> that I'm a pretty huge fan of the show, but as a fan of the show that doesn't mean I'm always right about everything with it, or that my opinions can't change. That being said, you'll undoubtedly notice there are a few placements on here that will be about (or just about) the same as the last time, and several others that will be pretty different. That's one of the things I love about making lists like this, seeing how much my opinion changes makes me happy and is a reminder of how I'm a living person capable of growth and change.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUQLXEUaRKuQwOFLiymT8j1q-QGizD7MfW0mEtzxl_F0QCJZQ6zTUT8Bul19qi5krISIF3AQkbUnRely5qd6om-N2NMFyo86OjOENM95HPqTJrnA35VUdij9MufrleOlC0jolRw4uRqnDKkKIdMHOHSF-EcDtQaQV3Yy2PdfF1fIn_zmkp0MkHeMvl=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="1200" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUQLXEUaRKuQwOFLiymT8j1q-QGizD7MfW0mEtzxl_F0QCJZQ6zTUT8Bul19qi5krISIF3AQkbUnRely5qd6om-N2NMFyo86OjOENM95HPqTJrnA35VUdij9MufrleOlC0jolRw4uRqnDKkKIdMHOHSF-EcDtQaQV3Yy2PdfF1fIn_zmkp0MkHeMvl=w400-h201" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Before I get on with the list, there are a couple big changes to this post that I feel need to be addressed before I go any further. For one, this is obviously a list that will include contestants from the 12th series of the show, as that has (at least as of the time of me writing this intro) just finished. Additionally, thanks to the wonderful 2nd series of the (also English-language) New Zealand version of the show, I will be including contestants from both of the seasons of that version as well as the 60 from the UK version. So, basically, this list will be bumped up from the 55 of the previous version to a total of 70 people. That's a lot to write about/order, so don't expect this to be a super polished and perfect list. I will do my best to let it reflect my actual opinions though, so let's get on with it!</span></div><p></p><span></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">70. Paul Sinha</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLJQLv8TaCRiq2ACEhVIlPxUGaAGOpP8cBc5zIofkTwOGDdV44GWwFsDL8peho0VDVEVkqD2t2Qx9hJqGT26wjYEeXXfR7SeAVGXlbh0P4Wu5jZjQ8PhQFXqcAl9CJTXSvOP2fB3tK9E/s900/paulsinha.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLJQLv8TaCRiq2ACEhVIlPxUGaAGOpP8cBc5zIofkTwOGDdV44GWwFsDL8peho0VDVEVkqD2t2Qx9hJqGT26wjYEeXXfR7SeAVGXlbh0P4Wu5jZjQ8PhQFXqcAl9CJTXSvOP2fB3tK9E/w400-h200/paulsinha.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;">Series 8</span></b></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 53 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">After watching through this season about 4-5 times, I still can only list on half of one hand the number of actually good/funny/memorable moments contributed by Paul Sinha. I don't find him to be a particularly comforting presence, and with his fairly consistent references to his own health and ailments (not counting the previously undiagnosed) he really just strikes me as someone who didn't want to be there and wasn't having much fun. Instead of contrasting the intense competition of Lou Sanders and Iain Stirling, he instead just feels like a wet blanket weighing everything down. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">69. Katy Wix</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaOWvGND2N3k7z0KFJP8IiDZ_vle7SqvyowWvvWgE2xj1lN_f9yDeHI0BRt0-zOvunXrZJmsU8Iqk9L8LgWYBvG6PdqFR9ab1OlG6Gqsp9d_DDVBvoZuxoBmW-SdJteXJ1D0MgAaktno/s900/katywix.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaOWvGND2N3k7z0KFJP8IiDZ_vle7SqvyowWvvWgE2xj1lN_f9yDeHI0BRt0-zOvunXrZJmsU8Iqk9L8LgWYBvG6PdqFR9ab1OlG6Gqsp9d_DDVBvoZuxoBmW-SdJteXJ1D0MgAaktno/w400-h200/katywix.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 9</span></b></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 52 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Another instance of a contestant becoming less and less likeable for me with every subsequent rewatch, Katy Wix doesn't have many inspired moments, regularly gets over-scored, and often makes rude/whiny (and unfunny) comments under her breath. While she mostly seems to be a pretty pleasant person outside of the show (and even sometimes on it), she still didn't do much to impress me with her responses to tasks or anything about her performance as a whole. Besides, she's featured alongside 4 other contestants who I find genuinely a lot of fun.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">68. Madeleine Sami</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0iIQwd9L0O9SGU5rQBheQiIrFMqurFuF5RWk57jCNTEpJZpYA22OJXFDUWcBilSF71xqQqtSEy2_4MWWxEzDhur1RoO6rpgJIPfqlGYBn8JftsuqJGCnVJvH2zGzVQbs1LpMSuLmS80/s1366/madeleinesami.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0iIQwd9L0O9SGU5rQBheQiIrFMqurFuF5RWk57jCNTEpJZpYA22OJXFDUWcBilSF71xqQqtSEy2_4MWWxEzDhur1RoO6rpgJIPfqlGYBn8JftsuqJGCnVJvH2zGzVQbs1LpMSuLmS80/w400-h225/madeleinesami.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 1, NZ</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Pretty easily my least-favorite New Zealand contestant so far, Madeleine is one of the most cringe-inducingly unfunny people on the panel, which is honestly kind of amazing when you consider who else was in the room with her. But unlike he-who-will-soon-be-named, Madeleine doesn't seem aware of just how unfunny and smugly unlikeable she really is, making her presence all the more irritating to me. Her decent task performances are eclipsed by the terrible jokes she makes in the studio and absolutely desperate pandering to the Taskmaster himself. Embarrassing, really. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">67. Lolly Adefope</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oFPExhpPBfHAFyKzuiBO9V5E6nQsKcDKV4NLeDmvRUckQnSHQS4nPBw-VZ7R76c3Nkkfg2ZtWbeT3XPp-xdGPPH-r7A_9QAN7wRuGULW1ZwKFeIWqEi-DOyBTPDAXfWU6OIZctMabzU/s1366/lollyadefope.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8oFPExhpPBfHAFyKzuiBO9V5E6nQsKcDKV4NLeDmvRUckQnSHQS4nPBw-VZ7R76c3Nkkfg2ZtWbeT3XPp-xdGPPH-r7A_9QAN7wRuGULW1ZwKFeIWqEi-DOyBTPDAXfWU6OIZctMabzU/w400-h225/lollyadefope.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 4</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 54 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Just like her Ghosts co-star Katy Wix, Lolly honestly suffers most from being by far the least interesting or entertaining on an otherwise fantastic series. While she never comes across as quite as negative as Katy, Lolly has even less original and inspired ideas, which just makes her more of a flatline than anything. A bit of a time-waster contestant who never does particularly well (outside of prize tasks, which she gets more points at than possibly anyone else in the history of the show) but doesn't irritate me most of the time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">66. Dave Gorman</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCeKum_CNT3IrgNXDzl6GAhmC0jFHnAPtF5x3CxO0egJsGlPvJTi1K12Wm4DxSzZMHDaG9K4y1I8SsF9lSiJ3VpytgeTxNtri5iyCNAKb20WltzPjq4CL81GtIzjW7LT_K6QLOHlUzts/s800/davegorman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCeKum_CNT3IrgNXDzl6GAhmC0jFHnAPtF5x3CxO0egJsGlPvJTi1K12Wm4DxSzZMHDaG9K4y1I8SsF9lSiJ3VpytgeTxNtri5iyCNAKb20WltzPjq4CL81GtIzjW7LT_K6QLOHlUzts/w400-h200/davegorman.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 3</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 48 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">This is a tough one for me, because more than finding his attempts to cheat upsetting to me like so many others, I more dislike Gorman as a contestant for just rarely having any standout moments. He's not particularly funny, and there's not much more to say about it than that. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">65. Sara Pascoe</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4v1ZbcJWYpBUdOAG7o1XANv0n-EsHRNVTTKTqP8yNiP3R4zf8X88_DuVJIUJPMkXBp9rh-82qi68EXgDMFBvbT1e3_MsuDFddqBeeecGAFKDPKEG0eixpX-HDRkOFSF5MVg_fspW25KE/s960/sarapascoe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4v1ZbcJWYpBUdOAG7o1XANv0n-EsHRNVTTKTqP8yNiP3R4zf8X88_DuVJIUJPMkXBp9rh-82qi68EXgDMFBvbT1e3_MsuDFddqBeeecGAFKDPKEG0eixpX-HDRkOFSF5MVg_fspW25KE/w400-h225/sarapascoe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 3</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 49 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Sara is probably a little better than Dave just because she has a few tasks where she thought outside the box a bit, but the results are similarly unmemorable and not particularly amusing. She didn't try to cheat or anything, and often ran face-first into the more physical tasks, so I can't fault her for not trying, but she still didn't do much to entertain.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">64. Al Murray</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXTTzAMAzGU9qFv9iSApmnN7YGosl1wQenS9kXsf0A9yghkXP8p2SWJlj3YUK_kLgsILu02Pf8r8DPH3ZlxOUcTQMpv5nbTC0fpq7ROZvK6abi1hhdJtyPAHT0-daTfUUUquxQO4aLB0/s450/almurray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="450" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinXTTzAMAzGU9qFv9iSApmnN7YGosl1wQenS9kXsf0A9yghkXP8p2SWJlj3YUK_kLgsILu02Pf8r8DPH3ZlxOUcTQMpv5nbTC0fpq7ROZvK6abi1hhdJtyPAHT0-daTfUUUquxQO4aLB0/w400-h223/almurray.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 3</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 45 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">My favorite of the trio of bleh that make up the bottom end of one of the weakest seasons of the show, Al definitely has passion on his side and has proven time and time again to be a massive fan of the show, but it all seemed to come out of his wallet more than as anything too amazing. While he definitely has his moments, Al Murray is still a bit one-note a lot of the time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">63. Asim Chaudhry</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOwGUBSJcoE_MljdjFhjWyPYXagdeIzQBgqUpgbRRWUBR-79YfNwHnqOzVel5s_aV7_uvblLlu2tahLuSxwJBpM6rpozhsN9CCkZcWLFyAbMFpawGnCklhdt1N39N_yIDDxNr3HZPlvM/s768/asimchaudhry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="768" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBOwGUBSJcoE_MljdjFhjWyPYXagdeIzQBgqUpgbRRWUBR-79YfNwHnqOzVel5s_aV7_uvblLlu2tahLuSxwJBpM6rpozhsN9CCkZcWLFyAbMFpawGnCklhdt1N39N_yIDDxNr3HZPlvM/w400-h299/asimchaudhry.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 6</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 46 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">With a couple inspired moments (his multi-episode execution of one task in particular is a stroke of pure genius), Asim rises above the bottom of the pile, but sits very near it for mostly just being a dull presence on an already mellow and unenergetic series. Often pretty self-congratulatory in prizes, Asim seemed to appear on the show as an advertisement more than because he really wanted to have a good time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">62. Sian Gibson</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2JHV_sQZR54H8zGvqBEl0lFKGPE_odQcPLYlBaGElF1135jbdkfEsdrECkVYNy1JyP_jd4XYL-acSFf1-VDhz9pf83TulbhN86TBh4dsK3HJnJcAydD1l8bJ4RL0O5guMdqysZ635As/s955/siangibson.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="955" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2JHV_sQZR54H8zGvqBEl0lFKGPE_odQcPLYlBaGElF1135jbdkfEsdrECkVYNy1JyP_jd4XYL-acSFf1-VDhz9pf83TulbhN86TBh4dsK3HJnJcAydD1l8bJ4RL0O5guMdqysZ635As/w400-h208/siangibson.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 8</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 44 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Unlike some of the previous people on the list who I've made special note of with their seemingly disinterested attitude towards the show, Sian definitely did want to be there and seemed to be having a great time throughout. Unfortunately, her having fun doesn't always translate to fun for the audience. She isn't much for terribly creative ideas, and just rarely stands out in any particular way.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">61. Richard Herring</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9iBrhdiBp2thiF8zmI-fbj4Gwfn5PMQnl_o21NHDYe6AxEorw2S22L1Tao1iboCjuWgrrt0rGMGuoFPm5GzbALxNdPTrHrKbgy8VptarTljtzjybKfrW8ezD131eeb0BCEXeQDV64sw/s2048/richardherring.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="2048" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9iBrhdiBp2thiF8zmI-fbj4Gwfn5PMQnl_o21NHDYe6AxEorw2S22L1Tao1iboCjuWgrrt0rGMGuoFPm5GzbALxNdPTrHrKbgy8VptarTljtzjybKfrW8ezD131eeb0BCEXeQDV64sw/w400-h224/richardherring.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 10</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 47 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Richard Herring is a very desperate person. If you watch/listen to his stand up, podcasts, or pretty much anything he's involved in, that becomes evident almost immediately. Sadly, his desperation (to win, in this situation) doesn't allow for much more than instinctive route-one responses to virtually everything. The result is someone who's trying to maintain a certain level of outward composure in the studio, while also trying to blast his way through the tasks for the big win. Not super interesting to watch a lot of the time, but honestly fills a pretty usefully straight forward role in an otherwise insane series.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">60. Guy Williams</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIZyXFugsNLM1H4kpfj9xXHOvvsMzXCoKTruea1S9gB8FO36dpfFmgjAmtJAF160XQTUjjKpA1y-edTHpH3vYCcinSthD4eU52w6-uhF64kIS0y7i5s52aHXjDrl9zvtP9HUZuGIx21Y/s710/guywilliams.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="710" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIZyXFugsNLM1H4kpfj9xXHOvvsMzXCoKTruea1S9gB8FO36dpfFmgjAmtJAF160XQTUjjKpA1y-edTHpH3vYCcinSthD4eU52w6-uhF64kIS0y7i5s52aHXjDrl9zvtP9HUZuGIx21Y/w400-h225/guywilliams.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Series 1, NZ</b></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Here's one many people familiar with would probably disagree with me about, but Guy Williams, as annoying as he obviously is, serves a very important role in the first series of the NZ Taskmaster. Deliberately going out of his way to antagonize and liven up the studio segments by being as obnoxious as possible, Guy is totally willing to make an ass out of himself at all times in order to keep the show from being as boring and subdued as it easily could have been. That being said, he does mellow out in the latter half of the series, but it isn't really enough to keep him from being an overall irritant. I appreciate what he was trying to do, but it was still annoying.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">59. Alice Levine</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lug5oa_9fPZaFh-nTukyB2J-HNK5GDLZMiFIYxj7Hm6S7oOibfbCHmKUvu3uUfgFuOcASa2nxRoxPNM90Ji4hhQHwWOB68N0TpAdPAQyb36NLVCuPCk6U_K0bxo_UBlHV5P-wxq1NIU/s1366/alicelevine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lug5oa_9fPZaFh-nTukyB2J-HNK5GDLZMiFIYxj7Hm6S7oOibfbCHmKUvu3uUfgFuOcASa2nxRoxPNM90Ji4hhQHwWOB68N0TpAdPAQyb36NLVCuPCk6U_K0bxo_UBlHV5P-wxq1NIU/w400-h225/alicelevine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 6</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 50 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A personal friend of Alex Horne and his wife, Alice clearly was trying to use this connection for humor (and not for pandering, as many others might), but that's one of the only things she really does bring to the table here. Series 6 was a notoriously mediocre series (bad by TM standards, though), and Alice was a perfectly mediocre contestant.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">58. Kerry Godliman</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuXdZ5weP-U-jrdA82-_EVJyG1tIVbnvkCRQF0_1IO8GwI2olVPJXnzhKZDtOK2XZf4mw2nYkA-LJaT76RijsjziEZ2VKoiMygCbnEzGmBMna87epYBnDynQClIIXE3ZjFcTOVnJEiIY/s1366/kerrygodliman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuXdZ5weP-U-jrdA82-_EVJyG1tIVbnvkCRQF0_1IO8GwI2olVPJXnzhKZDtOK2XZf4mw2nYkA-LJaT76RijsjziEZ2VKoiMygCbnEzGmBMna87epYBnDynQClIIXE3ZjFcTOVnJEiIY/w400-h225/kerrygodliman.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;">Series 7</span></b></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 51 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I'd be lying if I said Kerry not landing lower on the list had anything to do with how well I liked her on this show, but it kind of doesn't. Much like Richard from series 10, Kerry filled the role of the straight-forward just get it done type of contestant that worked in hilarious contrast to the madness provided by the likes of James and Rhod, but that doesn't really do her any favors here. She's got some genuinely funny moments that I really did enjoy, but her whining and generally boring task attempts didn't do anything to make her like her much.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">57. Roisin Conaty</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_ZeC_p3VmrK6xSxTOvLXL0v1W3aQ46CADWUiENMBiIdz-ZuED52nGoqEz0gD8vzqUWAGjmXjFK-8fE7Qv1MBoCZ-1Z8fRUauzOrYwwLd9IqDE6CmPHKksFEDvOLJ3SGVWAT6fg7oMFM/s800/roisinconaty.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_ZeC_p3VmrK6xSxTOvLXL0v1W3aQ46CADWUiENMBiIdz-ZuED52nGoqEz0gD8vzqUWAGjmXjFK-8fE7Qv1MBoCZ-1Z8fRUauzOrYwwLd9IqDE6CmPHKksFEDvOLJ3SGVWAT6fg7oMFM/w400-h225/roisinconaty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 1</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 42 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">The first "dumb" contestant, Roisin is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Yes, there are times when her idiot persona can be quite amusing, but more often than not I just find her annoying on Taskmaster. Pair that with the intense (Romesh), creative (Tim), driven (Josh), and anecdotal (Frank) personalities that surround here on this first series, and you wind up with a contestant that I generally found more annoying than charming. Still has her moments, but doesn't usually stand out in a positive way.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">56. Phil Wang</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lqXbhqaYgCCIxaHAXJSDqTzNHqPzcdJu4yvjk_Ak3AzZGhcZDDZo0xK9ClazfJjU9ejnolcqDlA_GEHNsN7YYA8COoQhc-8wobCvg9Of7ymT7f2HFbmAIScfPWSBGreT9Tp7COyXTAU/s1366/philwang.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lqXbhqaYgCCIxaHAXJSDqTzNHqPzcdJu4yvjk_Ak3AzZGhcZDDZo0xK9ClazfJjU9ejnolcqDlA_GEHNsN7YYA8COoQhc-8wobCvg9Of7ymT7f2HFbmAIScfPWSBGreT9Tp7COyXTAU/w400-h225/philwang.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 7</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 41 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Part of me feels pretty bad for Phil. He's easily the most forgotten/forgettable contestant on a wild series that's filled with so many standout moments from the other cast members, it was hard for Phil to ever really separate himself. That being said, he often didn't approach the tasks with much energy, and apart from a few running jokes and his ridiculous Bruce Lee ball costume, wasn't terribly fun to watch most of the time. In the studio he looked largely uncomfortable during all the arguments, and just sunk into the background. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">55. Sarah Kendall</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pxwXDU8UnuminMCPucwcgTM5R0iecqIyNfAYQffgBUorKmQ97UV-ztXgzileUy40arib3AL5CT9G-0NEC4i8JDbENSGihNoOB8Y4rlKQAwK7ODaJ0v6KCrOedaUoO_jb1VpNyARWSgk/s654/sarahkendall.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="654" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2pxwXDU8UnuminMCPucwcgTM5R0iecqIyNfAYQffgBUorKmQ97UV-ztXgzileUy40arib3AL5CT9G-0NEC4i8JDbENSGihNoOB8Y4rlKQAwK7ODaJ0v6KCrOedaUoO_jb1VpNyARWSgk/w400-h235/sarahkendall.png" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 11</span></b></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 31 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I definitely suffered from a bit of recency bias when I first made this list. Sarah Kendall, while funny later on in the series during the studio segments, was not a terribly interesting contestant to watch during the tasks themselves. She very much filled the straight-forward no B.S. role for the season, and I generally don't find those people particularly interesting. It's nothing against her, the others on series 11 were just much more entertaining for me.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">54. Tim Vine</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lmNoH3rUNUvCipfBkBKl-oHyVNqTnc9Rr0QYw5VhG72r4Y6IjzXC-oXPkOCzlwP802TE79YWsVVjJoC0QgR1PLSDj5FLqXolovvI8iW0L3R959w1q-i-QIvc7poe4CIlTRc9lelfYRs/s1366/timvine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lmNoH3rUNUvCipfBkBKl-oHyVNqTnc9Rr0QYw5VhG72r4Y6IjzXC-oXPkOCzlwP802TE79YWsVVjJoC0QgR1PLSDj5FLqXolovvI8iW0L3R959w1q-i-QIvc7poe4CIlTRc9lelfYRs/w400-h225/timvine.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 6</span></b></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 39 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A pretty pleasant guy with some solid jokes interspersed here and there, Tim's biggest downfall isn't even really his fault. He's a one-liner comedian being put on a show where crafted jokes just don't fully work, so he's a bit out of his element here. Still, he's an alright contestant on a season filled with mediocrity.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">53. Richard Osman</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9FWX6SuOHMGbiu-oHgzn0haOfR0tuLy7-9vOy6A_MdMWhl-bBdJBf4vPWB8K2XzMFAP9cEh7JGor0weAHJqUSZC1ChH9BoQyTtztkKR6Rk8ldfQRSZSpH1iwyqs1JDhZ6NmDRnKiuBA/s1366/richardosman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9FWX6SuOHMGbiu-oHgzn0haOfR0tuLy7-9vOy6A_MdMWhl-bBdJBf4vPWB8K2XzMFAP9cEh7JGor0weAHJqUSZC1ChH9BoQyTtztkKR6Rk8ldfQRSZSpH1iwyqs1JDhZ6NmDRnKiuBA/w400-h225/richardosman.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2</span></b></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 40 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of the most influential contestants on the show, Osman is the guy who dissected the meaning behind each word on a task and forced Alex and his team to really think about how they were going to write tasks moving forward. Osman wasn't a terribly entertaining contestant, but he's not a comedian, so to expect him to bring laughs nonstop would be unreasonable. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">52. Doc Brown</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNmIUyge3hRsRVoW1xQm3EDiv4O4ULGmf39JO_WszApjyvV4iXdwuLJEfGTH12Q8CJHdogAUpJTqpqAneIcNz51gt_6j8e42OL4pX3lhwJpf1TWcZaS-Lm-rPYSlUO_ZD-GHfGiD_ybE/s687/docbrown.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="687" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPNmIUyge3hRsRVoW1xQm3EDiv4O4ULGmf39JO_WszApjyvV4iXdwuLJEfGTH12Q8CJHdogAUpJTqpqAneIcNz51gt_6j8e42OL4pX3lhwJpf1TWcZaS-Lm-rPYSlUO_ZD-GHfGiD_ybE/w400-h219/docbrown.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: courier;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2</span></b></div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 37 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A hugely unpopular contestant who has gone on the record as absolutely hating his experience on the show, Doc Brown still manages to pack each episode with at least one or two pretty great moments. He may not be the flashiest or funniest at all times, but he's definitely one I think gets overlooked more often than he should.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">51. Russell Howard</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIJDIqw02xakBlxf2WZdtaFJNjEllfCw7EH3iThCR6dmk5H53UO3wJB50Nlx5yfp1PX2JaSyyZluOvxfDezDsHTlDutx4W73oaxvx6WlMUnWe441ifaJIoGvnAQp7Vjb7bz7QNptNuAI/s800/russellhoward.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIJDIqw02xakBlxf2WZdtaFJNjEllfCw7EH3iThCR6dmk5H53UO3wJB50Nlx5yfp1PX2JaSyyZluOvxfDezDsHTlDutx4W73oaxvx6WlMUnWe441ifaJIoGvnAQp7Vjb7bz7QNptNuAI/w400-h200/russellhoward.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 6</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 34 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I'm very torn with how I feel about Russell Howard, both as a contestant and a comedian. While he sometimes is pretty hilarious, what he does often feels a bit forced and unnatural. He's sometimes running face-first into what he does, and other times totally lazy and uninspired. I still enjoy him more than several other series 6 contestants, but that just goes to show how weak the series was as a whole.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">50. Daisy May Cooper</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLOxtNkyK8t63wT9rRXfEEdqOjdeBhAl-dnLQ4j2BaftEsrjF7moYxIqTY66IPY30rkVTGEbNW0qRqyDjF9VfM3clVizGq2H8MrhxgkIcZ5g-hcLFKmg50rShFWb7TNkKRqFo4xTCoEw/s590/daisymaycooper.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="590" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLOxtNkyK8t63wT9rRXfEEdqOjdeBhAl-dnLQ4j2BaftEsrjF7moYxIqTY66IPY30rkVTGEbNW0qRqyDjF9VfM3clVizGq2H8MrhxgkIcZ5g-hcLFKmg50rShFWb7TNkKRqFo4xTCoEw/w400-h238/daisymaycooper.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 10</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 43 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Daisy is a force to be reckoned with. While she isn't a particularly funny comedian if you ask me, what she does bring to the table here is an amount of physical effort and overwhelming confidence that's almost insane. Heavily pregnant and abundant with rage, Daisy may sometimes be the most unpleasant contestant the show has ever had, but has the kind of passion and energy few others have come close to matching, and it's difficult to look away from.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">49. Leigh Hart</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUc58T5KxdzuAoUfhS5mykb-RUwnbyxENpl53F_EkV1DEGk1wWzbYvgI2z3k5Vri4wnA1RMD2Z8aJ_xENV2xw4cxclGfGYB0LjTll4seS7XidCMD4xlPz-OnbL9YktqUhBcqFQZhAyNCc/s1920/leighhart.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUc58T5KxdzuAoUfhS5mykb-RUwnbyxENpl53F_EkV1DEGk1wWzbYvgI2z3k5Vri4wnA1RMD2Z8aJ_xENV2xw4cxclGfGYB0LjTll4seS7XidCMD4xlPz-OnbL9YktqUhBcqFQZhAyNCc/w400-h225/leighhart.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 1, NZ</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">No, he isn't the most creative guy in the room, but Leigh is consistently fun in the studio, being one of the only people in the first series who is able to regularly bring laughs without the huge asterisk of being cringy or insanely awkward. A gruff dude who doesn't look like the type to dabble in the absurd, Leigh was always game and totally willing to be the butt of the joke.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">48. Josh Widdicombe</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RIS-To6RZEy6cRyIjHLQCYbIktN1qUzqPSjWrwCM6W2l9skKYLMRXkuYds4YJq4N4xXgeDlu651vbSb3_FQA55QoyBFKOL9Av_R7E1uAsBRxuiCeLJ1ecVnkpNP3REFLoU0BcCZhsto/s1280/joshwiddicombe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RIS-To6RZEy6cRyIjHLQCYbIktN1qUzqPSjWrwCM6W2l9skKYLMRXkuYds4YJq4N4xXgeDlu651vbSb3_FQA55QoyBFKOL9Av_R7E1uAsBRxuiCeLJ1ecVnkpNP3REFLoU0BcCZhsto/w400-h225/joshwiddicombe.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 1</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 35 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Occasionally inspired, but always thirsty for points, Josh had a desperation to him that definitely came across from early on, helping to really set the bar for how far contestants would be willing to go for the show. He may not always be the most exciting, and I don't find him terribly funny, but he had some of the defining moments of the series. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">47. Lou Sanders</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrCFqtQnaxrzZVZWtikqPLvxhlM7aXaxxid9lpe_LaNmF4P6cmhgsW2yyVQ9PZ17otTNcMv9vlD61bUYUFN1D_4UZtTAp7ykhwQJxH38nvF9QgXmHj2HTmHV-Q48qt3mPpVFa8tY4Hvk/s900/lousanders.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFrCFqtQnaxrzZVZWtikqPLvxhlM7aXaxxid9lpe_LaNmF4P6cmhgsW2yyVQ9PZ17otTNcMv9vlD61bUYUFN1D_4UZtTAp7ykhwQJxH38nvF9QgXmHj2HTmHV-Q48qt3mPpVFa8tY4Hvk/w400-h200/lousanders.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 8</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 55 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Yes, Lou Sanders was my bottom pick for my entire list last time around, but upon reflection I realized how many hilarious and insane moments she really has. This time, I decided to punish mediocrity and boredom more, which I have to say Lou never brought to the table. She's a bit much to handle sometimes and does have her fair share of whiny/bratty moments, but she's still pretty funny a lot of the time. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">46. Brynley Stent</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJBEdGiId5XZOl-rfrY4qFoNoifcNziDPr_dTgnB0Sfl8aiu2VP8PAuCPzfMtAfVCJkfsbVddewFzdoEQGbcN1Jqj3Sz3NcvB-7YMLXQyf264tYKgxfjPj1smeff0KrJvCa2BR59PGtM/s710/brynleystent.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="710" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOJBEdGiId5XZOl-rfrY4qFoNoifcNziDPr_dTgnB0Sfl8aiu2VP8PAuCPzfMtAfVCJkfsbVddewFzdoEQGbcN1Jqj3Sz3NcvB-7YMLXQyf264tYKgxfjPj1smeff0KrJvCa2BR59PGtM/w400-h225/brynleystent.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 1, NZ</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A bit hit-or-miss in the first half of the series, Brynley starts to show off her weirder side later on in the show and definitely came around to being one of the highlights of the otherwise mediocre first NZ series. She seemed pretty giggly for the first few episodes but largely uncomfortable during the studio segments, but eventually (like with her pre-recorded tasks) really came into her own. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">45. Paul Chowdhry</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfEmlFKk53q1WPsAcKh-m5QpNlOSaLGd7yhXu87vNP3gsuqxYV5zqFGa1mjAygl1X6XtR6_HIXYyCUndFE-DiSN9FaKS43U7pB37-HZfgc3cNZR4GW5lczdbXUlt6aZ9l6Mn6ucFkAU0/s1366/paulchowdhry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfEmlFKk53q1WPsAcKh-m5QpNlOSaLGd7yhXu87vNP3gsuqxYV5zqFGa1mjAygl1X6XtR6_HIXYyCUndFE-DiSN9FaKS43U7pB37-HZfgc3cNZR4GW5lczdbXUlt6aZ9l6Mn6ucFkAU0/w400-h225/paulchowdhry.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 3</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 36 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Quite possibly the weirdest contestant that's ever been on the show, Paul is the kind of character comedian whose actual personality is never really made clear, on the show or otherwise. The result is a crazy and unpredictable contestant who always seems uneasy, and puts everyone else in that same place after a very short period of time. Sometimes the results are hilarious, other times they're incredibly off-putting. But at least he's memorable.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">44. Charlotte Ritchie</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILHQagpd_417dwwBnhI7VzyX0idxfmYzw6RDjA3aAid0BlYJ7RKKB4hehpcfeaXngc3lXjuBa77CqlmgaiGn4avQwIZ_Jhnq_UHcWkOPCbL9JHWI9EiVIfTdcV1asEIT4nZAhJCrBH_E/s900/charlotteritchie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhILHQagpd_417dwwBnhI7VzyX0idxfmYzw6RDjA3aAid0BlYJ7RKKB4hehpcfeaXngc3lXjuBa77CqlmgaiGn4avQwIZ_Jhnq_UHcWkOPCbL9JHWI9EiVIfTdcV1asEIT4nZAhJCrBH_E/w400-h200/charlotteritchie.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 11</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 32 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of the most popular contestants of the past few seasons, I largely felt Charlotte was relatively uncomfortable during her time on the show, and that never makes me terribly happy when watching someone. She was the resident "idiot" contestant for the season, and I generally don't find those particularly funny, but she definitely had her moments. Funny, sweet, and a different sort of contestant for a show that never seems to become redundant.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">43. Frank Skinner</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRMcymujxXKqqcdjX5yFDcEQobWtBkfn16D7NaaHHjiD-VFnSHNgFhQ8Q1Ng2IdtHvrcvByzskWiMyOi7AJFanfXMiBssXWZJ_NZSYAk-BLVpX4WCI7CPU2_pa39cFbHf1gYUmb07Tos/s615/frankskinner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="615" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRMcymujxXKqqcdjX5yFDcEQobWtBkfn16D7NaaHHjiD-VFnSHNgFhQ8Q1Ng2IdtHvrcvByzskWiMyOi7AJFanfXMiBssXWZJ_NZSYAk-BLVpX4WCI7CPU2_pa39cFbHf1gYUmb07Tos/w400-h266/frankskinner.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 1</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 30 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">He might very well be the single most important contestant Alex has ever booked on the show, as it was essentially his clout that sold everyone involved on actually doing the series, but entertainment value is my main concern here, and when it comes to task performances Frank is one of the most forgettable of the first few seasons. But his studio presence is wonderful, filled with anecdotes and witty responses. He's a funny guy who always manages to spin a story out of nowhere. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">42. Katherine Parkinson</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6nnruXGiRSX1uxrbSiFmF7Kon9_zoNaJ9WrnnYHVDDN86G_ERLqnqeFZonCZqD0CgJGk8CbU-8kMXyD7BwPPO6tEpoKnIJwcuLmElp5ckwOgWOFkQxKPwqGZmSQER2hmVYmdLqx0-OQ/s590/katherineparkinson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="590" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6nnruXGiRSX1uxrbSiFmF7Kon9_zoNaJ9WrnnYHVDDN86G_ERLqnqeFZonCZqD0CgJGk8CbU-8kMXyD7BwPPO6tEpoKnIJwcuLmElp5ckwOgWOFkQxKPwqGZmSQER2hmVYmdLqx0-OQ/w400-h238/katherineparkinson.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 10</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 28 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Out of touch incompetence is a great and reductive way to distill Katherine's appearance on Taskmaster, but I struggle to find a more genuine way to express how it feels to watch her here. She's panicked and out of her element, like a deer staring down oncoming traffic, and the things she does when the timer kicks in shows just how difficult the wacky tasks in the show can be to someone who doesn't fully understand what they've signed up for. She gets marked down some for me here due to how lazy some of her attempts really were, but not much.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">41. Urzila Carlson</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOHCDCJOxdKDBM1f1X2_5Esz6OotxPsZIm39rYqHMs54CQH0lJlbSGFT-vdJGUZIG3UvgQ1Yh18qoNP3kULgkCVjI-Fv62t0IoM22Z__MWTQ9i_9kRmQugx_oc_r6tj-S5JqVDfMVJ0I/s1366/urzilacarlson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOHCDCJOxdKDBM1f1X2_5Esz6OotxPsZIm39rYqHMs54CQH0lJlbSGFT-vdJGUZIG3UvgQ1Yh18qoNP3kULgkCVjI-Fv62t0IoM22Z__MWTQ9i_9kRmQugx_oc_r6tj-S5JqVDfMVJ0I/w400-h225/urzilacarlson.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2, NZ</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">My least-favorite of the second series of New Zealand's version of the show, and still higher on this list than 4 of the 5 from the first season -- just to put into perspective how great series 2 was. She's a slow-moving, witty, and antagonistic force for the Taskmaster's assistant to contend with, and worked quite well as a foil to the otherwise chaotic series. Not always the funniest in the room, but rarely does she drop a joke that bombs.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">40. Liza Tarbuck</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5hQXj4tPAw3JEMfg2yuknrabOjEpIQ1QM6eWdvhkKfo5ZnI_wHF7Nuz0zbrSBfIq-yy28NVX5wg4YBiQhhqT5h515uQhA41MpU5sazWS41G1_X58Q_DYPtUXUcI9aZy-PtpRvC5Hwq8/s900/lizatarbuck.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5hQXj4tPAw3JEMfg2yuknrabOjEpIQ1QM6eWdvhkKfo5ZnI_wHF7Nuz0zbrSBfIq-yy28NVX5wg4YBiQhhqT5h515uQhA41MpU5sazWS41G1_X58Q_DYPtUXUcI9aZy-PtpRvC5Hwq8/w400-h200/lizatarbuck.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 6</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 38 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Pretty chilled out and low energy (like the rest of the contestants on series 6), Liza stood above the rest for being easily the most imaginative and original of the bunch, in spite of not ever really putting out any actual effort. Some tasks she unashamedly phoned in, while others are some of the most memorable and hilarious in the entire show's history. I've definitely warmed up to her over time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">39. Katherine Ryan</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5b0g3tzMefmvF9AtJru1vO3N3K6zsjdmGlpkn7Me_vdwYgRBH14MAUvBZlyfA7o_38RO49_X-dxu87M5cgz3wunXtP2cyaByaVy2nwIQUi0CfkuYrHlr1sqpJRUZUMPtZuTwOWPIaqg/s1366/katherinryan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5b0g3tzMefmvF9AtJru1vO3N3K6zsjdmGlpkn7Me_vdwYgRBH14MAUvBZlyfA7o_38RO49_X-dxu87M5cgz3wunXtP2cyaByaVy2nwIQUi0CfkuYrHlr1sqpJRUZUMPtZuTwOWPIaqg/w400-h225/katherinryan.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 29 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Katherine Ryan is very hit-or-miss for me in general, and that is still very much the case here, but when she hits she really hits. She has maybe the most embarrassing and shocking task moment I've ever seen, and that alone would put her above so many others. She played the game well, but wasn't always great fun. Still, I enjoyed her quite a bit here.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">38. Matt Heath</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvxioc3sjhlSwFNYX3U4-b6EAiqTSjnTyzM_YFf-gbITneJ2HZ3Nuw99QE77kM-Fz_J_VdWNmD0KCFb0TTREKEWajteaaxAYa8twn8AyqNML8_26wivvZHW7KV8JwTo7-fY2TjTVdDrc/s1366/mattheath.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvxioc3sjhlSwFNYX3U4-b6EAiqTSjnTyzM_YFf-gbITneJ2HZ3Nuw99QE77kM-Fz_J_VdWNmD0KCFb0TTREKEWajteaaxAYa8twn8AyqNML8_26wivvZHW7KV8JwTo7-fY2TjTVdDrc/w400-h225/mattheath.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2, NZ</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Not the highest energy contestant of the season, but much like Urzila, manages to find a niche as a pretty relaxed presence. But what he lacks in manic behavior, he makes up for by being totally out of his element, but fully leaning into everything. I always enjoy seeing people out of their comfort zones on Taskmaster, especially when they completely give themselves over to the absurdity of everything they're doing. Fun stuff.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">37. Desiree Burch</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Luv9Kd7LOqfspn_H9FnafU2P67UGfRCmtMr4wpCL-urrzfMFHg7xxvy95_HWdwRfDba2cxpUWY0W_3YW4igStf5VC4WFmvri_ijvaUw19s3Mh7vlxdPjtg2hkVoyf7tpuO2570DvMrg/s900/desireeburch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Luv9Kd7LOqfspn_H9FnafU2P67UGfRCmtMr4wpCL-urrzfMFHg7xxvy95_HWdwRfDba2cxpUWY0W_3YW4igStf5VC4WFmvri_ijvaUw19s3Mh7vlxdPjtg2hkVoyf7tpuO2570DvMrg/w400-h200/desireeburch.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 12</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Putting Desiree on the bottom of the Series 12 pile is a little difficult, because she is loads of fun to watch, but someone had to be there. Ultimately, the deciding factor was just that American accents and brash personalities sometimes clash with Britishness in a way that can be a little jarring. That's really the worst thing I can say about her here. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">36. Jessica Knappett</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNFKzyunVbsttldskG3u2AvktSkL3vB-zHGNGQWGI6RwjRsqABp9HqmKRLYDePclEur__jMIiBkg_IOEc8cGR0EniJj76d6UCHTqWep1DqaaqzNhYfY-ssMORWKP61ULhk0KZN5l9yP8/s1280/jessicaknappett.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNFKzyunVbsttldskG3u2AvktSkL3vB-zHGNGQWGI6RwjRsqABp9HqmKRLYDePclEur__jMIiBkg_IOEc8cGR0EniJj76d6UCHTqWep1DqaaqzNhYfY-ssMORWKP61ULhk0KZN5l9yP8/w400-h225/jessicaknappett.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 7</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 27 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A total goober and pretty great in the studio, Jessica doesn't stand out for me as much as she does for others (Series 7 is too crazy for her to be a real highlight), but she's still got plenty of classic moments that always bring the laughs. Not an all-time favorite of mine, but really fun.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">35. Alan Davies</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDKHfyyZ7l7oXDG2X9rcIAXraumqEbNfeq154p60hAqvIxDdq8jKtJQEkmT4UEzc3fCwB2RPPF8d0-OJqQM32bCz4egm-zlGsPyQUssx3llDYzIH-0pCY32VyzLr7CmxWxrSzALUx5-c/s640/alandavies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDKHfyyZ7l7oXDG2X9rcIAXraumqEbNfeq154p60hAqvIxDdq8jKtJQEkmT4UEzc3fCwB2RPPF8d0-OJqQM32bCz4egm-zlGsPyQUssx3llDYzIH-0pCY32VyzLr7CmxWxrSzALUx5-c/w400-h225/alandavies.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 12</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Alan is the perfect kind of personality for this show in that he is, and always has been, fully capable of being the butt of the joke and just rolling with the punches. In the studio, he's clearly having a load of fun laughing at himself, and even tossing around little quips and jokes for everyone else while he's at it. Just a really welcome, warm-seeming guy with a great sense of humor about himself.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">34. Rob Beckett</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56EcY5jlrrLMHfN-HJ1bAFSvZjQjfg321NvRevGML7MZ3_whmImZ3_xdit-TzC4b1wUAgxhNblu-zVCQrj_Fh5ozAFM3IHw6WVcGRdq1EunYTpu67TfWiXKp7egfGtySGh0TDPecmpWg/s1000/robbeckett.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="1000" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj56EcY5jlrrLMHfN-HJ1bAFSvZjQjfg321NvRevGML7MZ3_whmImZ3_xdit-TzC4b1wUAgxhNblu-zVCQrj_Fh5ozAFM3IHw6WVcGRdq1EunYTpu67TfWiXKp7egfGtySGh0TDPecmpWg/w400-h223/robbeckett.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 3</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 19 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I've become a bit harsher on Rob over time when in re-watching I've started to question how much he actually enjoyed his time on the show, which may seem like a silly complaint, but does sort of sour the whole thing for me a tad. Still, he's got great moments and made me laugh about 10x as much as most other contestants on Series 3, so even if he wasn't having a ton of fun, I found him one of the only redeeming qualities of his series. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">33. Nish Kumar</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeISgCFJwEIBVMLPvTZ8kveuXmIemdl8AdtOlS4Wtr1mk-R5xkCZy0wiZbAyLy9yDCxUsl0FyQ-fdhU473gqkC3FJFl_UKUei9z-b547NSs5dNPwEytX0u6yi3dHPmf3syxG_n0plxIg0/s1366/nishkumar.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeISgCFJwEIBVMLPvTZ8kveuXmIemdl8AdtOlS4Wtr1mk-R5xkCZy0wiZbAyLy9yDCxUsl0FyQ-fdhU473gqkC3FJFl_UKUei9z-b547NSs5dNPwEytX0u6yi3dHPmf3syxG_n0plxIg0/w400-h225/nishkumar.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 5</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 33 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I'm a bit back and forth on Nish, as he is my least favorite of his series, but still has some of the defining moments of the entire show. He may be a total idiot half the time, but other times he completely steals the show, and is loving every single minute of the show, regardless of how good he's doing. He's one of the "worst" contestants the show has ever seen, but he makes me laugh quite a bit, and I love his energy.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">32. Iain Stirling</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3rLzFhR2CREmE_mm24P3XqZPAmXsP7D37uX2PBObZOHBWGLnOhMgIXoBUJhHP5430T1v9gwOnOVDOUUBwkbwdnn4l4512R6MBtXEZVoIdlZwW3fYdu-TwWrQUq_0-Vfj9tBFt0z4pb0/s1366/iainstirling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3rLzFhR2CREmE_mm24P3XqZPAmXsP7D37uX2PBObZOHBWGLnOhMgIXoBUJhHP5430T1v9gwOnOVDOUUBwkbwdnn4l4512R6MBtXEZVoIdlZwW3fYdu-TwWrQUq_0-Vfj9tBFt0z4pb0/w400-h225/iainstirling.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 8</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 21 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Probably one of my more controversial placements, as a good number of people absolutely hated Iain on the show. But honestly, he's one of the few redeeming things about Series 8, which I mostly found dull apart from him. While he was obviously playing up his competitive nature to insane degrees early on, I think his whining and tantrum-throwing came off as a lot funnier than it might have been, due to how often he completely failed and embarrassed himself. Maybe not a fan favorite, but I liked him.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">31. David Baddiel</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDARZGbSx5i6Jo9Z0rUEDo8XbzFcKZUW7q7DR_pACjLzctol29G4PaoIwhoG9r9-1XkCqAEp_2wuDKBjjbVQ1V6FUb1I2szlieE52S-qtocVskv53jyPEeLtGSX32vJPk8yuet36c6j4/s1280/davidbaddiel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDARZGbSx5i6Jo9Z0rUEDo8XbzFcKZUW7q7DR_pACjLzctol29G4PaoIwhoG9r9-1XkCqAEp_2wuDKBjjbVQ1V6FUb1I2szlieE52S-qtocVskv53jyPEeLtGSX32vJPk8yuet36c6j4/w400-h225/davidbaddiel.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 9</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 22 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Pretty much the gold standard of "smart guy who sucks at everything", David Baddiel isn't the funniest or most ingenious at his tasks, but that's part of what makes him so much fun to watch, because you could tell he thought going into it that he was doing so well. Often hilariously inept and equally embarrassing, there's something almost heart-warming about watching David on the show as he's a constant reminder that it doesn't matter how clever or successful you are on Taskmaster, because odds are you're just going to be awful regardless, so you might as well just have fun with it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">30. Mark Watson</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63M_TV59xSCcdSyAxsMS-olScHhMnzu4i-NxGa2Qm-lvtIVwwovK53XO-t0YeH11GoNjSgVLXeubrQNVgF7FLGmte2E3U-RVyDr7b9_Tgq2By5xkoH8uhysLsVv9RBvC43UhnDmNKlEI/s1366/markwatson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63M_TV59xSCcdSyAxsMS-olScHhMnzu4i-NxGa2Qm-lvtIVwwovK53XO-t0YeH11GoNjSgVLXeubrQNVgF7FLGmte2E3U-RVyDr7b9_Tgq2By5xkoH8uhysLsVv9RBvC43UhnDmNKlEI/w400-h225/markwatson.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 5</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 25 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of the most awkward people I've ever seen on TV, Mark Watson clearly did everything he could to win the show, but he was too much of an easy target for Greg to pick on for him to ever get as many points as he probably deserved. Maybe not always the funniest to watch in tasks, but his team stuff with Nish is some of the best the show has ever seen, and his supreme discomfort during the show is hilarious to watch.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">29. Mawaan Rizwan</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YZL9yQMGDerJeHrkXxJ8KEy9SgY9RjVOdE0afwgSqe_4lxUlTG8ZONJ-684nKHd8nAM2rSpvGFysNI7rzxgQh7FEHZaBd3abKImZilWn67uPuEiDJ64CiZDrHu9QllkVMQWNfknGXc4/s900/mawaanrizwan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YZL9yQMGDerJeHrkXxJ8KEy9SgY9RjVOdE0afwgSqe_4lxUlTG8ZONJ-684nKHd8nAM2rSpvGFysNI7rzxgQh7FEHZaBd3abKImZilWn67uPuEiDJ64CiZDrHu9QllkVMQWNfknGXc4/w400-h200/mawaanrizwan.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 10</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 23 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">A definite fan favorite for a multitude of reasons, Mawaan is one of those guys who either does a pretty crap job or pulls something genius out of nowhere that totally floors you. The result is one of those contestants who is as unpredictable as he is exciting to watch. Also, the man tried to inflate an egg with helium. Only Taskmaster could put someone in the mindset to try to pull something like that off. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">28. Jo Brand</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuLKhCElLHctU9I1845EdsJ6Zva7J9ke6su7P59l45euhG9fGy05jVXExfcKRXEwU6X2lKEgZrorxnmwK332y7FKRMp49sr5NGV4lYRlZMGuCmtonM9ciZ-GzDcyTxsEqWvWR62girwE/s900/jobrand.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuLKhCElLHctU9I1845EdsJ6Zva7J9ke6su7P59l45euhG9fGy05jVXExfcKRXEwU6X2lKEgZrorxnmwK332y7FKRMp49sr5NGV4lYRlZMGuCmtonM9ciZ-GzDcyTxsEqWvWR62girwE/w400-h200/jobrand.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 9</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 18 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Almost certainly the laziest contestant in the history of the show, Jo took every possible opportunity to not do anything as much as humanly possible, and the result is every bit as hilarious as it is frustrating. I couldn't have expected or hoped for anything more or less than exactly what she gave, and I found her very amusing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">27. Tim Key</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivz2iiAtbtmrdF8jXAfGd7-JdorGQXweyhUUNU_LMffP-7Dgu9Zc8kE9eHZEWqMx546Qk8LLvxIRjJfYGhxr3nrfcRfRvphKm1RPguedoYFHZb5STmy82iyL80qs8ApvhAAJEBS0irx3g/s800/timkey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivz2iiAtbtmrdF8jXAfGd7-JdorGQXweyhUUNU_LMffP-7Dgu9Zc8kE9eHZEWqMx546Qk8LLvxIRjJfYGhxr3nrfcRfRvphKm1RPguedoYFHZb5STmy82iyL80qs8ApvhAAJEBS0irx3g/w400-h225/timkey.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 1</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 26 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">He might not have always been the funniest, sometimes he goes all-out and sometimes he clearly half-assed it and was just trying to make everything into a joke, but it's due to that weird inconsistency in his performance that makes him so interesting to watch. He's the first person to put on a real task outfit, and while he wasn't the only one in season 1 to go to crazy lengths to get the tasks done, he was still one of several to help set the bar. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">26. Angella Dravid</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLSLOrItWQtj6srqX0P2IsqSFeDMNSJAQJoIDS7b0CjEGUpnSPaLatJAKH-g7OBEdbrHrZEIENyLy2hv5o8y2wnn41zQNRSUvA5cH2slaiuN9WBhXuPqcQUIy4jl-Y9obGAsLhDgd7S4/s1420/angelladravid.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1420" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLSLOrItWQtj6srqX0P2IsqSFeDMNSJAQJoIDS7b0CjEGUpnSPaLatJAKH-g7OBEdbrHrZEIENyLy2hv5o8y2wnn41zQNRSUvA5cH2slaiuN9WBhXuPqcQUIy4jl-Y9obGAsLhDgd7S4/w400-h225/angelladravid.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 1, NZ</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">The first really good contestant on the NZ version of the show, Angella suffers at times from repeating the same type of joke again and again (maybe I'm the only one who noticed this, but it's not a huge deal), but was still the most creative and consistently entertaining person on her series. Super awkward and often quite creative.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">25. Morgana Robinson</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhND1ZcL4aupTM3t1xGaBNMSulquobeuUU6Pms2XlhlY1qxCJZZw-D35-imqW5KWZJw4qUKfbSbyVag0RCTUQmVYOt3Kn3RctGSStmP5huXHGVaT64cFd-K2nL6Xx7YNYv-kEF82bIaOk4/s1140/morganarobinson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1140" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhND1ZcL4aupTM3t1xGaBNMSulquobeuUU6Pms2XlhlY1qxCJZZw-D35-imqW5KWZJw4qUKfbSbyVag0RCTUQmVYOt3Kn3RctGSStmP5huXHGVaT64cFd-K2nL6Xx7YNYv-kEF82bIaOk4/w400-h225/morganarobinson.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 12</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Morgana pretty much flew out the gate as an early fan favorite in series 12, and managed to pretty consistently offer up funny and creative moments for the entire duration of the show. Alex Horne clearly expected her to play characters during her time here, but what we got was much more fun to watch, because we really got to see just how weird and eccentric Morgana is underneath all the character stuff. Very entertaining.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">24. Lee Mack</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid61kpIv39umADR3GSkWHH260YijxMCv7GUAgZzJgsB6oQMJxIGbtbyaKijO4FQYyhysmLCq7ZyJMz8bSL4f6UbgLyGuWALCwqLyTdHvSljo7Yh0v2PmTdM_NAfBhGWfN8qgNvx_-QkSo/s620/leemack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="620" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid61kpIv39umADR3GSkWHH260YijxMCv7GUAgZzJgsB6oQMJxIGbtbyaKijO4FQYyhysmLCq7ZyJMz8bSL4f6UbgLyGuWALCwqLyTdHvSljo7Yh0v2PmTdM_NAfBhGWfN8qgNvx_-QkSo/w400-h266/leemack.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 11</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 15 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I find it a little weird that Lee has had such mediocre reactions for his appearance on Taskmaster, with him commonly landing on the bottom of the Series 11 group (or very near it) when people rank contestants by each series, as he's honestly got tons of hilarious and memorable moments here. His biggest problem is really that he thrives in a live setting, and the studio segments for his series were recorded without the audience. But if that's the worst thing I can say about him here, I'd say he's doing pretty well.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">23. Laura Daniel</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRQ4s0KpKBP3jG7w0rfPzVXiGQFYPPeN_IkAYQ4pLD3XD0XiUijUQe8tXRJwNRvv8Sd7UzgfygSlq_hEyYFup2LRui5j_jSNX87tW2aeShFEBp78qEw52GqMA3UOHxZSs0GLACghBUgY/s1366/lauradaniel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRRQ4s0KpKBP3jG7w0rfPzVXiGQFYPPeN_IkAYQ4pLD3XD0XiUijUQe8tXRJwNRvv8Sd7UzgfygSlq_hEyYFup2LRui5j_jSNX87tW2aeShFEBp78qEw52GqMA3UOHxZSs0GLACghBUgY/w400-h225/lauradaniel.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2, NZ</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of several easily excitable and competitive members of the second series NZ cast, Laura was filled with all sorts of weirdness and ingenious moments that I never could have expected. Granted, I had never heard of her prior to the show, but she still wound up leaving a pretty big mark on the series, which considering some of her co-stars, is a pretty impressive feat.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">22. Aisling Bea</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxa0zVWPNMo93M4Gb3qVIrBdOlQmLneyqokQZ6ElW_sUjd1DtWmpHawybR8xlrJB4EyLK5U6hxUELwnKkA39Uj4qqDIOpq-opJM-t7R4tlea-7RtSj0qQXltdMUXPrA7LL7lENJ_ogYc/s1714/aislingbea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1155" data-original-width="1714" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfxa0zVWPNMo93M4Gb3qVIrBdOlQmLneyqokQZ6ElW_sUjd1DtWmpHawybR8xlrJB4EyLK5U6hxUELwnKkA39Uj4qqDIOpq-opJM-t7R4tlea-7RtSj0qQXltdMUXPrA7LL7lENJ_ogYc/w400-h270/aislingbea.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 5</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 14 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Sometimes I feel like I'm one of relatively few people who really enjoys Aisling Bea and her particular brand of self-deprecation. That all translates wonderfully to her appearance on TM, which offers her up more than a few opportunities to be completely hilarious in unexpectedly weird ways. She's an odd comedian who I feel would get more positive returns had she not been on such an amazing series, as she tends to get overshadowed a lot.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">21. Sally Phillips</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqHIKrgiVeA0rSrxtIGc6iE3rNhrPakYg7QpvGDJ_ZNvTcBhOGBkvvU0Sdeie9Jq9IEnYdMU-k6YykYeQEpXmWDgh2x05NzxcM1AVJiFI3Kl9OT8mP2-HEBk4uivv2R0HxdQ_iAuL3AA/s1297/sallyphillips.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1297" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqHIKrgiVeA0rSrxtIGc6iE3rNhrPakYg7QpvGDJ_ZNvTcBhOGBkvvU0Sdeie9Jq9IEnYdMU-k6YykYeQEpXmWDgh2x05NzxcM1AVJiFI3Kl9OT8mP2-HEBk4uivv2R0HxdQ_iAuL3AA/w400-h233/sallyphillips.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 5</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 20 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Yeah, Sally is pretty amazing here, providing a few of the series' defining moments, not to mention just being an absolutely lovely and hilarious presence in the studio. I really don't have a bad thing to say about her, other than maybe her flipbook video being confusing and not a very good task effort. The horror.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">20. Jamali Maddix</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36Qe6-6BjjwuqIJiVw5AKqjEUA-HaMJzHXGv4ow0M1WXBnwt5-6ElOQs9jUZdgWNBYvt2O3AGBALFcPJYMIpAVLFmXG_a0eVCkLYIjsUl7-_weB84l6VifZj76PUkE4gMXh3zUNDj0xQ/s900/jamalimaddix.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36Qe6-6BjjwuqIJiVw5AKqjEUA-HaMJzHXGv4ow0M1WXBnwt5-6ElOQs9jUZdgWNBYvt2O3AGBALFcPJYMIpAVLFmXG_a0eVCkLYIjsUl7-_weB84l6VifZj76PUkE4gMXh3zUNDj0xQ/w400-h200/jamalimaddix.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 11</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 24 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Jamali took a while for me to really warm up to, but at this point I consider him one of the more entertaining and unique contestants the show has seen. Clearly not being a fan of the show going in, Jamali just sort of wandered through, occasionally stomping on things and bringing in terrible prizes. He's a weird dude with an odd charm that makes him hard to look away from.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">19. Jon Richardson</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEvwCzmTCXS1WvsQXYMFPQ8A5juKa12KdFPSgH8nV293FYP7DjA_Jd4gX1Xq1kyD9V4CcCilOtPWafr1t0gdwRU_5_c-6EG29gaCooE4q8JPvtPBr03o9BoxdVQ9VWnT0s-1DVBT-FOI/s900/jonrichardson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEvwCzmTCXS1WvsQXYMFPQ8A5juKa12KdFPSgH8nV293FYP7DjA_Jd4gX1Xq1kyD9V4CcCilOtPWafr1t0gdwRU_5_c-6EG29gaCooE4q8JPvtPBr03o9BoxdVQ9VWnT0s-1DVBT-FOI/w400-h200/jonrichardson.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 13 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of my picks for the most underrated of all Taskmaster contestants, Jon had pretty wonderful moments in every episode of his series, which sadly ended after only 5 episodes. He's an awkward, competitive, and borderline psychotic dude who does some of the most bizarre (and sometimes painfully embarrassing) things the show had seen up to that point, and I loved everything about it. Funny, clever, with just the right amount of competitiveness.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">18. Victoria Coren Mitchell</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus8RFCuJ80NDHSu-3yfpM5EsmFcDCcyshPNWfnUFnkvcL_rHwLIyPh2KI5YSJOJbB4B2IejicHhrjXM11F8U983mL6a2IBAuxIi3c5DFhKsA5K7wGB_R0BOUuNuJVcSAw-yeEJWxNgSA/s900/victoriacorenmitchell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus8RFCuJ80NDHSu-3yfpM5EsmFcDCcyshPNWfnUFnkvcL_rHwLIyPh2KI5YSJOJbB4B2IejicHhrjXM11F8U983mL6a2IBAuxIi3c5DFhKsA5K7wGB_R0BOUuNuJVcSAw-yeEJWxNgSA/w400-h200/victoriacorenmitchell.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 12</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I was kind of surprised by how high VCM wound up on this list, but when I really think about it I can't think of a single good reason why she wouldn't wind up at least in my top 25 every time. Fully capable of laughing at herself, but also very obviously embarrassed by how poorly she did at nearly everything, Victoria is a perfect example of the "bad contestant" by my standards. She was almost surprised by how awful she was at so much of what she had to do here, and was always a joy to watch.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">17. Joe Wilkinson</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqgUbExUbPVAl0gx2x6pEPe_qvKy_bXiVhMNkfeOpTpBeUEEEEmO6wfSyoNebzd9tmU5fjHuoQh3se-SUgZdLqNgVjRhYYRpyURNHk-3ZANrn07YiQ_E2yrSNpshUuzizhk_WEcnLSxQ/s998/joewilkinson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="998" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqgUbExUbPVAl0gx2x6pEPe_qvKy_bXiVhMNkfeOpTpBeUEEEEmO6wfSyoNebzd9tmU5fjHuoQh3se-SUgZdLqNgVjRhYYRpyURNHk-3ZANrn07YiQ_E2yrSNpshUuzizhk_WEcnLSxQ/w400-h225/joewilkinson.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 2</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 12 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">If Joe's entire existence within the Taskmaster universe was simply the potato golf hole task, he would still deserve to be near the top of this list, but then he had to go and be hilariously inept in so many other ways. One of the most impossibly lovable contestants in the early seasons of the show, Joe is the kind of perfect fit for the show that very rarely comes by. And I'm only sad about the fact he was only there for 5 episodes. What a waste.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">16. Ed Gamble</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVARSMwnVy4ecy7dqbIoc3dwOmTy1I7MrXOR-GL3xcyAwelthneWI3jahY9wytSIHjMVnBqXLwwvJiKcUQhOtpyP8dBRUVJgemfGyRmiSyGqEQdOfsgnSg94T22oWa_YRqzGImKvQt6U/s900/edgamble.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVARSMwnVy4ecy7dqbIoc3dwOmTy1I7MrXOR-GL3xcyAwelthneWI3jahY9wytSIHjMVnBqXLwwvJiKcUQhOtpyP8dBRUVJgemfGyRmiSyGqEQdOfsgnSg94T22oWa_YRqzGImKvQt6U/w400-h200/edgamble.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 9</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 9 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Previously barely squeaking into my top 10, I feel like Ed took a bit of a hit this time around, but that's not to say I don't love the guy. He's one of the few contestants who you can tell in a single instant that, not only is he incredibly competitive in general, but is a massive fan of the show who loves everything about the world Alex Horne has created here. He's always running face-first into everything, and served as a hilarious contrast to Jo and David.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">15. Joe Lycett</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7Thlfr1NWj79NhWex53NJrer6vB0i8nF_NdUT89tNVolmv2t0oqqePSfQsEmcFHjiQMhiu_ls7ZpZxNmlzVig-Xvc-748ky9nubeopu2DmY7eOvjwnSuhhF-vpIrxf8nZM8zvjaUeQY/s900/joelycett.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7Thlfr1NWj79NhWex53NJrer6vB0i8nF_NdUT89tNVolmv2t0oqqePSfQsEmcFHjiQMhiu_ls7ZpZxNmlzVig-Xvc-748ky9nubeopu2DmY7eOvjwnSuhhF-vpIrxf8nZM8zvjaUeQY/w400-h200/joelycett.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 4</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 10 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">As far as Series 4 goes, it really is an all-star lineup (apart from Lolly, obviously) where putting those 4 in order was almost an impossible task for me to do, so Joe just kind of landed on the bottom just because I couldn't settle on anything else this time around. He's a great all-round contestant who genuinely seemed to love every minute of it, and that exuberance never failed to translate.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">14. Rose Matafeo</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqFgTywqoXAjbZnImQaCsmmIwT3zrH3-pKsyD3Sh41hB5AOL2Lq2BtIO6WoZZkGKsPNd4HyCcmZCIlk17Rv7nwuDgCo5nA3k5QxAGwkNmA4F4f004BHRpZ0Sop_pkbqcHUay0SWMj8w8/s900/rosematafeo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="900" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqFgTywqoXAjbZnImQaCsmmIwT3zrH3-pKsyD3Sh41hB5AOL2Lq2BtIO6WoZZkGKsPNd4HyCcmZCIlk17Rv7nwuDgCo5nA3k5QxAGwkNmA4F4f004BHRpZ0Sop_pkbqcHUay0SWMj8w8/w400-h204/rosematafeo.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 9</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 16 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Equally as competitive as Ed Gamble, Rose and him are actually friends outside of the show, which to me begs the question: "how have they not murdered each other?" Really, it was pretty tough for me to decide which of these two I preferred, but overall I probably laughed more at Rose, as she wasn't quite as straight-forward or aggressive as Ed. Still, consistently loads of fun to watch.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">13. Hugh Dennis</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQR-yiWNWCp8hub679ZDSFaSc7QYqH11QNvw_3SREgKh_n755FQIm-bxBp6qUNt2-AWQcC7Iqmit84DEkfDEh0HvvF1oeUTt0oTWVMZdZqC3dkrwx4BBrLFL9qm7WzTgKpS9xrJZ2o7I/s1366/hughdennis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQR-yiWNWCp8hub679ZDSFaSc7QYqH11QNvw_3SREgKh_n755FQIm-bxBp6qUNt2-AWQcC7Iqmit84DEkfDEh0HvvF1oeUTt0oTWVMZdZqC3dkrwx4BBrLFL9qm7WzTgKpS9xrJZ2o7I/w400-h225/hughdennis.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 4</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 17 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Often seen as the "bad contestant" of his series (which is odd, considering by nearly every possible metric Lolly was worse than him), Hugh was perhaps the most underscored contestant of the entire show so far, as his (mis)interpretation of many of the tasks often led to him being disqualified or under-pointed just because Greg found it funny. Regardless, I love how often he tried to outsmart the show, and he was always fun to watch.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">12. Joe Thomas</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23DSsihvF2lsH542gBM_hz9xxjZQ4nfMvIQgTVftmBwZfAnABnApGu6_xmwf3QslNOmuAyiyS66A1sp6v4qjTV6WLHELwIqZNmd630vykn3FIV20s-wzGRNpQbIdF2TBlHFPAy5eUmIg/s955/joethomas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="955" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23DSsihvF2lsH542gBM_hz9xxjZQ4nfMvIQgTVftmBwZfAnABnApGu6_xmwf3QslNOmuAyiyS66A1sp6v4qjTV6WLHELwIqZNmd630vykn3FIV20s-wzGRNpQbIdF2TBlHFPAy5eUmIg/w400-h208/joethomas.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 8</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 11 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Another competitor for the title of most awkward contestant ever, Joe has a sort of adorability that made him impossible not to root for, especially considering the very mediocre contestants he was surrounded by. Much like Hugh in series 4, Joe was often unjustly punished and underscored (mainly for his prize tasks, which he himself said he approached more like data entry than as entertainment), but that couldn't stop him from being far and away my favorite of his group.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">11. Guy Montgomery</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVeEJ1KHaSr_Sa8YjnvwnV4ii4imlB3pT_9Co7khnhK3BA3_37lSsc-M37cxvlqwfCzT6vvBiRHmNxN0WKjvVKGx7JfLi5EPyHxnD4ztdtxEYlZ0gA_R-1V0tq1OSCH74qKw6DNU2Dw4/s567/guymontgomery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="567" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVeEJ1KHaSr_Sa8YjnvwnV4ii4imlB3pT_9Co7khnhK3BA3_37lSsc-M37cxvlqwfCzT6vvBiRHmNxN0WKjvVKGx7JfLi5EPyHxnD4ztdtxEYlZ0gA_R-1V0tq1OSCH74qKw6DNU2Dw4/w400-h225/guymontgomery.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 2, NZ</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">The more I think back on this series, the more I find myself loving Guy Montgomery. Super competitive, but always with a big smile on his face, Guy was the complete package, both inventive in tasks and hilarious in studio. I still regularly quote him on a near daily basis, and that's just one small aspect of what he brought to the table here. Simply one of the funniest contestants across the board.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">10. Noel Fielding</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aXuLRAU9mDsiklh00Sy72vcoPFM5gSMd8X8g89g7SIm0O1O_LuOXqanEoWFVyMWk-b-sP3nIToRdQgJ7vgdi4eGZ_feQmgK_5p1GGx8sdyTm0rm8bCp6dwV4SxBehca8PzVyU6YX4-4/s1366/noelfielding.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aXuLRAU9mDsiklh00Sy72vcoPFM5gSMd8X8g89g7SIm0O1O_LuOXqanEoWFVyMWk-b-sP3nIToRdQgJ7vgdi4eGZ_feQmgK_5p1GGx8sdyTm0rm8bCp6dwV4SxBehca8PzVyU6YX4-4/w400-h225/noelfielding.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 4</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 7 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of the most naturally talented and creative people the show has ever seen, it almost felt like an inevitability that Noel was going to totally nail it and be one of the best contestants the show has ever seen. Absurd, witty, inventive, and surprisingly athletically competent, Noel pretty much has no weak points as a contestant, and that also translates over to his overall entertainment value. He's able to be good at pretty much everything and funny at the same time. It's frankly ridiculous.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">9. Guz Khan</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenz54Tsqx3PytECjzHzeNlbZc2wXSOhukLj8YXESqr4U7fSFz1ShEkr6_VPcpDxBpEwafX5oYTH4Kot3QIvswDVQrakOCypE1a2YYmU3Fyrur3xoX6ImgVc3SNJWzzDQus67XgO2G1cE/s680/guzkhan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="680" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenz54Tsqx3PytECjzHzeNlbZc2wXSOhukLj8YXESqr4U7fSFz1ShEkr6_VPcpDxBpEwafX5oYTH4Kot3QIvswDVQrakOCypE1a2YYmU3Fyrur3xoX6ImgVc3SNJWzzDQus67XgO2G1cE/w400-h235/guzkhan.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 12</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">As much as I enjoyed the other 4 on Series 12, by the second half of his run on the show it became increasingly obvious to me that Guz was the one to watch. One of the most effortlessly charming and affable contestants the show has ever had, Guz is able to win you over in a heartbeat every time he opens his mouth or shoots one of his childlike smiles. Not only this, but he's a very funny guy who is pretty much incapable of not making you laugh with nearly every comment he makes. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">8. Bob Mortimer</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sjcOImq89JR3fq5KyurXxymqftdLA2t4C_ZOl5L71tSjpKTanucadjoQoLrH72wOBN0g08oYrZ9pqrqV15iusgC6KpCG38PcbYLuN020CmjDOKxf5yF03tG_rJHhw83jXCkfmGZZmmI/s1366/bobmortimer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8sjcOImq89JR3fq5KyurXxymqftdLA2t4C_ZOl5L71tSjpKTanucadjoQoLrH72wOBN0g08oYrZ9pqrqV15iusgC6KpCG38PcbYLuN020CmjDOKxf5yF03tG_rJHhw83jXCkfmGZZmmI/w400-h225/bobmortimer.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 5</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 2 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">My opinion of Bob's time on Taskmaster is riddled with a certain amount of issues, as he does tend to feel a little burnt out and unaffected by the show as a whole -- I usually like when you can feel the passion and energy of people who love the show and want to be there. But Bob makes all the absurdity of the format itself feel almost too natural. He's just going about his day in the same way you might expect him to regardless of the cameras, and that makes him both incredibly memorable and almost disappointing. I guess what I'm saying is what makes him so amazing is the same thing that works against him. But I love the guy, and this was the show that made me realize that.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">7. Romesh Ranganathan</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WIOyB7MC7Fuu4prHcX-ktY6Cfp34-IToDqqxIW_sEGMaqYIdh6QZDZVQfI0LFKik-X_6rrq7IyVZMjjnJtvU5L-l0rRIZYstlw10cdLSLPh8hGdNIRZl2tWkvJPeto30Ft5nid0AdnM/s1366/romeshranganathan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WIOyB7MC7Fuu4prHcX-ktY6Cfp34-IToDqqxIW_sEGMaqYIdh6QZDZVQfI0LFKik-X_6rrq7IyVZMjjnJtvU5L-l0rRIZYstlw10cdLSLPh8hGdNIRZl2tWkvJPeto30Ft5nid0AdnM/w400-h225/romeshranganathan.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 1</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 6 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of the angriest contestants the show has ever seen, Romesh established himself within the first pre-recorded task of the show that he was not messing around here, and was totally in it to win. Much to his detriment, Greg found it very fun to underscore Romesh, seeing as how mad he would visibly get about it, but that never stopped him from being absolutely hilarious every single episode. So, just as is the case with many others I loved on the earlier seasons of the show, my only issue with Romesh is that there just wasn't enough time spent with him in his 6 episodes. I wanted more, but what we got was still amazing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">6. Mel Giedroyc</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCj67c4kYKjg-Zz-ve26mY6SLC-Fg1cWglEHgJ_seZu6y3Rihu3a9G9rPa2Pi5U9HpIQ60hwF4rW-k7rSKOQZp1O8c1PuKiorTGJiZA5AjQO34rWzymhBTBvp0-CoywFDLYTs3zKFr9U/s1366/melgiedroyc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCj67c4kYKjg-Zz-ve26mY6SLC-Fg1cWglEHgJ_seZu6y3Rihu3a9G9rPa2Pi5U9HpIQ60hwF4rW-k7rSKOQZp1O8c1PuKiorTGJiZA5AjQO34rWzymhBTBvp0-CoywFDLYTs3zKFr9U/w400-h225/melgiedroyc.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 4</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 8 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">I feel like I'm repeating myself a lot when I say things like this, but Mel is one of the most lovable personalities the show has ever seen. Always chipper and a pure delight, Mel is the kind of person who you might not think of immediately as the standout contestant of her series, but is one who I can't think of a single negative thing to say about. She's funny, in her own dorky sort of way, but what really makes her so special is just how absolutely lovely she is from start to finish. She's just having a great time, and is impossible not to enjoy watching.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">5. Rhod Gilbert</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgTQzJ8qsTVPCInxl1pF8Zw-8LyctfJdDtTEvUNeZm35pWz7Qf_p1HDKAFOPtIx4IKs4XlbjbSFDsgmlP85bGEusWU_VjcdHkHUOLzul0PGTZXsOdZCgQmbqasYEqVOm4goki8oL-aQs/s1366/rhodgilbert.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgTQzJ8qsTVPCInxl1pF8Zw-8LyctfJdDtTEvUNeZm35pWz7Qf_p1HDKAFOPtIx4IKs4XlbjbSFDsgmlP85bGEusWU_VjcdHkHUOLzul0PGTZXsOdZCgQmbqasYEqVOm4goki8oL-aQs/w400-h225/rhodgilbert.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 7</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 5 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">And now for the exact opposite of Mel, you've got Rhod here to make an absolute mess of everything he touches. He doesn't seem to understand how the show works half the time, while spending the other half being an absolute madman who does the kind of things only a genius might come up with. Rhod really is an all-or-nothing type, and his ability to rile everyone up and humiliate both Greg and Alex sets him apart in many ways. He has more than a few duds, but his overall impact on the series and sheer number of amazing/hilarious moments more than outweigh anything negative I can say about him.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">4. David Correos</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYktrgkEg8s_xQrv7PAZ4uf0yp3JRANGlOo0w84jfE9bWaNLeZ4rjNcs2U8pInSObXk8V6S6aR-zGeyGFZBAavcoIYRyvqIP0n24GCRGEuzgZEi7EYk6Th9P69AupPqLEJMgSyDRCFJOg/s640/davidcorreos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYktrgkEg8s_xQrv7PAZ4uf0yp3JRANGlOo0w84jfE9bWaNLeZ4rjNcs2U8pInSObXk8V6S6aR-zGeyGFZBAavcoIYRyvqIP0n24GCRGEuzgZEi7EYk6Th9P69AupPqLEJMgSyDRCFJOg/w400-h240/davidcorreos.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 2, NZ</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: N/A</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">You have officially entered the chaos region of the list, which will pretty much round out the remainder of this countdown. When I was initially planning on this list, it was ultimately due to David that I decided I needed to include NZ contestants on this updated post, as he pretty much instantly stood out as one of the most energetic, psychotic, and hilarious people the show has ever seen. As much as I love the other contestants on his series, David was really the guy I couldn't wait to see more from, eagerly anticipating his next mental breakdown time and time again. And he never disappointed. Over and over again I found myself laughing my ass off at his bizarre and honestly insane task efforts, and that doesn't stop when entering the studio. He's just crazy, and I loved it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">3. James Acaster</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYATfXSJmIxAR_18AXRSYFcCQIm1cwAipTCRtFi-AqjTicLEXs9A9UWh-7qFwmpAPykX1KzASpDXEPeszLqdJTNPqAaUY4qPQsn4BuqpWpluzcp0WPd2tEbFcZ5s_9o_igrIRhqUEQb4/s1200/jamesacaster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYATfXSJmIxAR_18AXRSYFcCQIm1cwAipTCRtFi-AqjTicLEXs9A9UWh-7qFwmpAPykX1KzASpDXEPeszLqdJTNPqAaUY4qPQsn4BuqpWpluzcp0WPd2tEbFcZ5s_9o_igrIRhqUEQb4/w400-h240/jamesacaster.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 7</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 4 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">James Acaster can pretty much do no wrong as far as I'm concerned, and getting to see him in the Taskmaster setting - where he can pretty much do whatever he wants at any time - is never not going to be a joy for me to watch. I honestly don't know what I even need to say here, other than that James clearly had a blast here, even if much of what he did wound up completely disastrous: in part due to how panicked and chaotic he is, and in equal parts due to how much fun Greg had giving him very few points.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">2. Johnny Vegas</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlYDtjJlSewbTkmInW1VA9f9aYDd0ER0aa5FhhhzM64EIZNm945B7wlGdumnP7ugRs8YIMPeb9wmugEzmhATjSofZHLpoo-HWXQs3P4aerJPW9GVr4Fa1eN72uAOng-ZkbDdC8jc9FI0/s1200/johnnyvegas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1200" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlYDtjJlSewbTkmInW1VA9f9aYDd0ER0aa5FhhhzM64EIZNm945B7wlGdumnP7ugRs8YIMPeb9wmugEzmhATjSofZHLpoo-HWXQs3P4aerJPW9GVr4Fa1eN72uAOng-ZkbDdC8jc9FI0/w400-h201/johnnyvegas.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Series 10</b></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 3 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">One of the few contestants on the show who I found myself having an emotional connection to throughout, Johnny is probably the single most tragic person ever on Taskmaster. As Greg notes at one point, he seems like the only person there who needs this to go well, Johnny often sees everything collapse around him. Equally chaotic and hilariously morose, Johnny takes every jab with a sense of humor, and is always totally willing to laugh at himself. He's an incredibly lovable person who throws himself into everything and never seems to reap the benefits of his efforts. And that just makes him even more lovable.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: xx-large;">1. Mike Wozniak</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohXXsqJ3cva166EpH8U-mQLrrVqbr6hBR4QINeL2OKnCYn6Ax-L-UYZwWE5Lw9NfBOOqyxn4mw51U0NaQtl5r4a7YJ2Cn-z7ltLlhh2-lDl-uo-n-vAWPpF1cjCc966EP7pLsyYT9C7o/s698/mikewozniak.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="698" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohXXsqJ3cva166EpH8U-mQLrrVqbr6hBR4QINeL2OKnCYn6Ax-L-UYZwWE5Lw9NfBOOqyxn4mw51U0NaQtl5r4a7YJ2Cn-z7ltLlhh2-lDl-uo-n-vAWPpF1cjCc966EP7pLsyYT9C7o/w400-h208/mikewozniak.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Series 11</span></b></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: large;"><b>Previous ranking: 1 of 55</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Obviously Mike was gonna be #1 again. I don't think it's possible that anyone even in future series' of the show could veer dethrone Mike, as he is in every sense of the word a perfect Taskmaster contestant. Yes, he's trying his hardest to win, but he's never overly competitive or anything less than absolutely lovely. He's hilarious, absurd, witty, charming, and offers multiple of the greatest moments in the history of the show. In a Reddit poll made shortly after the finale of series 11, Mike was voted the overall favorite contestant of the entire show by a significant margin, and there's nothing I can say to disagree with that in any way. I'm jealous of anyone who can watch through series 11 for the first time, and 90% of the reason for that is because of Mike. The best the show has ever seen.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: courier;">Thank you to anyone who read through this massive post, or even just breezed through it. I tried to be a little more fair this time around, but honestly every time I watch through the show I find myself changing my mind on people, so here in 6-7 months when Series 13 is done, this list might be totally different yet again. I'm excited at the views I've been getting on that first TM post, and I hope the passion of the Taskmaster fandom doesn't turn to hate when they read some of my unpopular opinions here. I'd love to hear back from some people, so leave a comment if you have any disagreements, and maybe we can have a little discussion about it. I love having my opinions challenged, and I really really love talking about Taskmaster, so it's a win-win for me. I might be making more TM-themed posts in the future that aren't just countdowns, so be sure to check back in if you want to hear what I have to say about it. Until then, have a lovely day and keep watching Taskmaster!</span></p><p></p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-29843796643332381902021-10-31T06:57:00.000-04:002021-10-31T06:57:02.998-04:00Manga Rating System<p>I have used tons of different rating systems over the course of the last decade I've been writing reviews, so I thought I'd go back to a pretty standard and stripped down one for manga. As this is a form of entertainment that I'm incredibly new to, I wouldn't have the confidence to go into a great amount of detail on my reasons for the ratings I'm giving, so having more than just a few base ratings would be a little presumptuous and difficult for me. That being said, I do like keeping my enjoyment and perceived quality within fairly loose placements, because opinions change and I don't want to have to justify a rating down the road that wouldn't hold up after a little while. Also, I generally give positive ratings, so I've kind of compressed all the bad into one or two stars, with the other 3 possible scores being all varying levels of good/great. So let's get into the details.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆ </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell;">1 star is obviously not a very positive rating, as anything I'll give a 1 to was either guiltlessly dropped or finished just because it was very short. Bad.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell;">2 stars is pretty much the minimum amount of good that would be required for me to finish something, but still isn't something I particularly got much from. Not bad, but not very good.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell;">3 stars is a good manga. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't think of it as a favorite even if it might be considered a classic by some. Really liked it but didn't move me emotionally. Good, but not great.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">☆</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell;">4 stars is great stuff. It's one step away from being top tier, but not far from being an absolute favorite. Hits me emotionally, but maybe not as much as the very best manga do. Great, but not a masterpiece.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell; font-size: large;">★</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: Cantarell;">I'm trying to avoid overusing this rating, so this is pretty much reserved for the best of the best. Only the most rare and high quality things will ever receive this rating from me, at least by my standards. Masterpiece.</span></p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-15254705491270279442021-10-31T06:26:00.007-04:002021-10-31T09:59:04.147-04:00Manga review: Uzumaki<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mYy7IGoSAdPlwDVav3z-5fdPnUYgcKTmDj9COL0kbWAuXuF35LKUkBK1G0RRUN4IzrrRTBQ1k0Q5F-kxuMQb1OWZUBC_vzLxIRoNyFaO5O9DD776HNsS-tPEHFqemS8aLFtykKUE-Nk/s1104/uzumaki.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mYy7IGoSAdPlwDVav3z-5fdPnUYgcKTmDj9COL0kbWAuXuF35LKUkBK1G0RRUN4IzrrRTBQ1k0Q5F-kxuMQb1OWZUBC_vzLxIRoNyFaO5O9DD776HNsS-tPEHFqemS8aLFtykKUE-Nk/w218-h320/uzumaki.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">'Uzumaki' by Junji Ito</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">3 volumes, 19 chapters </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1998-1999</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p>The first manga I read, and a pretty disturbing and ultimately unforgettable experience for more than just that reason alone. The story is more or less conceptual in its entirety and lacking any real characters or depth, but this isn't a manga that hinges on likability or long-winded story arcs. All packed into a couple hundred pages (and easily found in a single collected book-form), Junji Ito is excellent at making you terrified to turn the page but incapable of resisting finding out what horrible thing will happen next. The artwork is just the right level of detailed, with a majority of the emphasis placed on the full-page spreads and the individual shocking moments that have since become legendary within horror manga. This isn't the most amazing looking thing I've read, but it holds up due to the surreal and insanely inventive illustrations and ideas. </p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a>Highly entertaining for horror fans, but probably a little too weird to appeal to everyone. But I would still recommend it as a great gateway into manga. It worked for me, at least. <p></p><span style="font-size: large;">★★★☆☆</span><p></p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-47713134244878122152021-10-17T02:10:00.005-04:002021-10-17T02:10:59.634-04:00Manga time<p> As people who've spent a decent amount of time reading the stupid crap I write on this site might be well aware of, I have a pretty wide variety of interests when it comes to media. Though I never got into comics and I've never written about my few brief spells of reading traditional books, reading has always been on a bit of a backburner for me; something I intended to get into after I'd exhausted all other entertainment options. But then after trying to get my wife into watching anime, and realizing we'd had Uzumaki by Junji Ito on our shelf for close to 2 years, it seemed like the right time to give manga a try. And while I haven't loved everything I've read, I'm absolutely loving it.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>I've long had a lot of Japanese art, from the films of Akira Kurosawa (who has been right at/near the top of my favorite directors ever for over a decade now), the anime of Shinichiro Watanabe, the short stories of Ryunosuke Akutagawa, and even music by artists like Itsuroh Shimoda. And I'm not going to go into more detail on it, but a majority of my favorite video games ever are very Japanese as well. So while I'm definitely not the weeb type who tries to emulate Japanese culture in my daily life, I have a thing for Japanese entertainment that just doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Basically, getting into manga felt almost like an inevitability for me. </p><p>Now this isn't going to be a super long post detailing everything I've gotten into, but I wanted to pretty much get this little bit of nonsense out of the way so I won't feel the need to preface any other posts with details on how much I enjoy Japanese stuff. I probably won't be going into much detail with any reviews and stuff about manga, as I am a complete beginner who has just found a new hobby, but I will be at least giving small words on the things I've read as I go along to sort of keep track of my so-called "progress". Expect posts similar to my 200 Items or Less movie reviews, but for manga.</p><p>Alright, that's all for now, I'll probably be going to post something about the first manga I actually read here in a little bit (if you've read this post up to now, you'll probably guess which one that is), so check back in a bit if you're interested. If not, that's cool, too. I'll be updating my Taskmaster contestants list in another couple months in order to facilitate the New Zealand crew as well as the series 12 UK bunch, so that list will be jumping up from 55 people to 70. Also, the order will be changing up a decent amount, so that will be fun to write. </p><p>Okay, bye. </p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-25835389917479235752021-09-17T09:12:00.003-04:002021-09-17T09:12:32.846-04:00Malignant - my probably-only review of 2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhIPWRoWza-A67LdxKppJj76tTon-mqrAvvB0ta-Z-aRaq_pFxk9ySHZNo8v4u3CgRM4mxcmrWV8D3V7E5to2DYxiiiyoSvD60cQPBEsUyXErycFn7h5CeecF1Nm5Fhdu1z_vcbq7X7A/s2048/malignant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1382" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOhIPWRoWza-A67LdxKppJj76tTon-mqrAvvB0ta-Z-aRaq_pFxk9ySHZNo8v4u3CgRM4mxcmrWV8D3V7E5to2DYxiiiyoSvD60cQPBEsUyXErycFn7h5CeecF1Nm5Fhdu1z_vcbq7X7A/s320/malignant.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />The best kind of movies are the ones that stick with you in one way or another. I've long felt that the worst thing a piece of entertainment can be is forgettable, and in that way Malignant definitely succeeds. While a good portion of reviews and comments I've seen from people in regards to this movie boil it down to "this sucked" or the like, what I think a good deal of people are missing out on here is the meta narrative at play. <p></p><p>For the first hour or so, this movie plays out exactly as you'd expect any run-of-the-mill supernatural horror movie might, with awful sound editing, spoooooky dark visuals, and all the other usual cliches firmly in place. But when that final act bursts in, everything you've seen beforehand begins to re-contextualize in the most maddening way, really putting the audience in the unique position of having to decide for themselves how much they're willing to give the movie in return for their time. Watching this movie at home on HBO with my wife, I was probably driving her nuts as I loudly pointed out all the issues I was having with it for about 80 minutes, after which I found myself laughing even harder both at the movie and myself for the trick it pulled on me. Is this a brilliant movie or a terrible one? Why not both?<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>In most conventional senses, this movie is pretty lame. The acting is weak, the filmmaking is very standard for the genre, and you'll probably find yourself guessing the twist (or at least something pretty close to it) before it reveals itself, but by the end none of that really mattered to me at all. Knowing James Wan as a filmmaker going in did nothing but revalidate my preconceptions of the movie going in, and force me into the mindset of someone who has to just accept that he'll never really grow as a filmmaker. And while I could never consider this movie a step forward for him in terms of storytelling, I feel he uses his own past films as a deliberate misdirection for those of us who knew his work going in. </p><p>One thing I have to criticize about this movie actually has nothing to do with the movie itself, but I want to point out the advertising and comments people have been making towards it being reminiscent of the Italian Giallo movies primarily released in the 1970s. While, if you dig into all the "rules" of the genre (the list of which are pretty loose in a film noir-esque way) it does tick quite a few of those boxes, the primary issue with drawing this comparison is in the very distinct difference in visual styles. Giallos utilize more primary colors and don't have that Conjuring-era horror look about them, which feels a bit like false advertising to the people out there who love those Italian horrors for their striking lighting and colors. This isn't so much a flaw as something I wanted to point out in case anyone reading this was expecting it to look like an Argento film or something. It doesn't look like Argento. Moving on.</p><p>Without going into individual story beats or spoiling the events of the movie, there isn't much more I can say apart from just how quickly this idiotic movie turned around on me. While all the pieces had been put into place over the course of the first 2 acts, I didn't notice or appreciate them until the movie had almost finished, and while I still found a good deal of the horror aspects to be severely lacking, the wacky effect overall was too wild and entertaining for me to even care. This isn't something I could watch as a real horror movie, but I also don't know what else to call it. It's too bad to be good, but too genius to be bad. There is an enigmatic quality to this movie that makes it impossible for me to fully recommend, but hard for me to not want to see the reactions of people who watch it. </p><p>Overall, I really can see why people love, hate, or are somewhere in-between with this movie. It does everything right and wrong at the same time in all the most confusing and hilarious ways, the result of which is a mess of a movie that I equally love and find incredibly bad. But it's movies like this that linger in the mind and find bizarre cult followings, which I can pretty safely say is inevitable for this movie. It's awful and I think I loved it. </p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-20659984083722427422021-06-08T07:30:00.005-04:002021-12-30T07:48:34.385-05:00Taskmaster contestants ranked (all 11 seasons)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">(December 10: UPDATE RELEASED! I'll throw the </span><a href="https://jeffscpresents.blogspot.com/2021/12/taskmaster-contestants-ranked-all-12.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">link to the updated countdown right here</a><span style="text-align: left;"> if anyone is interested in my opinions on the 15 other full-series contestants and seeing how much my opinion has changed over the past several months, but I'm not changing a single word of the post that follows to reflect any of that. I would find it dishonest to change the list once it's out there, so if you disagree with me on this post, maybe the other one will suit you better. Better look at both, I guess. But there you go, hope you enjoy reading/browsing!)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"> Over the past several months, I have become completely obsessed with the British game/panel show Taskmaster. To those of you who don't know what this is, but are still here reading this post for some reason, Taskmaster is a show that's been running for 6 years and 11 seasons released so far and is all built around comedians Greg Davies and Alex Horne (the latter of which is the creator of the show), who set up bizarre objectives for a panel of five comedians each season to complete, and then reward them all points based on how well they've done the task. At the end of each episode, the most points for that episode takes home a bunch of prizes brought in by each contestant at the start of the episode, and at the end of the season (which range from 5-10 episodes each), the point leader wins a terrible gold bust of Greg Davies' head. </span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">On the surface, this is indeed a fairly standard game show, but when you take into account the contestants are all (or at least mostly) comedians, the points given are based on Greg's opinions more than any objective right or wrong solutions, and the tasks themselves are incredibly absurd and often humiliating, the results definitely out-measure the sum of its parts. This is a ridiculous show that manages to reveal far more about the contestants than you might expect, both mentally and physically. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLidcmCZe3pyU22tfvQjctcotD85r8Ir62iC3XG0Y-pQkpTjDexWKhubUnTcyzzd7Za_Aa3bBqUqqCc69SVdQ3KdIHGqPvsW62ooo9ismR2uhxnHcEU-d5LRPKGNulF4GGPRrV_QNZNUs/s590/tm.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLidcmCZe3pyU22tfvQjctcotD85r8Ir62iC3XG0Y-pQkpTjDexWKhubUnTcyzzd7Za_Aa3bBqUqqCc69SVdQ3KdIHGqPvsW62ooo9ismR2uhxnHcEU-d5LRPKGNulF4GGPRrV_QNZNUs/s320/tm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This isn't just a show you passively watch, it is a strangely interactive experience that gets you hooked into the points/scoring system, with you as an audience member tallying your own scores up to see how they stack up against the views of Greg and the tyrannical caricature of himself he has created. You find yourself thinking what you would do with each task as they come up, and when someone else does the thing you were thinking, you feel like a genius...at least until Greg gives them 1 point and calls them an idiot. Additionally, over lockdown the YouTube channel for TM has uploaded a series of "home tasks" for viewers at home to do and post online. It's a lovely diversion, but doesn't hold a candle to the main series.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, now that I've vaguely described the series to people who have no idea what it's all about, we can get into the actual point of this post. Over the 11 seasons of the show (and I'm not counting Champion of Champions or the New Years special) there have been 55 contestants, and even the ones I don't particularly like have their fair share of great moments. This show gives everyone plenty of opportunities to shine, so even the most annoying ones I'll be naming first still have at least a handful of moments each that made me laugh out loud and applaud their performances.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-IDJmqMQ0XC9hkNFdSQ_f927JwmdAMBeVP3JDOcsvMoPYINLP7aG3hJYtyh_N6b7hy3kdEUx2kpP-TZYFo1h9fIklM6cLAiPo8H1jRj7mgpg079Mh3VdFPBQaOaN_iSpdYQtOtdrJVA/s1106/trophy.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" data-original-height="833" data-original-width="1106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-IDJmqMQ0XC9hkNFdSQ_f927JwmdAMBeVP3JDOcsvMoPYINLP7aG3hJYtyh_N6b7hy3kdEUx2kpP-TZYFo1h9fIklM6cLAiPo8H1jRj7mgpg079Mh3VdFPBQaOaN_iSpdYQtOtdrJVA/s320/trophy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Before I continue, there are a few things I need to say. First, I will not be including contestants from the various other regional versions of Taskmaster, just the British one. Also, since the New Years special cast were only there for 1 episode, they didn't have enough time for me to include them on this list. No NZ or US contestants and no New Years contestants.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Also, before I get into the list itself, I want to loudly exclaim <b>THIS POST WILL BE FULL OF SPOILERS!</b> So if you have any interest in watching the show without knowing who wins each season, get on YouTube and watch it before you look at this. I love this show, so I don't want to spoil any surprises for anyone, but I also don't want to have to be incredibly vague with every single thing I write here. This is all on you now, you've been warned. Here's my list.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Oh, and one final thing: this is an opinion list. It's all based on who I found the funniest, most clever, most endearing, etc. I'm not basing any of the placements on how well they did points-wise, just on how well I enjoyed them as a contestant. Alright, NOW here's my list.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">55. Lou Sanders</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 8</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHxJXv2psLv-yk543PpwbKXw1iGvXQfeRCSkG0RA2u0ca4WiU__gztTBUEw3jiaWox2Kgg2SOO0x7n6fhEZC7NZW775iZbrGmcC8sOhoiHAKV5JCLUEcxB6YfEY1ObUj0y_h4Yor7uko/s266/lousanders.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHxJXv2psLv-yk543PpwbKXw1iGvXQfeRCSkG0RA2u0ca4WiU__gztTBUEw3jiaWox2Kgg2SOO0x7n6fhEZC7NZW775iZbrGmcC8sOhoiHAKV5JCLUEcxB6YfEY1ObUj0y_h4Yor7uko/s0/lousanders.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 164 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">To anyone out there who loves Lou Sanders, she does have plenty of funny moments on Taskmaster, but just not enough for me to forgive the obnoxious moments that occur pretty much every episode. While a lot of people point to Iain Stirling as the low point of the show, I found his appearance a lot more humbled as the series went along, and he did visibly show some remorse for his whiny and bratty behavior. Lou, however, did not. In fact, her brattiness seemed to only lead to her just being given extra points, probably just to shut her up. And she got to win the season because of it (according to my scoring, she would have landed in 4th place, just to put it into some context). Yes, she has plenty of hilarious moments and great task performances, but the whining just made me uncomfortable and wasn't entertaining to me.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">54. Lolly Adefope</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 4</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tHD5S3aywVHkxeD7A1JdYVfC8dCgeGMIvyZ31AThr5KZ0ArdBzVkk9PlDyIASwVsibqSUmENwUZZb3fGKe8sQUFXfvz7bTl5jJyD-jmw82gmPZkPjGCWMNPnE0rfP0gecezReUtMicM/s266/lollyadefope.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tHD5S3aywVHkxeD7A1JdYVfC8dCgeGMIvyZ31AThr5KZ0ArdBzVkk9PlDyIASwVsibqSUmENwUZZb3fGKe8sQUFXfvz7bTl5jJyD-jmw82gmPZkPjGCWMNPnE0rfP0gecezReUtMicM/s0/lollyadefope.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 129 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Unlike Lou, Lolly doesn't have a whiny personality that makes her come across in a bad way. But what she does have...is basically nothing. She seems like a perfectly lovely person, but as a comedic personality, she brings absolutely nothing to the table in this otherwise amazing season. Yes, I do think she looks a lot worse just based on the exceptional company she kept throughout her season, but she still didn't really have any memorable moments in the studio and often took the blandest route when it came to the tasks themselves. Just an overall boring contestant, which to me is just about the worst thing you can be on a show that celebrates creativity and being willing to embarrass yourself.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">53. Paul Sinha</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 8</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelgHVp_7HSmXkQgXI5uMS4OlWFWcrOOBCxJ7OrPMXApyV3gHrXYWIr9YK6jJPzscdHwhs_iRUK0WYeYcW9R4knIs-evHxZh0ZPSIwgciVy-4ov-is7bW3jbKOGVkL6e0sm5c2ua9dmyI/s266/paulsinha.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelgHVp_7HSmXkQgXI5uMS4OlWFWcrOOBCxJ7OrPMXApyV3gHrXYWIr9YK6jJPzscdHwhs_iRUK0WYeYcW9R4knIs-evHxZh0ZPSIwgciVy-4ov-is7bW3jbKOGVkL6e0sm5c2ua9dmyI/s0/paulsinha.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 136 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much like Lolly, Paul wasn't so much a "bad" contestant as much as just a very dull one. I give him a slight edge over Lolly, though, largely due to the things going on in his life during the show itself. It may seem a bit of a cop-out, but Sinha was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and recently had undergone a shoulder surgery that visibly slowed him down. The result was a person who wasn't fun to watch, even if just because it made me feel bad to laugh at him when he made huge mistakes. I don't want to feel bad when watching a game/panel show comedy, dammit. Regardless of his issues, he wasn't terribly fun to watch, and that's all that really matters in this situation.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">52. Katy Wix</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 9</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC_WKz07tE2xj35id-XCXwaQMtSo0ViSLNFAJFDmNdl4UYydF8IoXzTbcFlUt1XqqU6g0ZdAsrcgRlOpDirWluXuCJbqhBYUZMOmHdmuVhSBdV2cuuXG4LCHLLbYxe1sSZhl674VZIds/s266/katywix.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkC_WKz07tE2xj35id-XCXwaQMtSo0ViSLNFAJFDmNdl4UYydF8IoXzTbcFlUt1XqqU6g0ZdAsrcgRlOpDirWluXuCJbqhBYUZMOmHdmuVhSBdV2cuuXG4LCHLLbYxe1sSZhl674VZIds/s0/katywix.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 158 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another contestant who has a very sweet and light personality that doesn't inflame me, but just bored the hell out of me. I just went back through the show for the third time to prepare for this list, and I still couldn't really tell you any tasks she smashed out of the park. Surrounded by the super competitive (Rose and Ed) and the hilariously aloof (David and Jo), Katy just kinda sat in the middle with the most boring responses to everything she is confronted with. This is by no means enough to spoil the season, but more often than not I'd simply zone out and wait for her tasks to be done. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">51. Kerry Godliman</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 7</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOsXrO0BvzvWjVBHH2wFYcYkikcpbO2QazjQ4dWnekWlPrX_vksxuIAUdvDYtSiYEUmSVZxozbQ03rpP82by5wOwwT-wbxqn-KS2iTTJLLTr_9layGcxqOxLsTZPzV-2BbFxW84ttiWo/s266/kerrygodliman.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOsXrO0BvzvWjVBHH2wFYcYkikcpbO2QazjQ4dWnekWlPrX_vksxuIAUdvDYtSiYEUmSVZxozbQ03rpP82by5wOwwT-wbxqn-KS2iTTJLLTr_9layGcxqOxLsTZPzV-2BbFxW84ttiWo/s0/kerrygodliman.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 176 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much like Lou, Kerry seemed to get her way a lot of the time through the sheer power of whining a bunch. But she also seemed to get punished a decent amount when it came to points for the team tasks that her and Jessica Knappett clearly knocked out of the park. When I went through and did my own scoring for this season, Kerry didn't wind up with the win, but it was still pretty close, and her super straight-forward approach to tasks made for a fun contrast to the wilder and more experimental interpretations of Rhod Gilbert and James Acaster. She wouldn't have been nearly as good of a fit had she been in a worse season, but she is slightly elevated by her surroundings. That, and a wonderful moment involving a laminator.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">50. Alice Levine</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 6</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmWIxiJqgULtB0o7i36UQJyRDAcyIOQOokqq2lKEz5ZbQsT8U21zMWTQivZSsTobjONQrYqQZW-5SYLKMMVbY4Qwb7ebSJ7lXrnzRj5kyZkip9q4Je53NV31H14DV94GrjjinZ4jTvos/s265/alicelevine.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEmWIxiJqgULtB0o7i36UQJyRDAcyIOQOokqq2lKEz5ZbQsT8U21zMWTQivZSsTobjONQrYqQZW-5SYLKMMVbY4Qwb7ebSJ7lXrnzRj5kyZkip9q4Je53NV31H14DV94GrjjinZ4jTvos/s0/alicelevine.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 152 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And back to the boring side of things. Alice Levine doesn't have many shining moments, doesn't really thrive in the studio, and barely squeaked out with any points throughout the series. Even though I don't *really* care how well someone does in the show points-wise, when they don't make for a terribly interesting contestant with fun or inventive ideas, it really just drags the whole thing down. But in her defense, the contestants in season 6 were all mostly pretty boring, so Alice doesn't really stand out too much in a negative way. I just wasn't too impressed.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">49. Sara Pascoe</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 3</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cWCPTe_LHynyo6UBDdUNtiMgqloJahM350r1Ix0cRdXGjPFsV7pc6wI3pD8_5yNlmhtpr8CfvX_s5FJPntdBsG7Uj1cFAtxwSKR-cs6g5jdhjxcYkkhJdfWdS896SYN4BMEprM7G6qQ/s266/sarapascoe.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cWCPTe_LHynyo6UBDdUNtiMgqloJahM350r1Ix0cRdXGjPFsV7pc6wI3pD8_5yNlmhtpr8CfvX_s5FJPntdBsG7Uj1cFAtxwSKR-cs6g5jdhjxcYkkhJdfWdS896SYN4BMEprM7G6qQ/s0/sarapascoe.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 72 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Season 3 is one of the low points in the show's run, but with that being said I didn't dislike any of these contestants. While they all have ups and downs, what landed Sara in the bottom of that group for me is her relative lack of ups. Sure, Dave Gorman's attempts at cheating turned a lot of people off, and Al Murray constantly throwing money at everything was a bit of a problem, but Sara just didn't really have anything going for her that would have defaulted her higher than those two. I can't honestly say I remember much of anything she did on the show, and I've watched it three times. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">48. Dave Gorman</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 3</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIdlpZtuM-84RGcZHUyjUr1yHgfgjHgnfJA3t-HeZ9oM6uGzvLPvcqDAA_xYndAAZWA2S5tRZNoOtTsKooZ4vyWh7-MBSfOP6TAQgg2UXtn2Spgpj8SWi5S5nVsYdvJ0iZ0G_DHM9NUU/s266/davegorman.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIdlpZtuM-84RGcZHUyjUr1yHgfgjHgnfJA3t-HeZ9oM6uGzvLPvcqDAA_xYndAAZWA2S5tRZNoOtTsKooZ4vyWh7-MBSfOP6TAQgg2UXtn2Spgpj8SWi5S5nVsYdvJ0iZ0G_DHM9NUU/s0/davegorman.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 81 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Hey, remember what I said about this guy? Yeah, while I wasn't as bothered by the multiple attempts to cheat (which were blatant and caught on camera, so it's not like he got away with anything), what I found myself most bothered by with Dave Gorman was in just how boring he was with a majority of the tasks. The first thought anyone might have is pretty much always the idea he went with here, and the results are just as forgettable as you might expect. However, he does have a handful of fine moments, which in only 5 episodes does help a bit. Early series contestants were definitely held back slightly by the lack of time to really get into things, but something tells me Gorman never would have really picked up had he been in one of the 8-10 episode seasons.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">47. Richard Herring</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 10</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FKYxFBnNXIOvhdokagPicIlWskvCRW1WRnQn6RmVBccGRO4X95XaxaXMVnNkR2ie7WCDRdHMm8XAt-2gLmv6oBb5xzM4A4U9zXbW4WToYLQPDV4xkpjeQpyzXMqtvRQtdw4nGOJz8DA/s266/richardherring.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FKYxFBnNXIOvhdokagPicIlWskvCRW1WRnQn6RmVBccGRO4X95XaxaXMVnNkR2ie7WCDRdHMm8XAt-2gLmv6oBb5xzM4A4U9zXbW4WToYLQPDV4xkpjeQpyzXMqtvRQtdw4nGOJz8DA/s0/richardherring.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 162 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Just having finished this series again, I'd have to say that Richard Herring is the most forgettable winner so far. Not that he's by any means my least favorite (as should be evident by previous entries), but much like most of the people on the list at this point, he just barely does anything noteworthy. Even though he won 5 of the season's 10 episodes, he never really dominated during his run, with his lead being incredibly close all the way to the very end. It led to an interesting sort of rivalry between himself and Daisy May Cooper, but a majority of the humor from this comes from just how angry she was, not from Richard.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">46. Asim Chaudhry</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 6</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CwYLQuEG0Z3zmx8kUrt6k4s2HMuABOeHT7QSsHuUIEPh35ZgX7tFj3HnJndxvjY1nfsUma-psg-m7kZ1zoc6towTQUu_qGSLYZw222xBnvg5Lj9xVdZb8J8vEJJ1b0INM5JfdgS9u2Q/s266/asimchaudhry.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CwYLQuEG0Z3zmx8kUrt6k4s2HMuABOeHT7QSsHuUIEPh35ZgX7tFj3HnJndxvjY1nfsUma-psg-m7kZ1zoc6towTQUu_qGSLYZw222xBnvg5Lj9xVdZb8J8vEJJ1b0INM5JfdgS9u2Q/s0/asimchaudhry.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 159 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">One of the more pleasant cast members in the show's history, Asim suffers from being in one of the weakest seasons of the show, but also from just how self-aggrandizing he could be. A lot of the time his prizes would come across more as talk show publicity segments that weren't inspired or necessarily a good fit for the brief, even though he managed to ingeniously work that bit into a future task that might go down as one of the best task performances in the show. He has some incredibly high highs, but his chilled-out personality didn't bring anything to the series that wouldn't have already been covered by other members of the cast.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">45. Al Murray</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 3</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-RI72MDmDIzI5iiWmS2aOMXFqzkZISpWt410glxd09TSM4_rTecGRFaRqN4UEgVabT-cUBTNuLKDTGqCltM82jjX0hNUvW_Y4yhT84albmE9LBl9X5JARX80o4Ne3qZOHn5f56h6Els/s266/almurray.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-RI72MDmDIzI5iiWmS2aOMXFqzkZISpWt410glxd09TSM4_rTecGRFaRqN4UEgVabT-cUBTNuLKDTGqCltM82jjX0hNUvW_Y4yhT84albmE9LBl9X5JARX80o4Ne3qZOHn5f56h6Els/s0/almurray.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 80 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And completing the trifecta of mediocre series 3 contestants, Al Murray! Yes, he spent probably more money during the tasks on the show than he got paid to do it, but there were still some hilarious moments he was responsible for. I think I laughed harder at his attempt at a snowman than I did at anything else this entire season (with the exception of a few Rob Beckett moments, now that I think of it), and the fact that even after Dave attempted to cheat multiple times, he still would up feeling like the seedy villain of the series really helps him stand out. Still, he wasn't a super inventive contestant, his smugness was a tad off-putting, and wouldn't have been a top 3 contestant of pretty much any other season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">44. Sian Gibson</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 8</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSqAyQHiU9vl7Uq-KMT7Qlkkdv7qoSKQ0WZj-pUbF2r_zbXdxxB9v-HJNcRW5WhELFcqKgxrUOBy1zIx_p5cV8fFtuNwPTV7ABUolYmE52ItKjJmn5h3w3cu7K3ucqKVwxF8wjjXFNw4/s266/siangibson.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTSqAyQHiU9vl7Uq-KMT7Qlkkdv7qoSKQ0WZj-pUbF2r_zbXdxxB9v-HJNcRW5WhELFcqKgxrUOBy1zIx_p5cV8fFtuNwPTV7ABUolYmE52ItKjJmn5h3w3cu7K3ucqKVwxF8wjjXFNw4/s0/siangibson.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 143 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps the best thing I can say about Sian as a contestant is that she is the person responsible for convincing Johnny Vegas to agree to the show, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have her fair share of fun moments. Yes, she also fits into the side of "boring" as far as overall performances go, but her enthusiasm had a sort of Mel Giedroyc energy that made her a welcome presence, especially in a series that featured some of the most aggressive and temperamental people we've ever seen. Still, she didn't really do anything too amazing here, wasn't very funny, and just kinda filled out the ranks. Had she been in a better season, she might have actually been lower on here, but who knows. Still, I definitely don't dislike her.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">43. Daisy May Cooper</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 10</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfZvoDmXSwm3k0UDIc_7bijvCH4DI6ae2KWkaq-aYL03mHiAFZVYIFL1gyN70au6RvSRoA5BN99zW5YdjcMu5g9pEYx47yeZYTJfGxrr9nSGVfxE7uo7XJ7InL03RCQW81THDf_7COIY/s266/daisymaycooper.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfZvoDmXSwm3k0UDIc_7bijvCH4DI6ae2KWkaq-aYL03mHiAFZVYIFL1gyN70au6RvSRoA5BN99zW5YdjcMu5g9pEYx47yeZYTJfGxrr9nSGVfxE7uo7XJ7InL03RCQW81THDf_7COIY/s0/daisymaycooper.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 158 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much like Lou Sanders, Daisy started off the series pretty good and seemed to be having a pretty good time out there. But after several episodes, and probably some anger issues brought on by the late stages of her pregnancy (not just being sexist here, this woman was about to burst), Daisy seemed to get a little lost in the competitive side of the show and mostly just seemed pissed off for the second half as things weren't working out as well for her. In interviews afterwards, Daisy admitted to having got caught up on it and wasn't trying to be funny when she got really mad, so I can at least appreciate her honesty there. But in spite of a few uncomfortable moments sprinkled throughout, I feel her energy was much needed and helped add to a terrific season.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">42. Roisin Conaty</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 1</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-k7PWpCAEibs_FmK-Mqwk3j295olkqpfw1c5SNwDEiQTMFiQWAq2vnsSwvcb_L9nPsuWtdYMeTagNfkGsU511w8_j6B2Jhyphenhyphen7PcpZyOLIWiATxtHvO_503mxQ0qpiB3ZgnJ2tAO8omiZs/s266/roisinconaty.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-k7PWpCAEibs_FmK-Mqwk3j295olkqpfw1c5SNwDEiQTMFiQWAq2vnsSwvcb_L9nPsuWtdYMeTagNfkGsU511w8_j6B2Jhyphenhyphen7PcpZyOLIWiATxtHvO_503mxQ0qpiB3ZgnJ2tAO8omiZs/s0/roisinconaty.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 68 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">This one might be seen as a "controversial" choice considering the overall popularity of the first season, but while I enjoy Roisin's idiot persona in small doses, even after only 6 episodes I was ready to be done with her. The incompetence could often be amusing, but when it's relentless it becomes a little too much for me to take. That paired with her friendship with Greg, that only wound up working in her favor (unlike someone like Rhod Gilbert, who used his friendship with Greg only as a means to insult him) as she consistently used things in his private life to give her more points. It felt a little sneaky, but not in a "it's all in good fun" type of way. Either way, she has a handful of hilarious moments, but I'm totally fine with her having been in one of the shorter seasons of the show. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">41. Phil Wang</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 7</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEugn-ECPZxM7fxuKYC3DKeLLnHKLVge24pNgr58N46pT-C4M66Yikj7i79BGjf9qpWMnxFejGwVUmfIYW3Vz0DD02Bj62fe-WOvc465_rMwiHXdNSiTPk3b3I5tZZ-fucNg9VDTruBQ/s266/philwang.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEugn-ECPZxM7fxuKYC3DKeLLnHKLVge24pNgr58N46pT-C4M66Yikj7i79BGjf9qpWMnxFejGwVUmfIYW3Vz0DD02Bj62fe-WOvc465_rMwiHXdNSiTPk3b3I5tZZ-fucNg9VDTruBQ/s0/philwang.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 133 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With two of the better running jokes in the series, Phil Wang sadly just didn't come through too much on the task side of the show, resulting in some pretty low effort stuff that rarely came across as particularly imaginative or inspired. Still, Wang gets bonus points for the aforementioned running jokes, one of which was just the unfortunate outfit he wore during the tasks themselves that very prominently displayed his genitals and the other being the haggling he used to bring in many of his prize tasks. Maybe 41st place seems a little harsh, but a couple funny jokes just isn't quite enough to give him the edge over some of the rest of these contestants. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">40. Richard Osman</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 2</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBC3J99-Nzbfu3__csja79yJI2namRjCyBfwNFQtsBK5yGmnGwIY1d7Jb3JXhu6AmBpLn92UWBQ7cv1vlssqckc-6P3y5dmLcmN4kmkhfJzcaKMY2h6tMFT9Z6pSgOGfhRtd2OFRlop8/s266/richardosman.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBC3J99-Nzbfu3__csja79yJI2namRjCyBfwNFQtsBK5yGmnGwIY1d7Jb3JXhu6AmBpLn92UWBQ7cv1vlssqckc-6P3y5dmLcmN4kmkhfJzcaKMY2h6tMFT9Z6pSgOGfhRtd2OFRlop8/s0/richardosman.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 86 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another one that people would probably disagree with being this low, but honestly apart from being the first person to really dissect the language/wording of the tasks to work in his favor, he didn't do much of anything that was too special. Sure, he was another one of the unfortunate contestants who only got to be there for 5 episodes, but in that time he never really did anything that blew me away. Nothing super funny, just an overall pleasant and clever contestant. I like Richard Osman just fine and this isn't meant as an insult, but he isn't a terribly funny guy, and ultimately what I like most are the ones who make me laugh the hardest. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">39. Tim Vine</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 6</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVdY02YviQjRBecMWGwcJuIibdQtiiXIXy8TLpe7MoU1eBCs7ncRBIRxasHvWeYwOEbT4j2T5cyHmILjzpHMgrxQFyt4Kjv5WbIGqsOuQEtDQAoCXmjKxsqbI-AXN0GR2vXnufYdxHGw/s266/timvine.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVdY02YviQjRBecMWGwcJuIibdQtiiXIXy8TLpe7MoU1eBCs7ncRBIRxasHvWeYwOEbT4j2T5cyHmILjzpHMgrxQFyt4Kjv5WbIGqsOuQEtDQAoCXmjKxsqbI-AXN0GR2vXnufYdxHGw/s0/timvine.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 175 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm going to start off with an insult but it's one that keeps popping up in my head and I can't get it out: Tim Vine looks like someone who would have played a child nabber in a '60s live action Disney movie. With that aside, he has a disarmingly sweet comedic persona, and his safari outfit was a good fit. He is just another contestant who winds up feeling very middling in a season with no real standouts, so I can't really put him any higher. Still, I enjoyed his presence, his ridiculous dad jokes, and I hadn't felt as bad for anyone on the show as I did during his missing hook task for quite a while. He didn't complain, he seemed to be having a good time, and was overall just fine. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">38. Liza Tarbuck</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 6</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF_IFy_eszyMsus5sa3OUoEQV83mRaMV1ocZYzQnafPDrd4bISVM-RRy2Lb87237yyvNTp6gbAk2HgWIkBGS4MxYoJoYION3ipi0BBW6zTQnNaVZKSW68dNs7xswYZ3rq3aJDnSdGDD4/s266/lizatarbuck.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSF_IFy_eszyMsus5sa3OUoEQV83mRaMV1ocZYzQnafPDrd4bISVM-RRy2Lb87237yyvNTp6gbAk2HgWIkBGS4MxYoJoYION3ipi0BBW6zTQnNaVZKSW68dNs7xswYZ3rq3aJDnSdGDD4/s0/lizatarbuck.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 181 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I've gone back and forth on Liza several times now, and have now settled on "she's fine". What makes her such a difficult contestant for me to rank is how absolutely brilliant she could be at times, but how irritatingly lazy she could be at others. She has several of the most memorable moments of her series, but the "I couldn't be bothered" attitude that permeates throughout that season are best personified by her performance. I don't want to just complain about her, as I do find some of the things she does to be genuinely hilarious and/or genius, but I'm still not entirely sure if she deserved to win the series and I'm curious to see how competitive (if at all) she'll be during Champion of Champions -- hopefully at least a little.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">37. Doc Brown</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 2</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLHn32JinbXH-CCDpoFGd_n2DTV6jT8cSiv7Px39fOr4i236RN6aESJtXkn52eFrzTSfGvH23PuRpUbu2QLDdgiY9F6kj9-Xce_z_MHSgMS1xzsuweZVCXlNxmmFhTu9g_3ErSjUaObg/s265/docbrown.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLHn32JinbXH-CCDpoFGd_n2DTV6jT8cSiv7Px39fOr4i236RN6aESJtXkn52eFrzTSfGvH23PuRpUbu2QLDdgiY9F6kj9-Xce_z_MHSgMS1xzsuweZVCXlNxmmFhTu9g_3ErSjUaObg/s0/docbrown.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 78 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I didn't really notice Doc much the first couple times through this series, as I was pretty much focused on Jon and Joe, but going back through the show several of my favorite moments are Doc-based. He can't see bridges, he's not an egg man, he thinks Greg was too harsh on Joe over the infamous potato throw, but mainly he punches the hell out of some salmon. He has a standout moment in just about every episode (which, of course, would be a lot easier for someone to do in a 5-episode season like this), even if he doesn't often steal the show. It's a shame he didn't enjoy his experience on the show, but I still found him solidly entertaining and made for a pretty entertaining 4th contestant.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">36. Paul Chowdhry</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 3</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zUrvFbSCSl5mc1pfa19BNNmgmZD_gXNzuEMRlkRyC9s3djA67Gxab5EdijOpF0afv78mjoGF3heqpwpg-bHwGF7Dy8RC5VoTznh-V5u2LM2hzjNgqkqFAII-gkj5UoRxJL0gqOQ8_I4/s266/paulchowdhry.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zUrvFbSCSl5mc1pfa19BNNmgmZD_gXNzuEMRlkRyC9s3djA67Gxab5EdijOpF0afv78mjoGF3heqpwpg-bHwGF7Dy8RC5VoTznh-V5u2LM2hzjNgqkqFAII-gkj5UoRxJL0gqOQ8_I4/s0/paulchowdhry.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 66 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ever since the show began, there has been an attempt at a sort of formula to determine who will be in the cast for each season. For example, they like having one weirdo and one person who is totally incompetent. In the case of Paul, they got a two-for-one deal. While his individual task was a definite bust (in contrast, most of the individual tasks are some of the most entertaining in the show), Paul's strange studio behavior and baffling decision making set him apart in so many ways. Maybe he could have been higher up had we seen a bit more of him, but I'm not entirely sure how much more of this strange man I would be able to handle. Still, he has some hilarious moments and is unlike anyone else they've ever had on the show before or since. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">35. Josh Widdicombe</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 1</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits5ypmRhTDIP-EdY6QRjMJuHgea4yNSxA340ttXfbmuiw5G3ZMB5b27JEwTEgP6R2atTx2u85Q1FHxP4NDL2NSy7XLiGBl5rEpQx5rCNljvb8KwPClyH2m95SPPl_z3Stt22Hu3u6Dew/s266/joshwiddicombe.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits5ypmRhTDIP-EdY6QRjMJuHgea4yNSxA340ttXfbmuiw5G3ZMB5b27JEwTEgP6R2atTx2u85Q1FHxP4NDL2NSy7XLiGBl5rEpQx5rCNljvb8KwPClyH2m95SPPl_z3Stt22Hu3u6Dew/s0/joshwiddicombe.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 94 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In a lot of ways I consider Tim Key to be the guy who set the tone for the series, but if that's the case Josh raised the bar a few levels. While he doesn't have a ton of task performances that stand out, his willingness to go the extra mile set him apart in ways I never would have expected from the first season of an experimental game show. Getting himself tattooed just to try and earn a few points on a show that might not even make it to air is a bold move, and one that many people consider one of the single most iconic moments of the entire show. That moment aside, he was a solid competitor, the first winner, and the first (and so far only) winner of the Champion of Champions. Overall, he tries his hardest and is hilarious when picked on by Greg.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">34. Russell Howard</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 6</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AGym59h-TeCf23RpJEQSAQhk6rz9IK5FpIfXEQQUA0kq90L8l2Ro3FCWiBC2GLEjsGZJ7xgH4xlyDL6SWctdm-4RJF-pA6_AwXR5fofD_mqOtFaXmrCDLS8ZOFbd1jE9C-wbDCt3T5I/s266/russellhoward.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AGym59h-TeCf23RpJEQSAQhk6rz9IK5FpIfXEQQUA0kq90L8l2Ro3FCWiBC2GLEjsGZJ7xgH4xlyDL6SWctdm-4RJF-pA6_AwXR5fofD_mqOtFaXmrCDLS8ZOFbd1jE9C-wbDCt3T5I/s0/russellhoward.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 170 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A lot of people dislike Russell Howard in general, but I'm mostly indifferent towards him. As far as his appearance on Taskmaster, I feel he's gotten a bit too much hate. Yeah, he did feel pretty low effort a lot of the time, but no more than pretty much anyone else this season. If anything, I wound up feeling pretty bad for him a lot of the time during this, as you get a little insight into just how pathetic his home life really is in a lot of ways -- or at least it seems that way from my perspective. He goes face first into all the sporty tasks, and even when his ideas are trash, he just goes with it. Who can forget when he shows that sweet old lady earwax removal videos on YouTube? So so strange. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">33. Nish Kumar</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 5</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp1cBK58E0sKE4XlFG0UB0_afHJSLNqX7jX_PknsJ15z-FykFG8YY9Frys_pFFY1YGhL2vK4ckX6bHiZraJn_WSXERY1hMM1zACf5q_si83B_Qs3uKsEEl3M2Zyk922RKvOXRiSZayJ0/s266/nishkumar.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijp1cBK58E0sKE4XlFG0UB0_afHJSLNqX7jX_PknsJ15z-FykFG8YY9Frys_pFFY1YGhL2vK4ckX6bHiZraJn_WSXERY1hMM1zACf5q_si83B_Qs3uKsEEl3M2Zyk922RKvOXRiSZayJ0/s0/nishkumar.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 107 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of all the "worst contestants" go, Nish Kumar seems to overall be one of the most loved, and I get why. His energy and total incompetence during a majority of the tasks made him pretty fun to watch, with Greg pretty obviously awarding him sympathy points on quite a few occasions just because he clearly saw there was no way it would affect the outcome of the show. But his usually terrible performances were only part of what made him so much fun, as it was made all the more triumphant every time he succeeded in doing something brilliant. As far as least favorites of their seasons go, Nish is one of the best, and I almost feel bad putting him this low. We're officially at the point in the list where I legitimately enjoy everyone from here on out with few caveats.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">32. Charlotte Ritchie</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 11</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPf91yT_AC5c4i2rVLpH2SP26B92rgX26q9OMZv65RP1L8G2BVqZDvt4sNR1HDNp6i8OI0Jy758JnZ-o4x357Ugbq1RKJm3xG7dSkuMmaoZWdV6csqmXA3YtcODYJgwe5FjpGIbXAf7w/s266/charlotteritchie.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPf91yT_AC5c4i2rVLpH2SP26B92rgX26q9OMZv65RP1L8G2BVqZDvt4sNR1HDNp6i8OI0Jy758JnZ-o4x357Ugbq1RKJm3xG7dSkuMmaoZWdV6csqmXA3YtcODYJgwe5FjpGIbXAf7w/s0/charlotteritchie.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 125 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I wasn't so sure about Charlotte when the season began, as she definitely took a little while to warm up to the show and everyone else around her (she didn't seem to get what the show was all about and didn't look like she was having too much fun), but as it went along she fell into the worst contestant role wonderfully and fully leaned into the "children's TV presenter" character Greg painted her as. Sadly, she didn't have too many brilliant task moments, but she was still a lovely contestant to have on the show as a counterbalance to the laser-focused competitive nature of Sarah and Lee. At times almost too endearing to even make fun of, Charlotte was too much fun for me to call the worst of her series, even if that's how she ultimately fell on this list. Season 11 was just that good.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">31. Sarah Kendall</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 11</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ3nq9Mw36Mo4Q_ox07TNfKPL0T2ZFGPBxKYXnNOb6T5Yu-rZZU-V8ThUDo8MfjQoxujGJQta4NZ-FDoA6FOdsrjn6pZHVmVCgBAoGOQl1SkKKB1VtMROK2w8BgpnuiJNkISQrQa-9KA/s266/sarahkendall.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ3nq9Mw36Mo4Q_ox07TNfKPL0T2ZFGPBxKYXnNOb6T5Yu-rZZU-V8ThUDo8MfjQoxujGJQta4NZ-FDoA6FOdsrjn6pZHVmVCgBAoGOQl1SkKKB1VtMROK2w8BgpnuiJNkISQrQa-9KA/s0/sarahkendall.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 158 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Winner of season 11 by a very narrow margin, Sarah Kendall took the lead early in the show and it never really left her grasp throughout the whole thing. That being said, exactly how she took the lead by so much so quickly (roughly 20 points ahead of everyone else by 4 episodes in) is still a mystery to me. She wasn't a contestant who dominated every task, she just kinda landed in the middle most of the time, efficiently doing the things asked of her with determination and focus. Yes, this is the most boring way to approach things in the show, but unlike a lot of other "Route 1" contestants, what she brought to the table was a great deal of humor in the studio segments. Most of her task performances were relatively forgettable, but she redeemed herself just by being not being annoying when dealing with Greg and Alex. In fact, she could be quite funny when dealing with Alex on several occasions. That to me makes her one of the best winners of the most recent seasons.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">30. Frank Skinner</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 1</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t-2VKTspzF1MyzxTDNyLb4qG3lqxmtBcqexp_PmphV2O6TALvB-Hv_okHXiT3LarqqRDOldm1SFHOBVAU4o8XPUmR1qKvhoa_ksoX0oEZDpA0jVZPmXHP7GEThxwix0frOovCSlzbxE/s265/frankskinner.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0t-2VKTspzF1MyzxTDNyLb4qG3lqxmtBcqexp_PmphV2O6TALvB-Hv_okHXiT3LarqqRDOldm1SFHOBVAU4o8XPUmR1qKvhoa_ksoX0oEZDpA0jVZPmXHP7GEThxwix0frOovCSlzbxE/s0/frankskinner.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place (tie), 93 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the grand scheme of the show, Frank Skinner has been highlighted by Alex Horne himself as possibly the most important contestant the show has ever had. A comedian of his clout and reputation willingly leaning into a show like this helped get the whole thing off the ground, but the historical significance of his appearance isn't what landed him on the list. Much like Sarah Kendall, Frank's specific tasks weren't often too mind-blowing, but his studio contribution was possibly the most entertaining of the first several seasons of the show. A naturally funny man filled with anecdotes on just about every subject, Skinner always had a quip or a story to accompany everything and it really helped set the lighthearted mood for the studio.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">29. Katherine Ryan</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 2</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBmlA6H7J0kTD4xVVjsL35SKek-QuG5pmDTBj5-BANmuqtIVL_DHjWoMQYl9F5AFp1vmhKBm1YZjHji4hN9CXqfgF1vUrKZ-u7PNUp_-19j1jad59Xty3-aNYJzFSybG7np0SUTyKLO0/s266/katherineryan.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBmlA6H7J0kTD4xVVjsL35SKek-QuG5pmDTBj5-BANmuqtIVL_DHjWoMQYl9F5AFp1vmhKBm1YZjHji4hN9CXqfgF1vUrKZ-u7PNUp_-19j1jad59Xty3-aNYJzFSybG7np0SUTyKLO0/s0/katherineryan.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 94 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Probably the most controversial winner in the history of the show, Katherine earned 15 of her points in one single live task that completely stole the show away from Jon Richardson. Mild scoring issues aside, Katherine Ryan was a pretty fun contestant with some odd ideas and probably the most cringeworthy, embarrassing, and downright shocking task performances in the history of the show: her take on "make the biggest mess and completely clear it up" from Champion of Champions. Maybe she isn't always the most clever in every task, but she definitely had a different approach to her fellow contestants. She argued her points but didn't often complain in a legitimately whiny way, showing just the right level of self-awareness to keep the show competitive but also light. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">28. Katherine Parkinson</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 10</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG45PsREt8AmfqZYiuDoFsDcFMqEnTAGjwX0Wuf18f7DsB8N8TXMXBQgReUJgGvOsEgCOoBkqhlcOMJ_gWvCkco8J8nDkZclNW09pqw75twIfmPkaVueonKbX5gSjvwgv_qtiFKR6cWj4/s266/katherineparkinson.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG45PsREt8AmfqZYiuDoFsDcFMqEnTAGjwX0Wuf18f7DsB8N8TXMXBQgReUJgGvOsEgCOoBkqhlcOMJ_gWvCkco8J8nDkZclNW09pqw75twIfmPkaVueonKbX5gSjvwgv_qtiFKR6cWj4/s0/katherineparkinson.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 118 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's always funny to me when they book contestants who aren't at all used to/comfortable with improvised comedy and live studio stuff, and Katherine Parkinson is definitely an example of just that. Not only this, but she clearly wasn't too familiar with how the show worked going in, as she was totally out of her element the whole time. She looked like she was about to have a mental breakdown during 90% of the show, and some of her task performances implied she might have actually be in the midst of one. All of that being said, she tried to keep a certain level of decorum when the show started, but that all faded away as it went along and she seemed to be stripped of all dignity by the midway point. It's rare for a contestant to have such a visible arc throughout the show, and hers is definitely one of the most memorable. It was almost like Stockholm Syndrome, and it was pretty hilarious to witness.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">27. Jessica Knappett</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 7</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAvFZ0XooKIgqTlSAZdVonOjWHX5m5hv_BUTAsZBqYXWAqydTkr6Ii2YKERVKy9go4YA-9De_Osf0akU3eMiM4aiJSZ_bDisajglSLMm0Sx4hwNHaUh4gqNN1gMzeH6CfOLalhfOSP9k/s266/jessicaknappett.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkAvFZ0XooKIgqTlSAZdVonOjWHX5m5hv_BUTAsZBqYXWAqydTkr6Ii2YKERVKy9go4YA-9De_Osf0akU3eMiM4aiJSZ_bDisajglSLMm0Sx4hwNHaUh4gqNN1gMzeH6CfOLalhfOSP9k/s0/jessicaknappett.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 175 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">When discussing Jessica Knappett's time on the show, it's borderline impossible not to first mention her little live task tumble. A moment so iconic, they went on to name the runway after her for it. This moment aside, Jessica has a handful of fun moments, but is notable to me for being on one of the best teams in the show's history: her and Kerry Godliman. These two, in my opinion, were one of the most efficient and weirdly entertaining teams there's ever been, which I think is odd considering how often I found Kerry irritating outside of the team tasks. But Knappett and Godliman were a wonderful team with great synergy, and I put a lot of that on just how friendly and good-natured Jessica is. She's maybe not the most impressive contestant the show has ever seen, but she filled out the cast wonderfully and overall did quite good at the tasks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">26. Tim Key</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 1</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHO8e6FZvEo3CEElCt4pRFQnHQ15zXP4JFsxG6gU7hn2t9mfchuyazzpPEmsxcAp7jSOip95DkNgJ00hhMaVcpuVpNfPScWQxskdB1fivC1-rmuYRyCQ0Eaqqjut0eVT95DzQ4Wd5-dF4/s265/timkey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHO8e6FZvEo3CEElCt4pRFQnHQ15zXP4JFsxG6gU7hn2t9mfchuyazzpPEmsxcAp7jSOip95DkNgJ00hhMaVcpuVpNfPScWQxskdB1fivC1-rmuYRyCQ0Eaqqjut0eVT95DzQ4Wd5-dF4/s0/timkey.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 88 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The man who ultimately set the tone for the show, Tim Key started off with a bang by bringing in a reindeer skull for the first prize task, attempted to cheat multiple times, lied to the public about doing a task for Comic Relief, and totally went the extra mile with tasks like getting the tea bag into a mug from the furthest away. In a lot of ways, Tim was the first villain in the series. That being said, most people would probably put him a lot higher than I do, and I attribute that to how often he phoned in tasks. He would often go an extremely lazy route and not really put the effort in, which was a strange contrast to how hard he tried other times. A genuinely odd contestant who was just about as inconsistent as they come, but still an overall very enjoyable one.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">25. Mark Watson</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 5</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggX6Vz6pKJk3LKXXCzmREd7gjKGXLY9sJztebILXMUGaCweNofXFoRXhPoekyzmR0BzJjcNv3d6l7ocPUcZtjyQ-nMU9TMk7nekqYluyevOO4r4lSPxnJRFN2tA28v_zLLLLx0QlV1h6g/s266/markwatson.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggX6Vz6pKJk3LKXXCzmREd7gjKGXLY9sJztebILXMUGaCweNofXFoRXhPoekyzmR0BzJjcNv3d6l7ocPUcZtjyQ-nMU9TMk7nekqYluyevOO4r4lSPxnJRFN2tA28v_zLLLLx0QlV1h6g/s0/markwatson.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place (tie), 130 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It took me a few times through to fully appreciate the awkward hilarity of Mark Watson, but now I think I can safely say he was a perfect fit for the season, and I still enjoy his individual task of having to message Greg every day for 5 months. This man has a weird energy to him, he put out tons of effort, but his insane level of awkwardness and bizarre ticks seemed to occasionally hamper his performance. This may have led to him being underscored every now and then, but the results were funny enough for it not to matter. Besides, Bob Mortimer was predestined to win this series anyway, so it didn't really matter how good anyone else did. Watson may not always stand out, but his overall quality performance and interesting studio presence help set him apart amid an excellent season. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">24. Jamali Maddix</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 11</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzs0UpfEsxGGmLPJOXth5M2ZtPYFArNgqud2un_nGv1dTOn_EB_tWaASNHU0eWcHlqeICd6Xp0sYLpMWc6EHUYxjfb5ElnvilBXRo4ev23WbrXffmyG0Oh-jMxegIj-ManEbTzBtlJeg/s266/jamalimaddix.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzs0UpfEsxGGmLPJOXth5M2ZtPYFArNgqud2un_nGv1dTOn_EB_tWaASNHU0eWcHlqeICd6Xp0sYLpMWc6EHUYxjfb5ElnvilBXRo4ev23WbrXffmyG0Oh-jMxegIj-ManEbTzBtlJeg/s0/jamalimaddix.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 137 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much like Charlotte Ritchie, Jamali started off the season a little rough for me. He was overly combative, his personality was too weird for me, and his prizes were mostly pretty lazy. I wasn't convinced I would enjoy him on here, and since I wasn't familiar with him outside of the show, all I had to go on was what I had already seen, and I was pretty apprehensive about him. But he quickly turned it around in my eyes, and the level of weirdness just made him all the funnier. Much like Paul Chowdhry, Jamali had a different approach to things that made him wildly unpredictable, and that caused him to be the wildcard contestant who you never knew if he would fail or succeed with flying colors. Equal parts inspired and inept, I never could get a read on him and that resulted in some genuinely hilarious moments. He was especially funny when dealing with Alex Horne and his apparent disdain for him. Priceless.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">23. Mawaan Rizwan</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 10</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzUCgvWgMybrDFH8Yx385YfQbD47jD9P8I7yZEJ3Jmi1AemiXPsERFL4IZlrxsRbrwv-dJNDOrOtb0iVa_qm_ZgVi32nVKVo2Oao77FJh4Z75-Qckc8xWDrRXeZEA04bhfFTfjYfsDyk/s266/mawaanrizwan.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzUCgvWgMybrDFH8Yx385YfQbD47jD9P8I7yZEJ3Jmi1AemiXPsERFL4IZlrxsRbrwv-dJNDOrOtb0iVa_qm_ZgVi32nVKVo2Oao77FJh4Z75-Qckc8xWDrRXeZEA04bhfFTfjYfsDyk/s0/mawaanrizwan.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 151 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much like Jamali, Mawaan had a sort of wildcard element that made him into a very difficult contestant to predict. But instead of the more destructive approach Jamali often took, Mawaan was a little more clever. He was often too clever for his own good, but he rarely seemed to get overly punished for it. What he also had in common with Jamali was in how often he completely botched it. Even more than his various genius moments, Mawaan is probably going to be best remembered for his attempt at inflating an egg with helium to get it to float. This is one of the most amazing things about this show: clever people panicking, doing the most ridiculous things, and somehow expecting them to work. Series 10 was a pretty uneven season in a lot of ways, so in a weird way Mawaan was consistent by those standards. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">22. David Baddiel</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 9</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwFJjQkIojK_XsUSQ0wCzYlJP1vKLPfa6B-4Md6Kvx-PZc2xUhcydCOeYSz24R5je694TRmOVefJxXosbHCjKWwkl-pHnuX13cfwG0MkomlK2c6QNxomPeRW151dJlCEUTwd4SrzrZaw/s266/davidbaddiel.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwFJjQkIojK_XsUSQ0wCzYlJP1vKLPfa6B-4Md6Kvx-PZc2xUhcydCOeYSz24R5je694TRmOVefJxXosbHCjKWwkl-pHnuX13cfwG0MkomlK2c6QNxomPeRW151dJlCEUTwd4SrzrZaw/s0/davidbaddiel.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 128 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">While most people would probably call Nish Kumar their favorite of all the last place contestants, David Baddiel definitely stands out more for me. Much like Knappett/Godliman, David Baddiel got to be part of one of the best teams in the show's history alongside his friend Jo Brand. Those two have a hilarious dynamic, and their super slow and casual approach to their tasks made for a wonderful contrast with the frantic approach of Ed, Rose, and (to a much lesser extent) Katy. You pair that with his ability to laugh at himself, and totally inept performances in tasks he has no real excuse to be so bad at. His constant cry of "I've written four #1 hits!" followed swiftly with awful song lyrics in multiple tasks still makes me laugh. He was an amazing punching bag, even if he ultimately didn't deserve a lot of the punishment he got.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">21. Iain Stirling</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 8</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbctv6M6IjlLxP0cBGPVBLiQF6XkoLufXPS2Buc88Uw59eFZ6lCKgXAIloZnbabG0QpPKa81y5-brWRnBMdPNzLI_kdbj7l2hk8YfUM1dE7Q_RhFxMOGgEK5UQtCe8Zh4QQoJyLgiIRqQ/s266/iainstirling.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbctv6M6IjlLxP0cBGPVBLiQF6XkoLufXPS2Buc88Uw59eFZ6lCKgXAIloZnbabG0QpPKa81y5-brWRnBMdPNzLI_kdbj7l2hk8YfUM1dE7Q_RhFxMOGgEK5UQtCe8Zh4QQoJyLgiIRqQ/s0/iainstirling.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 156 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I can pretty safely say this is what would be considered the most controversial placement on the whole list, as most people who watched the show found Iain genuinely irritating. I can see why, but where I find him more tolerable is in how much shame he feels as the series progresses. His spoiled brat tantrums and outbursts slow down (as Lou's consistently grow) as he shows genuine shame and remorse for his behavior. The competitiveness doesn't totally vanish though, and he still tries his hardest at all times. He has a fascinating arc as a contestant, he has some truly hilarious moments, and he rarely got rewarded for throwing a fit over how many points he felt he deserved. In a season that was mostly pretty dull, Iain Stirling stood out as a pretty intense example of what could happen if you take the show just a little too seriously -- but to comedic effect.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">20. Sally Phillips</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 5</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3srRJkE0D4rrbSI_Kf2qwKqD7RJBmDFHqCSyGF_RDo6-dRIT1Je19sdKvBAT9MRWnIYigFUiKkKBnZpw8upNqdtXc-Z5LfrFEdR4a3MQa3UBPvFWnhYPxkRYnoPjN53ylgKqWWivjyJg/s266/sallyphillips.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3srRJkE0D4rrbSI_Kf2qwKqD7RJBmDFHqCSyGF_RDo6-dRIT1Je19sdKvBAT9MRWnIYigFUiKkKBnZpw8upNqdtXc-Z5LfrFEdR4a3MQa3UBPvFWnhYPxkRYnoPjN53ylgKqWWivjyJg/s0/sallyphillips.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place (tie), 130 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Overall, I think series 5 probably had the most consistent and likeable cast of any series so far, and Sally Phillips is a wonderful addition to that group. With a couple genuinely unforgettable task performances, hilariously sex-starved studio segments, and an overall cheerful and game approach to any and every thing thrown her way, Sally was pretty much a dream contestant. I didn't know anything about her beforehand, but every time I watch through the show I like her just a little bit more. She's funny, imaginative, worked well in the team tasks, and wasn't afraid to make fun of herself. Like I said before, she was pretty much exactly what you'd want in a contestant. She just gets overshadowed by some people I overall preferred.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">19. Rob Beckett</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 3</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMcAjiENsTFXm1avq88OyB5sa2a9EvMn01XBTBxi-mGnRUgOLhoiploodilHtTsw5oFj8ZEwQrgEpKfB06GozLBGNt-AxToF9NOiviuQMkLvexUJmTcz_Xa4ZCQKMdhxzizv6l4dKUVg/s266/robbeckett.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMcAjiENsTFXm1avq88OyB5sa2a9EvMn01XBTBxi-mGnRUgOLhoiploodilHtTsw5oFj8ZEwQrgEpKfB06GozLBGNt-AxToF9NOiviuQMkLvexUJmTcz_Xa4ZCQKMdhxzizv6l4dKUVg/s0/robbeckett.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 87 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The single shining light in an otherwise forgettable season, Rob Beckett approached every task with the enthusiasm of a slobbering family dog. He'd just had a baby around the filming of a great deal of his recorded tasks, and the sleep deprivation he suffered from at this time definitely comes through in how absolutely insane a lot of his performances were. Surrounded in the studio by mostly forgettable contestants, Rob Beckett and his puppy dog energy was almost guaranteed to win from the beginning, but that didn't mean it wasn't still fun to see him rise to the top and take the whole thing. In fact, he was nearly going to take home the Champion of Champions title, only losing to Josh Widdicombe by a single point. He was a great competitor, very fun to watch, and lighthearted enough to never drag the mood down.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">18. Jo Brand</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 9</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRuhuyTf4SD6-xAzcjB8B-3BrVUYOm50K3YdVl832xJydl4_cNPglK8jL27Z2TnEbVLUk5VLc9G7LRNgt5MIUNbYl-N-4Y38u5N9OEP0rjErAod-Ma1vMOdQBydHoxh9tTKPI8L9t75Y/s266/jobrand.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRuhuyTf4SD6-xAzcjB8B-3BrVUYOm50K3YdVl832xJydl4_cNPglK8jL27Z2TnEbVLUk5VLc9G7LRNgt5MIUNbYl-N-4Y38u5N9OEP0rjErAod-Ma1vMOdQBydHoxh9tTKPI8L9t75Y/s0/jobrand.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 154 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jo Brand, as I mentioned a couple times in earlier segments, brought a sort of willful lack of energy that many people might find annoying, but I thought was absolutely hilarious. Her incredibly dry sense of humor, sarcastic responses to Greg (which often resulted in him giving her extra points, even against her protests), and almost praise-worthy effortless approach to almost every task was the kind of thing someone could only pull off if they were really trying to. In other words, she worked as hard as someone possibly could to not do anything at all -- and it was beautiful. Sure, she often got over-scored likely due to her clout as a comic, but it never spoiled the "integrity" of the show and it ultimately just made it even funnier to have David Baddiel finish last place by as much as he did.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">17. Hugh Dennis</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 5</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcGnwEVYTmbcBQdpCwb64rACk_8XggQt8aw3fIHWa_ChG7A35aoPb1fADfAoFvZFFKzTlmok1-4HHtBK7c9xkf_LIL4k0hyN4yI-pLj15neS5UMJ4ym-IUqjeQ9aaRuXOWNnVNTPjq7I/s266/hughdennis.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcGnwEVYTmbcBQdpCwb64rACk_8XggQt8aw3fIHWa_ChG7A35aoPb1fADfAoFvZFFKzTlmok1-4HHtBK7c9xkf_LIL4k0hyN4yI-pLj15neS5UMJ4ym-IUqjeQ9aaRuXOWNnVNTPjq7I/s0/hughdennis.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 129 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Remember what I said about Mawaan being maybe a little too clever for his own good? This applies double to Hugh Dennis, who repeatedly found himself getting punished for his out-of-the-box ideas (which, granted, not all were exactly slam dunks) to the point where he almost wound up finishing behind even Lolly, who was pretty terrible at almost everything the entire season. That being said, when I went through and did my own scoring I believe Hugh finished in second place, and of all the contestants in series 4, he probably had the most task performances I think back on. Hilarious in the studio and self-confident to a fault, Hugh was one of the earliest lateral thinkers of the show that caught Greg in a bad mood the most often. A less cool guy would have complained about how few points he got, but Hugh just rolled with it, and I can respect that.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">16. Rose Matafeo</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 9</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37mNUfshN3tjb6jI3gcUuqmf-aG6ZIZGtKPwqlD8MnR0uw4orekfo04ijmqOr5QBGYlIye5PtDl8ixFtZ44gjosbYrkq3IkEaGY4ODX7qXmDaRi84wCLiOU24nvmiJVXfQVR12dHfngQ/s266/rosematafeo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37mNUfshN3tjb6jI3gcUuqmf-aG6ZIZGtKPwqlD8MnR0uw4orekfo04ijmqOr5QBGYlIye5PtDl8ixFtZ44gjosbYrkq3IkEaGY4ODX7qXmDaRi84wCLiOU24nvmiJVXfQVR12dHfngQ/s0/rosematafeo.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 159 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We're really at the point in the list where pretty much every contestant is a top 10er, but some of them sadly need to fall just outside of it, so here we are. New Zealand comic Rose Matafeo was one I was afraid might not quite gel with the show, as I was not only unfamiliar with Rose herself, but with NZ comedy as a whole. Much to my surprise and joy, she was one of the funniest, most excitable, and enjoyable competitive people on the series. She and Ed made for a wonderful pair whose race for the victory gave the series a much-needed bit of life, considering the Jo/David factor -- not to mention the forgettable-ness of Katy. Her wacky sense of humor and willingness to laugh at herself made her impossible not to root for. Also, she had some truly outstanding task moments, of course.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">15. Lee Mack</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 11</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKMZsVDqIj4iFPJ22kaHFVKpypE7-a8q1r4DrmY4z5kxrM55KpJAxgQNDqrbFqc7jbjIxKZsOdGeqGG1sR0nH7OGqQ503SdNibPYXgQ6qNyEw0qraMmF-lLDQvCinptZdjniSGOvltX0/s266/leemack.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnKMZsVDqIj4iFPJ22kaHFVKpypE7-a8q1r4DrmY4z5kxrM55KpJAxgQNDqrbFqc7jbjIxKZsOdGeqGG1sR0nH7OGqQ503SdNibPYXgQ6qNyEw0qraMmF-lLDQvCinptZdjniSGOvltX0/s0/leemack.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 151 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I (like everyone else who's a fan of the show) was beyond excited when I saw Lee Mack was going to be in season 11, as he's one of my favorite British comedians, so I know I went into this with super high expectations. Sadly, since the expectations were this high, I suppose it would be fair to say he could never fully live up to my hype levels. That being said, the energy and effort he puts into every second he's on the show was obvious, and it's made all the more endearing by how much his kids love the show and knowing he basically did it all for them. He was a bit of a wild man who failed just about as many tasks as he aced, but he never phoned it in and gave a lazy performance. For someone known for his razor sharp and insanely quick wit, Lee was often hilariously bad when put on the spot, reacting in a sort of panic that is slightly unexpected when you consider his status as a comic. Basically, he put everything he had into the show, and it really came through -- even if he didn't do quite as well as you could tell he'd really hoped to. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">14. Aisling Bea</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 5</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfJT4lEh2V4z-s0jehDzotClG8Y3T1H7wIk07HxbAc-l3oLGSsb9F8_46lm9278-kuZUWzr2k3rng8rtuthO036dlcrkV-ceLqOGd9HV8a9z1-FZdg9DaIVeOsnNMJdI01F8LGrM1Mgs/s266/aislingbea.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfJT4lEh2V4z-s0jehDzotClG8Y3T1H7wIk07HxbAc-l3oLGSsb9F8_46lm9278-kuZUWzr2k3rng8rtuthO036dlcrkV-ceLqOGd9HV8a9z1-FZdg9DaIVeOsnNMJdI01F8LGrM1Mgs/s0/aislingbea.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 126 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A lot of people seem to really hate Aisling Bea, and I just don't understand why. Maybe it's because of her confrontational (but funny) approach to perceived sexism? Either way she's got a super awkward sense of humor, a sly self-awareness (that I think a lot of people don't catch), and she's pretty much game for anything. Yes, she gets overshadowed by the presence of Bob Mortimer, but her obvious admiration for the man just makes her more endearing to me. From the word go she was off, dressing as a robot and mimicking wanking Alex off, and it only got weirder and sillier from there. It was hard for me not to include her in my top 10, but I see her not being in there as more of a compliment to the rest of these people than an insult to her. Series 5 was one of my favorites in the show, and a decent sized chunk of that is thanks to Aisling Bea. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">13. Jon Richardson</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 2</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdV7_-dSmZ1ZPGX7ouA5XoOTJUbUaT4yKBiEqolmQ8bHI1380DI5rXwQb9CPfHlMhoSJmSHZvX2DkWnRRz1rG_AwP1hKo1hIsDIHmNUJI8hWKAUReZBdjEqmgBLrulZ8EMwnM7X47tXcw/s266/jonrichardson.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdV7_-dSmZ1ZPGX7ouA5XoOTJUbUaT4yKBiEqolmQ8bHI1380DI5rXwQb9CPfHlMhoSJmSHZvX2DkWnRRz1rG_AwP1hKo1hIsDIHmNUJI8hWKAUReZBdjEqmgBLrulZ8EMwnM7X47tXcw/s0/jonrichardson.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 90 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Had the rabbits in the hat live task been pointed as every other task in the show, Jon would be right up there among the best series winners, but here we are. In only 5 episodes, Jon had some of the most memorable moments in the series crammed into a pretty small period of time. His take on Three Blind Mice and his feeble attempts at impressing a Mayor probably being the biggest standouts, but he had several tasks and studio moments in every single episode that made me laugh, and that's not something most contestants can claim. I feel like a lot of people underrate Jon on this show, maybe because they don't really enjoy his comedic persona in general, but as a fan of his from other shows (he's got plenty of hilarious stuff out there on shows like 8oo10C and WILTY) I was not disappointed at all. Now let's hope they can get him onto the podcast, I want to see how irritated he is/was that he didn't win.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">12. Joe Wilkinson</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 2</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8w_LM-5waIAKrX65fCnXmA8Lr5oF4P_b5gxSc9lbDSwv9j_LzkG09CWZMk5e831iQdZ_F8JnulSqM21p9qGCeNTu8L9S8S0ugWQwr4E5F-plhmVYxH34GrtIgXMTTRsm1h3HIRQ6xGns/s266/joewilkinson.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8w_LM-5waIAKrX65fCnXmA8Lr5oF4P_b5gxSc9lbDSwv9j_LzkG09CWZMk5e831iQdZ_F8JnulSqM21p9qGCeNTu8L9S8S0ugWQwr4E5F-plhmVYxH34GrtIgXMTTRsm1h3HIRQ6xGns/s0/joewilkinson.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">5th place, 69 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Another 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown regular, Joe Wilkinson only slightly edged Jon out largely due to one moment. And if you've ever watched Taskmaster - as I presume anyone reading this much about it has - I don't think I even need to say what that moment is. From that point on, Joe was impossible not to root for, taking his wacky sense of humor and bringing it to a show that's all about silliness. In a lot of ways, Joe is a perfect contestant: weird sense of humor, incredibly unique and imaginative, just enough competition to keep things lively, but never takes things too seriously. Sometimes he would be frustrating to watch (his nursery rhyme video was lazy garbage), but he always had me rooting for him to do just a little better, and made it so every success he had was impossible not to cheer on. I wasn't a fan of his going in, but he turned me around and now I can't help but to like the guy, and that's almost entirely thanks to his appearance on this show.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">11. Joe Thomas</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 8</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFYMFyw9v6-c3onCdoHoNM8e5pRcFR3Cvyvwna4VqiXOpqPhAdo_aP3YFMdaBf0mw7ToXoZRv2CjC2LMTLUHQwc08fqpi_3k2an-lyU2gJh9kHHTx6v0Jzg3FYOT46tSkSm-14aiAfXQ/s266/joethomas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdFYMFyw9v6-c3onCdoHoNM8e5pRcFR3Cvyvwna4VqiXOpqPhAdo_aP3YFMdaBf0mw7ToXoZRv2CjC2LMTLUHQwc08fqpi_3k2an-lyU2gJh9kHHTx6v0Jzg3FYOT46tSkSm-14aiAfXQ/s0/joethomas.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 150 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I never thought I would be putting anyone from series 8 this high on the list, but every single time I watch through this show I love Joe Thomas more and more. He is one of the most impossible contestants not to root for, and manages to make even the smallest moments amusing or weirdly adorable just by how awkward he is in pretty much every way. Just being greeted by Sian Gibson during their first team task was one of the single most uncomfortable moments of the whole show, and his interactions with Alex Horne made Alex look like the sociable/normal one out of the two. Not only was he loads of fun to watch, but he also was one of the most under-scored in the history of the show, as I would have had him out in the lead by about 10 points by the end, whereas he landed about 15 points behind the winner. I'd love to see him appear on more panel shows, but it seems unlikely that he'd be willing to more often be in front of that many humans at once.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">10. Joe Lycett</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 4</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjFkNTBvwshImPGzhyt-1bF9fySE8LCLqic7Lp1MzNhIzWrhQjpsanI4T_lCe4Ip_k6WZF2Tx6qIW_uD1KYTD4ZV6-kjEGJyMk_X9qm-KRFnmBC_CN7zU_ANvpq6_B6fZCchQK6_TZjE/s266/joelycett.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjFkNTBvwshImPGzhyt-1bF9fySE8LCLqic7Lp1MzNhIzWrhQjpsanI4T_lCe4Ip_k6WZF2Tx6qIW_uD1KYTD4ZV6-kjEGJyMk_X9qm-KRFnmBC_CN7zU_ANvpq6_B6fZCchQK6_TZjE/s0/joelycett.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 136 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is probably a little bit of favoritism going on here, as I was a fan of Lycett beforehand, but he's an example of a contestant who delivered pretty much exactly what I wanted from him without letting me down at all. With an enthusiasm and charm that's impossible not to be disarmed by, Joe Lycett brings a sweet and adorable energy to the tasks that occasionally dips into unexpectedly dark territory on a moment's notice. He's an extremely clever comedian, always seems to be having an absolute blast, and keeps that plucky youthfulness up in a way that never feels showy or desperate. He's just a complete package as far as contestants go, and he would probably have landed even higher on this list had he not been in the company of so many other amazing contestants. But we'll get to the rest of them here in a minute. Anyway, I loved Joe before I saw him on Taskmaster, and he made me like him even more afterwards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">9. Ed Gamble</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 9</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSAdfqvRJH5buK49INceQYuATlitK6PoPPbicF1P0X14g0uhjAL59wKkBIE4Z4OAHPJDrTp4MAPxGNxPUIUnftYAFi2ZAY4IKs2BQSSQLUasufFHodwXLZdjgTCSakmxFn4iQQisUFMM/s266/edgamble.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiSAdfqvRJH5buK49INceQYuATlitK6PoPPbicF1P0X14g0uhjAL59wKkBIE4Z4OAHPJDrTp4MAPxGNxPUIUnftYAFi2ZAY4IKs2BQSSQLUasufFHodwXLZdjgTCSakmxFn4iQQisUFMM/s0/edgamble.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 167 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm not a big podcast guy, so I wasn't familiar with Ed before I watched this series, but he's another one that managed to sway me just based on how he was in this show. Now I regularly listen to the Taskmaster podcast, and intend on checking out his food-based one with James Acaster. Anyway, Ed is the best winner the show has had in a while, he brings the right level of creativity and charm to his performance, but also is competitive as they come. He shouts and argues his case again and again, but does it with a little twinkle in his eye that lets you and everyone know that even if he really means what he's saying, it's all in good fun. The show has seemed to have fallen prey a bit to series winners who always do things in the most boring ways possible, but Ed didn't do that. Sure, he focused on the rules and tried his best to stay within the lines, but he also let his imagination run wild, and the results were often quite inspired because of it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">8. Mel Giedroyc</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 4</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHrWsnBu25pqQ__SiAXSj1xT76l_NOrhgZWpAV6l3pKUG9XXoojc6HF1wCITMMopOdp0hG8wg7oQwjPOWy_jNzkFygkBni-NO6W1OsWKM534MT8ro0SWZmYQvwJo2hQuTIUCmSmXShP8/s266/melgiedroyc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHrWsnBu25pqQ__SiAXSj1xT76l_NOrhgZWpAV6l3pKUG9XXoojc6HF1wCITMMopOdp0hG8wg7oQwjPOWy_jNzkFygkBni-NO6W1OsWKM534MT8ro0SWZmYQvwJo2hQuTIUCmSmXShP8/s0/melgiedroyc.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 134 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I almost forgot as I was typing up the segment on Joe Lycett that Mel was in the same series as him, as I very nearly claimed he injected the whole season with an exuberance that might not otherwise have been there. That would have not just been an untrue claim, it would have been downright idiotic. Mel Giedroyc is one of the most enthusiastic, loveable, and completely engaged people I've ever seen on a TV show. She almost seems like a character more than an actual person, as it's virtually impossible for me to imagine anyone could be so relentlessly positive and adorable at all times. But she's not just a beacon of joy, she's also a clever and funny personality who had some ingenious ideas and never approached them in a lazy way. She was in it 100%, and so sweet that she would have taken minimum points for every task and still had an absolute blast the entire time, I'm sure of it. I already enjoyed Mel's plucky and cornball sense of humor going into this (she feels like a wacky aunt to me), but her appearance in this show made me love her so much more. What a precious lady.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">7. Noel Fielding</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 4</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DghSK8y1LBYPIv6H8g9coWBbXEMkgwnrzd0ATexJC9JAn0hM3JT8YnUqbGPewHmqcdrV87lj_f_V9f05K7vVLpENGfa-9X2wpfuzzFBPZ8n75t7qSnkV4e70dpujK-zp4LDYU5T77QE/s266/noelfielding.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DghSK8y1LBYPIv6H8g9coWBbXEMkgwnrzd0ATexJC9JAn0hM3JT8YnUqbGPewHmqcdrV87lj_f_V9f05K7vVLpENGfa-9X2wpfuzzFBPZ8n75t7qSnkV4e70dpujK-zp4LDYU5T77QE/s0/noelfielding.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 144 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It's taken me a long time to fully come around on Noel Fielding, as I previously found him a bit too much of a try-hard in a lot of his appearances both in character and as himself on panel shows. But while I had definitely already become a fan before I saw him on Taskmaster, I still feel this was the perfect vehicle for him as the absurd and creative genius that he is, and it made me like him all the more for it. Noel Fielding is one of those weird and rare people who seems to be basically good at everything he does, and that does not (somehow) exclude some of the ridiculous nonsense they threw at him in this show. His approach to things was wild, hilarious, and unexpected. You never really knew where he was gonna go with what might on the surface seem to be the simplest things (take his performance on the camouflage task as an example), and the result was one of the most perfect contestants ever. It also helps that my wife totally loves the guy, so it became even easier for me to root for him: if I hadn't, I might have been booted out of the house.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">6. Romesh Ranganathan</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 1</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqgamWCG6Dc1zmEvSyUNWmLGBC7FsdEM7GZxBhHYOfZw92Qh-L5ZygkFjSWrlcvsYOZ4KRyzqxpZc-EA128aXf3x1EDHAB5YVVGFv4zxERZl-Q8mlCxeAPi0UeyoX7pZM-LsCFs-bDhk/s266/romeshranganathan.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqgamWCG6Dc1zmEvSyUNWmLGBC7FsdEM7GZxBhHYOfZw92Qh-L5ZygkFjSWrlcvsYOZ4KRyzqxpZc-EA128aXf3x1EDHAB5YVVGFv4zxERZl-Q8mlCxeAPi0UeyoX7pZM-LsCFs-bDhk/s0/romeshranganathan.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place (tie), 93 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The first absolutely amazing contestant of the show, Romesh was like a pile of hilarious rage bundled up tightly and barely holding it together. There was a surprising amount of effort and passion poured into the first season of this show, but while Josh stole the show with his foot tattoo and Tim Key was one of the only real outside-of-the-box thinkers, Romesh more than matched them with pure chaotic adrenaline. But he wasn't just a rage-fueled disaster, he was genuinely funny to watch and had some bizarre and amazing task performances (Tree Wizard, for one). He put up some pretty hefty prizes that dwarf most everything else people have brought in, his scrapes with Greg were amazing (Greg obviously took great pleasure in torturing him), and he is really the guy who totally sold me on the show. The moment he smashed open that melon by hurling it onto the floor, dropping to his hands and knees to ingest so much of it that he actually made himself sick in less than a minute, I knew that this was a one-of-a-kind show and I pretty instantly fell in love. He had a great moment in every episode, and brought in the perfect kind of energy to help set the tone for serieses to come. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">5. Rhod Gilbert</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 7</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQGELFI60EGyFo6nt7YcGvWLWhEMKxszV4h67U8WrVxfVzIZl1d1eZmIN7EM4ksfCy7jpM7gcUVQO7NJVidBpJ5IYddtt8ikqtejo8VhCBiuCAaHLrYzTxxERxDgvuGQOAUegmRvuQKY/s266/rhodgilbert.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQGELFI60EGyFo6nt7YcGvWLWhEMKxszV4h67U8WrVxfVzIZl1d1eZmIN7EM4ksfCy7jpM7gcUVQO7NJVidBpJ5IYddtt8ikqtejo8VhCBiuCAaHLrYzTxxERxDgvuGQOAUegmRvuQKY/s0/rhodgilbert.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">3rd place, 167 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">My first time through the show Rhod Gilbert was my hands-down favorite of the entire thing. And while I still find quite a few of his performances to be among the funniest and most memorable of any series, he does suffer a bit from leaning too heavily on a particular bikini-clad Greg photo that he brings in in some iteration for nearly every prize task throughout the series. Sometimes it works and is funny, but more often than not you find yourself going "yeah, okay" and wishing he'd been a little more creative. But creativity is definitely not something he's short in, as some of his interpretations of the tasks go far beyond anything anyone else would ever do. This man is intense, and more often than not the results are hilarious and unforgettable. I would argue that overall Rhod Gilbert has more memorable moments than anyone else who's ever been on the show, which makes his shortcomings all the more upsetting. Anyway, I feel like I've been more critical of him than I wanted, but it's only because when he's good he is *so* good, and I hated seeing him ever not pull something off. One of the funniest and most chaotic contestants the show has or will ever see.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">4. James Acaster</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 7</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Q67Uv5JAHaX_2rktnD3s8Vafx85-UMebsoxTG6A1tg1uZllrgzdLNyDQ06AVXFAPgQpedgWjqqkis9JyjogmGXYN-nPnVwi4cti272mR7IfsDXOK9yTIbAdjW1c-sCUt82FVdCTzFDM/s266/jamesacaster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Q67Uv5JAHaX_2rktnD3s8Vafx85-UMebsoxTG6A1tg1uZllrgzdLNyDQ06AVXFAPgQpedgWjqqkis9JyjogmGXYN-nPnVwi4cti272mR7IfsDXOK9yTIbAdjW1c-sCUt82FVdCTzFDM/s0/jamesacaster.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 165 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">If anyone picks series 7 as their favorite in the show, it's a pretty safe bet that the biggest reason for that is because of this man. One of the most brilliant comics of the past 10 years, James Acaster doesn't just thrive in panel shows and on stage in his stand-up, but apparently also when being recorded in a secluded mansion where asked to recreate a classic video game. While he often performs horribly, what really makes Acaster stand out so much in this show is in his interactions with Rhod Gilbert and the absolute fury he displays when he's been wronged. Greg winds him up a great deal, he was in complete hysterics during the team tasks, and never seemed to do even close to as well as you could tell he tried to. It's very obvious that he's a huge fan of the show, and you could tell he really loved doing it, but that amount of passion and energy didn't always translate in a joyous Giedroyc-esque way. The result was a chaotic mess that paired well with Rhod Gilbert. Neither of them were in the top 2 points-wise, but we all know who the MVPs of the show were. But I think, even if the margin is microscopic, I have to give the slight edge to Acaster here. He's just that fun to watch. Also, I loved how he flat-out ignored Alex pretty much every opportunity he had... there were some great recurring jokes that series.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">3. Johnny Vegas</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 10</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjho5lxibEe9K6vRGYK3atFg7lSOrXKH8zgS9CR32o2a2F4KA-TpAH7wPYWWsbcM1JPfC66Kg8vXjmDd_rBK_zOyiBGyUZSyRh-c9nxkDguXBF9N0rMWDBD2KCGL4jjc6wYQ4Pxc97MFeI/s266/johnnyvegas.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjho5lxibEe9K6vRGYK3atFg7lSOrXKH8zgS9CR32o2a2F4KA-TpAH7wPYWWsbcM1JPfC66Kg8vXjmDd_rBK_zOyiBGyUZSyRh-c9nxkDguXBF9N0rMWDBD2KCGL4jjc6wYQ4Pxc97MFeI/s0/johnnyvegas.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">4th place, 139 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I love this man. Few people on this planet are capable of making me laugh as hard as Johnny Vegas, so expectations were super high for me going into this season, and in no way did he disappoint. In fact, I like him more every time I watch through it again -- before this more recent time through, he probably would have only made it to about 6th place. There are so many things I love about Johnny in general, but what makes him into such a wonderful Taskmaster contestant is how almost every one of the things I find appealing about him as a comic can be found right here. The yin and yang of his chaos/sweetness are on full display, and at no point do you feel like he's putting on some kind of act (as he has very much done in the past) just to get some cheap laughs. This is just him, and he is wonderful. His bizarre and hilarious one-liners, his ability to roll with the punches, his ruthless self-deprecation, his excited yelps and sporadic prat-falls, getting himself so invested that he messes everything up, and how visibly self-conscious he gets when he's completely knocked it out of the park (particularly in art tasks)... Every time he succeeds I'm cheering for him, and every time he fails it breaks my heart. I don't know if I've ever been so emotionally attached to another contestant. I could really go on and on about this man, and while he is slightly edged out by just a couple others, that doesn't mean he isn't my favorite in his own special way. Also, he was criminally under-scored to the point that he would have landed easily in the top 2 for me had I been scoring the tasks.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">2. Bob Mortimer</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 5</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Hn9fKSnIu6BaAvdMznQszC5bunh49ffL-1l0Kkc7G1t3orEJ-UK-mdXRyfQt4Fmz7OT5IvubgXoESDEW4y-avk1JTTsMiyW5su41n-Crnk54dXeTdc_-UlBV2XA366Av9piAU_B25Jg/s266/bobmortimer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Hn9fKSnIu6BaAvdMznQszC5bunh49ffL-1l0Kkc7G1t3orEJ-UK-mdXRyfQt4Fmz7OT5IvubgXoESDEW4y-avk1JTTsMiyW5su41n-Crnk54dXeTdc_-UlBV2XA366Av9piAU_B25Jg/s0/bobmortimer.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">1st place, 138 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">You know, before I started going through the whole show this time around with the intention of making this post, I fully expected Bob to land at #1. He really is the complete package as a TM contestant, and the fact that he was actually a deserving winner made his season all the more satisfying because of it. But while I have nothing but love for this weirdo, I can admit to some outside influence here. His appearances on Would I Lie To You, Big Fat Quiz Of The Year, and other shows of that ilk have just made me love him even more, and in a way almost overshadow what he did on Taskmaster. I don't want there to be any confusion, though: as a contestant, he is hilarious. Packed with hilarious anecdotes, bizarre one-liners, absurd and simply bafflingly original ideas, Bob Mortimer has all the creativity of 10 people crammed into an unassuming shell. On the surface he appears to be a sweet older man, but on the inside is a brain so packed with thoughts and ideas, it almost feels unfair to the rest of us -- and all the contestants who had to go up against him. He's made me laugh about as much as anyone else, and I couldn't wait to see what his mind would conjure up next. This paid off in Champion of Champions, where we were all introduced to his edible mask character. Absolute gold, and pure Bob.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">1. Mike Wozniak</span></p><p style="text-align: center;">Series 11</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSPScdNVNFztctX8kTFMFfk5CHVNqi-AWS9nKUnir8Wj34WSYH4xS1plhxlNu8MenbJD3VRm0Yc95VNBsP_PDdBHS_A7Bs3BAaar7Um4REBnr2GVISu2JhpsTn3yn371pN3vRS_qE0d8/s266/mikewozniak.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSPScdNVNFztctX8kTFMFfk5CHVNqi-AWS9nKUnir8Wj34WSYH4xS1plhxlNu8MenbJD3VRm0Yc95VNBsP_PDdBHS_A7Bs3BAaar7Um4REBnr2GVISu2JhpsTn3yn371pN3vRS_qE0d8/s0/mikewozniak.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">2nd place, 154 points</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I didn't want to be premature as this season only ended a couple weeks ago, but there was no way around it with this one: Mike Wozniak is just the best. I was fully unaware of Mike going into this season, deliberately held off on watching it until the series was about halfway through (I knew if I waited too long, I would've just watched it all in one day and not been able to savor the experience, but I also wanted to have a decent chunk to look forward to for a while), but by the end of the first episode I - along with everyone else - realized that he was the one to watch out for. And never, not even once, did he disappoint. An absolute treasure of a man whose genuine personality is unlike any I've ever seen before. He's extremely clever and witty, super charismatic, but all in a dorky dad sort of way. His one-liners and catchphrases are among the most hilariously charming and adorable I've ever heard. And this is all without mentioning his two big moments. Now, I don't want to spoil anything here, but one particular reveal is at about the halfway point in the series, and the other comes right near the end, and they are almost assuredly the two funniest studio moments in the entire show's run. In fact, they might be the funniest things in the show full stop. There's a sort of weight that feels like it's been lifted off of me when I'm watching Mike on Taskmaster, and knowing that there will never be any more new stuff of his on the show brings me great sadness. I didn't think it would be possible for me to feel such a tremendous loss just from one person no longer being on a goofy game show, but in a way that's part of the magic of Taskmaster: it makes you care way more than you ever should about the silliest things. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Thank you for reading.</p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-35330706052553827092021-05-07T10:35:00.004-04:002021-05-07T11:11:48.945-04:00Jeff's Favorite Movies of 2020<p> Wow, what an odd year that was for movies. I genuinely found it difficult to put together a list of things I really enjoyed (hence the late release of this countdown), but this is, I think, mostly the fault of the Oscars, who allowed January and February releases to be made eligible for the 2020 awards. What that ultimately did was push back the releases of the kind of Oscar-oriented movies that normally would pop up in November and December, so a good chunk of the stuff that might have normally slid in just in time for a list like this had to sadly be passed up. Basically what I'm saying is that my 2021 lost is going to be a lot better, even if all the lockdown business is still happening for the rest of the year. </p><p>Anyway, I'm not going to babble on forever, I'll just get into the list. What I've done is singled out the 15-20 movies from 2020 that have stuck out to me the most, and while there aren't any undisputed 10/10 picks in here, I'm still mostly satisfied with these picks. I do really like all the movies on this list, even if it took me a while to come around on some of them.</p><p><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Honorable Mentions</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Da 5 Bloods</b> - </span>While some of the creative choices are a little too obvious and eyeroll-worthy, there is an intensity to this movie and effectiveness to the performances (mainly Delroy Lindo) that really make this Sierra Madre rehash stand out.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>VFW </b>- </span>It's pretty awesome to see a bunch of old dudes prove they're still badasses in a gritty exploitation movie like this, and even if it's not the most technically perfect movie out there, I still found a lot to enjoy here.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Lodge </b>- </span>One of the few standard horror movies of 2020 that managed to get an actual reaction out of me, The Lodge doesn't break any new ground, but manages to take inspiration from several places and blend it all together in a satisfying way.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: bold;">Why Don't You Just Die </span><span>- Another movie that feels like the sum of a bunch of existing material, this Russian crime comedy is full of twists and turns, is funny, and does it all with a great deal of style. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15. Lake Michigan Monster</b></span></p><p>I struggled with this one, because I know a big part of me only included this movie because of how absolutely ludicrous it is and how much I love seeing such a low budget movie with such high aspirations, but even though I know this isn't high art and is far from the most technically polished movie around, I enjoyed it far more than almost every other movie I saw all year. Sort of like a stylistic/humor blend of Spongebob Squarepants and a Guy Maddin movie, Lake Michigan Monster is bound to be a pretty tough sell for most people, but fans of silly and absurd high concept fantasy movies should give this screwy comedy a try.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>14. The Color Out Of Space</b></span></p><p>I definitely feel I need to explain myself with this one, as I wrote a very lengthy review of this movie about a year ago where I spent a good deal of said review complaining about just about every aspect of this film, but over time (and a much needed rewatch) I have really found this to be one of the more enjoyable movies of 2020. It's got a strange sense of humor, some crazy visuals, and Nic Cage hamming it up in the deliberate style of Vampire's Kiss. Even though it's not a great movie, it is pretty entertaining.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>13. Rewind</b></span></p><p>A very powerful documentary that messed with me more than anything else all year, Rewind is not the kind of movie I could find myself watching ever again, as it is one of the most disturbing and sickening family dramas I've ever seen. I don't really even want to talk about this one anymore, but it definitely left an impact on me.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>12. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire</b></span></p><p>While this one may be counted by some as a 2019 movie, it wasn't made available for me to watch until 2020, so I'm going with it. A powerful drama with great performances, beautiful cinematography, and quality pacing. There's nothing technically wrong about this one, though I do with they had made a minor change to the final scene, but I won't spoil that here. This is a quality French film.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>11. The Climb</b></span></p><p>I'm a sucker for long takes, and this movie is very much a showcase for them. But more than just trying to present itself as a kind of technical achievement, the film uses these long sequences to flesh out the complex nature of the characters and their relationships with one another. It's an intimate drama and an effective comedy, and manages to make you really feel like you know the characters by the time it's over. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Dick Johnson Is Dead</b></span></p><p>One of the more unique films of the past several years, Dick Johnson is a sort of narrative fiction documentary hybrid that sort of disappears up itself as it incorporates acted out sequences of death featuring the titular Dick Johnson, who is the elderly father of the filmmaker. There is a sort of lightheartedness to this movie that occasionally slips into the more somber and tragic side of accepting death and coming to grips with the loss of loved ones. It's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, as well as being a very conceptually fascinating movie. Definitely worth a watch.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</b></span></p><p>One of the few standard Oscar movies to appear on this list, this adaptation of the August Wilson play pretty much ticks all of my boxes when it comes to what I want out of a dialogue-heavy drama. It's got great performances (Chadwick's final screen appearance does not disappoint), wonderful monologues, fine attention to period detail, great music...really, the only thing that didn't work for me with this movie were a few strange digital zooms and jarring edits. Other than that, great stuff.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Deerskin</b></span></p><p>Probably the weirdest movie I saw all year (it feels bizarre to even question that statement when it comes to this one), this French absurdist crime comedy has a super short running time, which really helps to make the ludicrous concept not overstay its welcome. Jean Dujardin and Adele Haenel are both perfect in their roles, helping to make a ridiculous story somehow plausible (within the film's universe, of course).</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Promising Young Woman</b></span></p><p>A dark and wonderfully acted drama with just enough humor to match the seriousness of the subject matter, this is the kind of movie that I can see a lot of people having issues with. It's tonally all over the place, but I found that eccentricity weirdly working for me. Carey Mulligan is fantastic (probably should've won the Oscar, but how often do they get that right anyway?) and Bo Burnham was also surprisingly effective. This movie was a pleasant surprise for me, as I expected to hate it.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. First Cow</b></span></p><p>The female-directed indie drama that should have been the one to receive all the attention over the bland and forgettable Nomadland, First Cow is a small movie that takes it's time, but I never found it boring at all. There's an intimacy to the way it was filmed that really draws you into the characters and their story. Sometimes a western doesn't have to be full of gunfights to be captivating, and this movie is proof of that.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Wolfwalkers</b></span></p><p>My favorite animated movie of the year by a mile, this is the third directorial feature by Irish animator Tomm Moore, and as far as I'm concerned, easily his best. The animation style alone would be enough to get me to love this movie, but with wonderful storytelling, likable characters, and (mostly) great music, there's really not much I can complain about here. There was one sort of musical sequence that I didn't care for, but otherwise this is a borderline animated masterpiece.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Bacurau</b></span></p><p>I like when a movie messes with you and goes genre-hopping halfway through, but it's not an easy thing to pull off. This one, as evidenced by how high it is on this list, is one of that rare few that totally pulls it off. Great performances, totally unexpected plot twists, and wonderful pacing. This is 2~ hours that flies by. Additionally, it's awesome to see Udo Kier given a decent amount of material to work with, as he's just fantastic. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. I'm Thinking Of Ending Things</b></span></p><p>I didn't know how I felt about this movie for weeks after watching it, but it stuck in my mind in the way that Charlie Kaufman movies generally do, and now 8(?) months later I still have sequences and moments from it lodged in my brain, as I helplessly try to shake it. This is a tough movie to watch, and even harder to recommend, but it's the kind of challenging film that I wish there were more of. It works on many layers and offers the terrific cast more than enough material to work with. Don't have much but praise for this one. </p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Another Round</b></span></p><p>Mads Mikkelsen is one of the best actors of his generation, and this is the best he's ever been. The Hunt is in the running (same director as well), but the balance of drama and comedy in this one is probably more of a challenge, so I'm giving this the edge. Anyway, this is obviously one of my favorites of the past year, and it's another one that I haven't been able to get fully out of my head. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. The Vast Of Night</b></span></p><p>One of the first movies I saw from 2020, and it's one that I had been looking forward to for quite a while beforehand. I've talked about this movie in real life so much, I feel like there's nothing else I can add to it, but I get that that doesn't really matter in this scenario. Either way, there aren't many movies about UFOs, and having one that is so grounded in reality and engrossing conversations between it's characters (not just flashback sequences and no sense of mystery whatsoever) is even rarer. I love pretty much everything about this movie, I love the atmosphere, the acting, the dialogue, the sense of mystery and wonder...it's almost as if it were designed for me specifically.</p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-6552089800531885572021-01-31T07:26:00.002-05:002021-01-31T07:27:40.239-05:0010s of 2020 (pt. 5)<p>I'm a little late on this update, but here we go.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTvArHx2M4dpsIEmIUDjiX50KTFh8pK0jNBTQanQHTwBsmrSX0cKhXP-2OfEznIAfDs8B2I23D5tEk_XvPeCUmyKfyrfJ73vGXT2VC0nvGtil7MJsas4FectBPQsY1AqzdWuKSozaOe8/s1180/_methode_times_prod_web_bin_0d88831e-2b47-11eb-b054-8dc1447a1be1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="1180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTvArHx2M4dpsIEmIUDjiX50KTFh8pK0jNBTQanQHTwBsmrSX0cKhXP-2OfEznIAfDs8B2I23D5tEk_XvPeCUmyKfyrfJ73vGXT2VC0nvGtil7MJsas4FectBPQsY1AqzdWuKSozaOe8/s320/_methode_times_prod_web_bin_0d88831e-2b47-11eb-b054-8dc1447a1be1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br />
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</p><p><br /></p><p> 10. Mank</p><p>As a fan of David Fincher and film history, this was a huge disappointment to me. Insanely boring, aimless, and the audio is pure garbage. Not at all worthy of the praise.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. The Personal History of David Copperfield</p><p>Similarly, I'm a fan of Iannucci (Death of Stalin being one of my favorite movies of the past 5 years), but this one was too bland and trying too hard to be wacky and generally appealing to everybody to be at all appealing to me. </p><p><br /></p><p>8. The Painted Bird</p><p>Beautifully shot misery porn. The plot repeats itself again and again without any deviation from the very basic formula that guides it along. It's so ridiculously long and repetitive.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Never Rarely Sometimes Always</p><p>Tackling tricky subjects in a subtle way is hard, and this movie is evidence of that. It was so subtle that it just wound up being very dull. </p><p><br /></p><p>6. Horse Girl</p><p>Pretty good in ways, but only works thanks to Alison Brie, who does tend to overdo it in her role, but she's at least trying. Not good, not bad, just fine. </p><p><br /></p><p>5. Sound Of Metal</p><p>Unanimously praised, but something about this one just felt hollow to me. I had no real connection to the characters, but the performances and sound design were strong.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Zappa</p><p>Frank Zappa is an endlessly fascinating guy, and a focused documentary series on his life and cultural impact could be great, but this was just way too rushed and glossed over too much to be what I was hoping for.</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Why Don't You Just Die?</p><p>An insanely stylized and in-your-face movie that seems to borrow filmmaking aspects from everyone from Tarantino to Guy Ritchie, this is one of the most wholly entertaining movies I've seen all year. </p><p><br /></p><p>2. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</p><p>I'm a big fan of blues music and play-based chamber dramas, so I was bound to enjoy this one. But I was still quite pleased with Chadwick Boseman's performance and the overall look and feel of the movie. Not a masterpiece, but very good.</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Deerskin</p><p>An absolutely absurd and wicked movie that knows just how far to push it's idiotic concept without breaking. Dujardin and Haenel are terrific together, and there's really nothing else out there quite like it. One of my favorites of the year. </p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-19956800414060515412020-11-11T01:37:00.005-05:002020-11-11T01:37:35.158-05:0010s of 2020 (pt. 4)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47ppuvAKPkkgWD9ptS-JnspYqyf34fEV9gR3bKO0DfBUzKvzNLXFvwIkUSjGntz2CTVKFau5zeWdscTaD3wRZOlG7oM7dMH4m48N82CAdzeEY3-AIe1NfGzO-btKsEt57EHnrbQoANLo/s720/dickjohnsonisdead.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47ppuvAKPkkgWD9ptS-JnspYqyf34fEV9gR3bKO0DfBUzKvzNLXFvwIkUSjGntz2CTVKFau5zeWdscTaD3wRZOlG7oM7dMH4m48N82CAdzeEY3-AIe1NfGzO-btKsEt57EHnrbQoANLo/w400-h225/dickjohnsonisdead.png" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b><span></span></b></p><a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">10. The Way Back</span></b></p><p>I was barely even watching this movie when it was on, because I have already seen it before. Not literally, but effectively. I knew everything it had to offer and what it individually brought to the table wasn't interesting enough for me to care. I shouldn't have even bothered, but I did, so here it sits.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">9. Bad Education</span></b></p><p>Another movie that did nothing unexpected, but this one worked a little better for me. I can blame the fact that I liked the cast, mainly Hugh Jackman (who does a solid job here). Nothing super memorable, but not a bad watch.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">8. The Assistant</span></b></p><p>I get what this movie was going for, but that doesn't necessarily mean I cared for it. It's deliberately slow and mundane to highlight the aspects of this form of everyday sexism, but just understanding a movie isn't enough to compel me. It's good for what it is, but what it is does little for me.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">7. The Forty-Year-Old Version</span></b></p><p>I don't know anything about Radha Blank outside of this movie, but I can say that while she struggles to write and direct other people, she is excellent at writing and directing herself. She's a compelling lead and I enjoyed her journey, even if the destination was a foregone conclusion. The script hits the same beats again and again, and it all becomes slightly tedious, but there is a sincerity to it all that keeps it from falling apart.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6. Possessor</span></b></p><p>Son of Cronenberg takes over the reins from his father, and the results are mostly a success. I'm a fan of body horror and weird sci-fi, so I was mostly sold on this one, I just wish they hadn't shot it handheld, which often took me out of the experience. Still, I enjoyed Abbott and Riseborough, and the idea was wild enough to keep me interested.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">5. The Wolf House</span></b></p><p>With all the plot of a pop-up book, this is an animated fairy tale that I could only ever recommend to people with an appreciation for the stop-motion animation process. It's one of the most visually impressive movies of the year, but little more than just that. It worked for me, but it's too specific and weird to appeal to most people.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">4. An American Pickle</span></b></p><p>I was not expecting to like this movie so much, so maybe it's just my low expectations talking here, but this has been one of my favorite comedies of the year so far. Seth Rogen gives an actually good performance here in a dual role, and the music and production of the prologue in particular stands apart. It doesn't break any ground, but the concept is silly and there's enough character development sprinkled throughout to make its already-short runtime fly by pretty fast.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">3. Dick Johnson Is Dead</span></b></p><p>One of the most experimental documentaries I've seen in a long time, this movie balances humor, sadness, and everything in between as well as anything could ever hope to, all held together by the loveable good nature of the titular Dick Johnson. A very introspective, sweet, funny, heartfelt, and emotional documentary.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>2. Rewind</b></span></p><p>Truth be told, I kind of hated this movie. I hated it in the same way that I hated Dear Zachary, another one of the most disturbing and infuriating documentaries I've ever seen. But while I found the entire viewing experience uncomfortable and maddening, it's been one I haven't been able to shake. It's definitely rough, but a very powerful and eye-opening look on sexual assault from an up-close and personal perspective.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1. Portrait Of A Lady On Fire</b></span></p><p>I didn't love this movie like everyone else has, but as the sort of female equivalent of Call Me By Your Name, it has similarly wormed its way into my brain and hasn't let go. Very slow, methodical, and beautifully-shot, this movie takes its time to establish the characters, their relationship, and does so while maintaining a certain amount of tension and avoiding many of the pitfalls of the forbidden love subgenre. It also doesn't suffer from the same issues as other lesbian dramas like The Handmaiden and Blue Is The Warmest Color, which both feel at times like thinly-veiled pornography, once again setting this one apart thanks to the difference that can be made by a female perspective on a story like this. Most of my issues here are basically nitpicks, but I think with a few small tweaks this could have been a truly great film that I admired as much as many others have before me.</p><p><br /></p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-4009636343908344732020-11-05T08:29:00.004-05:002020-11-05T08:33:41.570-05:0010s of 2020 (pt. 3)<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MA7mI0zXraNEcwwRnIJegnw43Y5l16h6AC_pWwUy8aT_JBd00DJePc_eeS8cM8pNA6plwPFnVBRVYCZm3s2QgjR1cRwt5B_zyG6M491QEU0QLHqEY8FRtYZfQhT94jo6WNxzhf242Xc/s800/da5bloods.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="800" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MA7mI0zXraNEcwwRnIJegnw43Y5l16h6AC_pWwUy8aT_JBd00DJePc_eeS8cM8pNA6plwPFnVBRVYCZm3s2QgjR1cRwt5B_zyG6M491QEU0QLHqEY8FRtYZfQhT94jo6WNxzhf242Xc/w400-h217/da5bloods.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span><b style="font-size: large;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-size: large;"><br /></b></div><div><b style="font-size: large;">10. The Trial Of The Chicago 7</b></div><div>Aaron Sorkin is one of the most beloved and acclaimed tele/screenwriters of all-time, but I'm afraid that may be where his talents begin and end. Unlike Charlie Kaufman, whose directorial efforts radiate originality and skillful craftsmanship, Sorkin has assembled a very standard, obvious type of courtroom drama that just doesn't have any real lasting power. It's on-the-nose, simplistic, and ultimately pretty disappointing, considering the people behind it. </div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span></span><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>9. Tread</b></span></div><div style="font-size: medium;"><span>A documentary surrounding a '90s case of a man pushed to the brink by (possibly perceived) injustices suffered on him by local politicians and businessmen. While the story is incredibly fascinating and the presentation is very balanced in how it refuses to take anyone's side, there is something definitely lacking here. Not great, but worth the watch.</span></div><div style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>8. His House</b></span></div><div>From here until the top 2-3, this list is totally arbitrary. A brand new Netflix release following a refugee couple trying to make their way in an unforgiving country, literally haunted by their past and the new house they've been forced to live in. It's a bit too reliant on jump-scares and horror cliches, but this movie stands apart and manages to work as both horror and social commentary. </div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>7. Attack Of The Demons</b></span></div><div><span>I was a huge fan of Eric Powers' previous film Path Of Blood (I placed it somewhere in my top 50 favorite movies of the decade list), and I love '80s horror. So I definitely place some of the blame on this one being slightly disappointing on myself, but the fact of the matter is this movie just didn't wow me like I hoped. The animation is great and I can't help but to be impressed by Powers and his dedication to the craft, but the voice acting alone would be enough to keep me from loving this movie. Take the same film and replace the voice cast and you've got potential for a cult success. As it stands, it's admirable and enjoyable, but doesn't quite get over the hump into something truly special.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>6. Palm Springs</b></span></div><div>Yeah, it's not anything mind-blowing, and the concept has been done about 100 times already in better movies, but there's something to be said for a movie that just makes you feel good while watching it. I came into this movie later than everyone else did, so the hype surrounding it had died down, causing me to probably enjoy it more than I normally would have, but that doesn't change the fact that I just liked watching it. Breezy entertainment.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>5. The Trip To Greece</b></span></div><div><span>It's the fourth and supposedly final Trip movie. Just like the last ones, it was fun to watch if you enjoy these two and their banter. Nothing new here, it fits right alongside all the others in the series. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>4. The Wolf Of Snow Hollow</b></span></div><div><span>I started but didn't finish Jim Cummings' previous film Thunder Road (I just kept forgetting to put it back on, even though I was enjoying it), but even from the tiny bit that I'd seen I could tell his style as both an actor and director. So basically, this was pretty much exactly what I expected. A solid mystery/thriller with good doses of comedy, horror, and drama.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>3. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm</b></span></div><div>The first Borat is a classic and one of my favorite comedies ever, so there was no way this could ever live up to that. That being said, I did find myself enjoying this a lot more than I expected to, largely thanks to Cohen's self-awareness and genius use of a secondary lead to perform some of the bigger "stunts" in the film. It kept it all from feeling too samey, but don't worry, Cohen puts himself out there several times to great effect.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>2. Da 5 Bloods</b></span></div><div>Just as he did with Blackkklansman, Spike Lee has taken an otherwise strong movie and shoved in an overlong ending that's so awkwardly inserted it just comes across as a desperate attempt to make the film seem more relevant. But that doesn't take away from the movie as a whole, which features strong performances (Delroy Lindo in particular knocks it out of the park), some truly inspired visuals, and a story that blends aspects of Apocalypse Now and Treasure of the Sierra Madre and makes it into something distinct and memorable. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1. First Cow</b></span></div><div>Kelly Reichardt is not a favorite director of mine, but I appreciate her skill at creating atmosphere, and the range she possesses as a filmmaker. With that out of the way, First Cow is far and away my favorite film she's made yet, and the wonderful sense of time and place set this far apart from every other "western" I've seen. Beautiful cinematography, a very tense and tender script, and some pretty solid acting as well. The pace is maybe too slow for a lot of people, but I was immersed and emotionally invested in this story.</div>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-67705111877411765102020-10-24T04:52:00.004-04:002020-10-24T04:52:52.270-04:001st Oscar predictions for 2021 - October 2020<p> Yeah, even though the Oscars won't be taking place until April (maybe even later, depending on how things go) I want to go ahead and start my endless speculation process on what may find itself getting nominated this year in some of the major categories. Why bother? No reason. I have nothing better to do right now and I like Oscar predictions. So I'm going to leave this post untampered and come back in 6-8 months to see how it holds up. </p><p>For my first prediction, I am going to guess that only 60% of these predictions will be accurate. This means I'm only expecting maybe three from each of my top 5s will actually get nominations. I'll calculate that later, too, so we'll just see how this goes. Why not make predictions for my predictions? I'm going full Charlie Kaufman on this, just cramming everything up its own ass until it's all too confusing for most people to understand, but that's what makes it so much fun.</p><p>The categories I will cover here are as follows:</p><p><br /></p><p>Best Actor</p><p>Best Actress</p><p>Best Supporting Actor</p><p>Best Supporting Actress</p><p>Best Original Screenplay</p><p>Best Adapted Screenplay</p><p>Best Director</p><p>Best Picture</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>Now for a bunch of text and guessing. You ready for this? I'm gonna name a bunch of possibles, just to fill this all out, but the top 5 of each of these (barring Best Picture, of course) are the only REAL predictions. So I'm not counting something I place at #6 as being an accurate prediction when I come back to this. That would be cheating, and I don't see the point in that when it comes to a game I'm playing with myself that doesn't even really matter to begin with. Okay, let's do this.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Best Actor</span></p><p><br /></p><p>10. Tom Holland, Cherry</p><p>A definite stab in the dark, but considering the rising stardom of the 24-year-old Tom Holland and the successes of the film's directors (Anthony and Joe Russo), this movie seems to have enough behind it to prove popular enough to gain Holland some attention for his performance. I consider this one unlikely until we see more about the movie in a few months, but for now I think 10th seems fair.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Riz Ahmed, Sound Of Metal</p><p>A couple dozen reviews are in for this movie so far, and they're pretty unanimously positive, most of which praising Ahmed's lead. But is he a big enough name to take a spot from some of the guys on this list? I don't know, and that to me seems to be the biggest question mark surrounding this one -- apart from the relative obscurity of the movie as a whole.</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Tom Hanks, News Of The World</p><p>With most of the public opinion surrounding Tom Hanks as of late being relatively negative, I don't know if I see this movie working out quite as well as the studios undoubtedly hope, but that doesn't change the fact that Hollywood loves the guy. And just coming off his first nomination in nearly 20 years, he's proven that he still can get Oscar attention. Depends on how well the movie does at this point more than anything, because his performance will be fine regardless of the film's quality.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Colin Firth, Supernova</p><p>With most of the attention going to Stanley Tucci's performance (which has recently been revealed to being campaigning for a Supporting Actor spot this year), Firth may well get swept under the rug, but with his previous Oscar success, I think Firth won't get completely ignored this year. My guess right now would be that his best chance is at the Golden Globes, but we'll see. Either way, Firth could easily slip in if Supernova picks up steam over the coming months.</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Lakeith Stanfield, Judas And The Black Messiah</p><p>Relatively little is known about this movie (by me) at this point, but considering how great Stanfield has been over the past 8 years or so in basically everything he's done, this might be his time to finally break through in a more major way. He still might be counted as support for this one, which holds him back slightly, but as of yet I still think there's a decent chance he could find a spot once the dust settles.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Steven Yeun, Minari</p><p>After the historical success of Parasite, I feel like this might be the time for a little more Asian-led films to finally do well at the Oscars. This movie has gotten universal acclaim, and Steven Yeun is not an unknown actor, so this just might be the perfect combination to wind up scoring some awards. With A24 behind it, that small of exposure might not help it out much, but I think the critical love for this movie just might do what it takes to get him in one of the bottom spots.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods</p><p>While this is the only movie I've actually seen on this list of Best Actor predictions, I can say that even without taking into consideration just how much this movie hits the right notes to do well at the Oscars, his performance is strong enough to get him in here. The movie as a whole is a bit sloppy and inconsistent at times, but Lindo is continually fantastic, and should be seen as one of the year's best performances. </p><p><br /></p><p>3. Gary Oldman, Mank</p><p>A black-and-white David Fincher biopic about the screenwriter of Citizen Kane starring Gary Oldman? That's a slam dunk if I've ever seen one. I don't think I even need to bother explaining why this seems like a no-brainer prediction.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</p><p>It's official, they'll be campaigning Boseman as lead for this movie, which means he won't be splitting votes with himself in support for Da 5 Bloods, which means he could very well be the first actor in history to get double posthumous Oscar nominations in the same year. Taking into account his tragic death and the seemingly-high quality of the film itself, this one looks to be a very possible Oscar winner for Boseman.</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Anthony Hopkins, The Father</p><p>But I'm going with this one, seeing as how Hopkins has only won 1 Oscar over his career, and this seems to be the most well-received performance of his since Silence of the Lambs. If Hopkins doesn't get nominated for this I will be genuinely shocked, and a win for him seems to be about 50/50 for me at this point. His only major opponent right now appears to be Boseman, but I don't know if Boseman's death will be enough to overshadow this one. We'll just have to see how good Ma Rainey's Black Bottom really is to know, so I'm going with the safer bet for now.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Best Actress</span></p><p><br /></p><p>10. Emily Blunt, Wild Mountain Thyme</p><p>Emily Blunt somehow hasn't gotten an Oscar nomination yet, but this one might be the one to do it. As John Patrick Shanley's first movie since Doubt (which got 4 acting nominations that year), Blunt seems to be in the right spot to walk away with something this year -- assuming the movie gets enough attention.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Michelle Pfeiffer, French Exit</p><p>Pfeiffer has mostly spent the past few decades under the radar, but this movie has been getting her some attention, and her name might be enough to get her in. Mediocre reviews hold it back somewhat, but no one has been saying she is anything but good, so who knows?</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Meryl Streep, The Prom</p><p>It's Meryl Streep. She gets nominated for crap she doesn't deserve all the time.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman</p><p>Mulligan doesn't get tons of awards, but I dunno. She's a solid actress, and a lot of people are calling this one of the best of her career. It's not totally bizarre to think she might get nominated for this.</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Kate Winslet, Ammonite</p><p>Even though the movie hasn't gotten quite the universal love the filmmakers undoubtedly hoped for, no one has complained about the performances, and Winslet's history with the Oscars certainly helps her chances. Still, my gut has to put her slightly out of the top 5 for now.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Amy Adams, Hillbilly Elegy</p><p>Amy Adams hasn't won an Oscar somehow, and she keeps getting nominated. I don't see that trend ending anytime soon, especially since Ron Howard isn't exactly the most interesting director around. She's probably gonna need something more than this to win that award, but I still have to consider her a likely nominee.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Vanessa Kirby, Pieces Of A Woman</p><p>Everyone is praising the opening of this movie, and most claim the rest of it doesn't live up to that opening. But just like that opening, Kirby has gotten nothing but love for her performance in this. She's a bit of an unknown, but I'm not sure if that matters here.</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Jennifer Hudson, Respect</p><p>Aretha Franklin biopic starring Oscar-winner as Aretha, Hudson being picked by Aretha herself as the actress she'd like to see in the role. Just like Mank earlier, this seems like a pretty easy guess.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Frances McDormand, Nomadland</p><p>The only thing keeping this from being on top is the fact that McDormand has already gotten 2 Oscars. Everyone loves this movie and says she's amazing in it.</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</p><p>Yes, Davis has won an Oscar before, but there has only ever been one black Best Actress winner ever. If there's ever a time the Oscars are going to change that, it's now. Pair that will how meaty this role seems to be and how terrific Viola Davis generally is, and I don't see this one not winding up with a nomination, and probably even the win.</p><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: large;">Best Supporting Actor</span></p><p><br /></p><p>10. Tom Burke, Mank</p><p>I'm not seeing a lot of people throwing this name into the mix, but I think upcoming actors taking on potentially important roles like this in major movies seems like a "right place, right time" situation that would be hard to overlook. The biggest issue just might be his amount of screentime, which could be minimal.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Mark Rylance, The Trial Of The Chicago 7</p><p>It's tough to single out any actors from this movie, but I think Rylance was my favorite performance of the bunch. Not sure if he's gonna be able to rise above the rest (especially Cohen, who seems to be the favorite of most), but he might get in.</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Charles Dance, Mank</p><p>Charles Dance hasn't been nominated before, and I don't see him getting a better chance than this. He plays William Randolph Hearst, and it's Mank. Kind of hard to ignore, honestly.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Daniel Kaluuya, Judas And The Black Messiah</p><p>I don't know, but Kaluuya has been nominated before and this movie on the surface seems to be the right material to get some attention. Maybe he'll get overlooked, maybe he won't. No way of knowing just yet.</p><p><br /></p><p>6. Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods</p><p>Seeing as how he's not getting split votes with Ma Rainey anymore, Boseman could find himself getting two nominations this year. But after having seen this movie, I just don't see him as being prominent enough to get a nomination here. If he does, it's 100% because he died, which I hate to say.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. David Strathairn, Nomadland</p><p>McDormand has gotten a majority of the attention here, but Strathairn seems like the right kind of actor to land a nomination at least. The movie is well-received, and he's a strong actor, so it doesn't seem like a huge wild card prediction to me.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial Of The Chicago 7</p><p>It's weird to even include Borat on this list, but people seem to really love Cohen in this movie, and he is given a lot of screentime, monologues, and quips, so this might actually wind up getting him some awards. I don't think he deserves them, necessarily, but hey, this isn't a favorites list.</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Bill Murray, On The Rocks</p><p>Coppola and Murray re-teaming has gotten some attention, and a majority of that attention is directed towards Murray. He might just wind up winning an Oscar for this, but it's not terribly common for domestic dramedies to win acting awards, so I'm not sure about that. Still, a nomination seems likely.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night In Miami</p><p>There aren't many people getting as much love for their performances as Odom Jr. has been getting for this one. He seems to have risen above his costars for the most part, and a nomination is looking like an almost guarantee at this point.</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Stanley Tucci, Supernova</p><p>I honestly don't know if I can think of anyone who seems more likely to win Best Supporting Actor this year. This just looks like the kind of indie drama that will quietly sneak in a couple nominations and a win for Tucci. When he was possibly going for Best Actor, I wasn't sure, but in this category he looks like the best option so far.</p><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: large;">Best Supporting Actress</span></p><p><br /></p><p>10. Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm</p><p>I really don't have anything else to put in this spot. This category is pretty bleak, but this performance has been well-received.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Mary J. Blige, Respect</p><p>Previous Oscar nominee, and she's playing Dinah Washington. That could result in some attention. </p><p><br /></p><p>8. Kristin Scott Thomas, Rebecca</p><p>Another shot in the dark, but Kristin Scott Thomas is usually pretty great, and this in the right type of role to get her something if the movie is well-liked enough.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari</p><p>While Yeun in the lead role seems to be gaining most of the momentum for this, there is definitely room for a supporting performance, and this one just might be the one. </p><p><br /></p><p>6. Helena Zengel, News Of The World</p><p>This looks like it might be equivalent to Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit. Could make it in, maybe it won't. Really, this is the weakest looking category I've done so far.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Ellen Burstyn, Pieces Of A Woman</p><p>Maybe this is going to slip through the cracks, but something tells me this will be Burstyn's last major Oscar contender. It sounds like a pretty powerful role, and I can't think of 5 more that seem more likely to get nominations than this.</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Saoirse Ronan, Ammonite</p><p>Much like with Winslet, this performance has been well-received, and I think due to Ronan's Oscar history and the generall critical success and subject matter of the movie, this will probably wind up getting nominated.</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Amanda Seyfried, Mank</p><p>This is one of the first ones I feel relatively confident about. While Seyfried hasn't had the most illustrious career, she's been making some strong moves in the past few years (Twin Peaks and First Reformed) that seem to be leading her in the direction of becoming a more "serious" actor. This looks like it might be the one for her.</p><p><br /></p><p>2. Olivia Colman, The Father</p><p>She just won an Oscar a couple years ago, so maybe this won't be able to win her again, but that doesn't mean she won't be getting this nomination in the very least. It's supposed to be pretty great, and I don't doubt it. Maybe she'll even win, I don't know, but I'm gonna go with it this way.</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy</p><p>I just watched the trailer, and yeah, this looks like the kind of role that could win her an Oscar. This would be her 8th career nomination, and she still hasn't won. She lost to Olivia Colman a couple years back, and I think this year she will return the favor.</p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Best Original Screenplay</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>10. Never Rarely Sometimes Always</div><div>Probably too indie to make it, but it has the ratings and subject matter to possibly get in.</div><div><br /></div><div>9. Judas And The Black Messiah</div><div>This could wind up getting 0-9 nominations, and I really have no clue what to expect. So I'm leaving it on the bottom end.</div><div><br /></div><div>8. Soul</div><div>Pixar movies don't usually get screenplay nominations, but it happens sometimes, and this one is getting positive reviews so far. </div><div><br /></div><div>7. On The Rocks</div><div>This does seem like the right kind of movie to get a screenplay nomination, but I think it might have too early of a release date to keep up momentum.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. Ammonite</div><div>It looks like Oscar bait, so even if it isn't super great, it's gonna be considered for pretty much everything. The screenplay hasn't gotten a ton of praise, though, so I'm leaving it right off the edge.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Da 5 Bloods</div><div>The screenplay for Blackkklansman somehow won, so I don't see why this one wouldn't be under consideration. I guess we'll see if it also suffers from too early of a release date.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Supernova</div><div>Screenplay and Tucci, that's all I'm seeing this one getting. But I still believe it will be in for those two.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Minari</div><div>Why not? This is supposed to be great, and the screenplay hasn't been singled out as being even remotely as a problem. </div><div><br /></div><div>2. Mank</div><div>It's Mank. This is a 10+ nomination movie just waiting for the awards to come pouring in, and you all know it.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. The Trial Of The Chicago 7</div><div>Aaron Sorkin may be a mediocre director, but he is a strong writer, and this one seems as surefire a bet as there is for a screenplay nomination/win. It will be hard to top this as a prediction.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Best Adapted Screenplay</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div>10. Wild Mountain Thyme</div><div>John Patrick Shanley wrote Doubt, so sight-unseen I have to consider this one possible.</div><div><br /></div><div>9. Hillbilly Elegy</div><div>It looks a little over-the-top schmaltzy, but the strength of the acting might make the script seem a little better than it probably is.</div><div><br /></div><div>8. News Of The World</div><div>This one looks to be more of a visual spectacle than a particularly great screenplay, but we'll see. This could very well make it in, and the ones I'm putting above it might be totally off.</div><div><br /></div><div>7. The Personal History Of David Copperfield</div><div>Armando Ianucci's main strength generally comes from his scripts, so this one could very well get the 5th spot, even if I fidn it slightly unlikely.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. First Cow</div><div>I'm hoping to watch this movie sometime over the next couple weeks, but as of now I have a hard time arguing for it to make the top 5. Kelly Reichardt movies just don't get enough attention for me to predict it with any kind of confidence.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. I'm Thinking Of Ending Things</div><div>I wish this was an obvious pick, but Kaufman doesn't get nearly enough Oscar attention for his stuff anymore, even though his screenplays are just as layered and impressive as ever. Still, I am putting it at #5 as a hopeful nominee. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. The Father</div><div>This one I'm more sure of. An actor's movie, but one that is supposed to be structured in a way that could definitely help it stand out. All of these ones are possible winners, from what I can tell.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</div><div>Based on a play by the guy who did August: Osage County, movies based on popular plays do tend to get a decent amount of attention. Pair that with the additional attention this will get due to Boseman's death, and I don't really know if there's a strong argument I can make against this one.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Nomadland</div><div>It's supposed to be amazing, but I don't think it will win for screenplay. Nomination basically guaranteed, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. One Night In Miami</div><div>This one is what I think will win. It seems to have got everything that a movie right now needs to get some major awards, and screenplay seems to me to be the most likely award of them all.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Best Director</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>10. Shaka King, Judas And The Black Messiah</div><div>I know, I just keep on stabbing in the dark.</div><div><br /></div><div>9. Lee Isaac Chung, Minari</div><div>This one sounds like it's more of an acting/screenplay movie than any kind of directorial feat, but I'll have to watch it to know.</div><div><br /></div><div>8. Florian Zeller, The Father</div><div>I think the acting and screenplay will overshadow the direction of this movie.</div><div><br /></div><div>7. Aaron Sorkin, The Trial Of The Chicago 7</div><div>Sorkin isn't a very good director, and he didn't direct this movie in a very interesting way. If he gets nominated, I won't be shocked, but I will be mildly disappointed.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. Paul Greengrass, News Of The World</div><div>I'm still not too sure on this one as a whole. It might wind up doing really well at the Oscars, but I think some of the technical categories are more likely than anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>5. George C. Wolfe, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</div><div>This looks to be a stylish, intriguing drama with some great acting, and all the stuff that usually catches Academy voters' eyes. He's won a ton of awards on Broadway, and I think this will be a huge success at the Oscars. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. Spike Lee, Da 5 Bloods</div><div>This is a weirdly constructed movie, and while Delroy Lindo is my favorite aspect of it, the bizarre direction might be enough of a standout for him to get a nomination here. It just might have been released too early, that's all.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Regina King, One Night In Miami</div><div>There's been a big push for more female directors to get awards attention, and between this (and the next one) I think they've found some of that here. </div><div><br /></div><div>2. Chloe Zhao, Nomadland</div><div>This is a no-brainer pick. It's gonna get like 7 nominations and probably win a few. And Best Director is definitely possible. </div><div><br /></div><div>1. David Fincher, Mank</div><div>Fincher hasn't won an Oscar yet, and this one looks like the right kind of movie to win one for him. Stylish black and white movies tend to get awards for directors, especially ones about making movies. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Best Picture</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think I need to keep explaining myself, so here's the list. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>16. Soul</div><div><br /></div><div>15. Ammonite</div><div><br /></div><div>14. Hillbilly Elegy</div><div><br /></div><div>13. On The Rocks</div><div><br /></div><div>12. First Cow</div><div><br /></div><div>11. Supernova</div><div><br /></div><div>10. Judas And The Black Messiah</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>These next 9 are my official predictions:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>9. News Of The World</div><div><br /></div><div>8. Minari</div><div><br /></div><div>7. Da 5 Bloods</div><div><br /></div><div>6. The Father</div><div><br /></div><div>5. The Trial of the Chicago 7</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Nomadland</div><div><br /></div><div>2. Mank</div><div><br /></div><div>1. One Night In Miami</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Well, that was a fun way to spend like 3 hours. Bye bye.</div>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-31914806356244437222020-10-19T09:05:00.006-04:002020-10-19T09:05:41.509-04:0010s of 2020 (pt. 2)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpAFC9TaJ281X6M8GZ6pO3JawCP3ci12-d0omzMQ999WchjTMeQYsvgomr2ALdvXwSjkNW3c4AFROX9h6n2li4lgIysbbam0cCtjXeqRlXuNXKs5wuvPv0mJJ28OYobV4FLILDW8VRWc/s894/bacurau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="894" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpAFC9TaJ281X6M8GZ6pO3JawCP3ci12-d0omzMQ999WchjTMeQYsvgomr2ALdvXwSjkNW3c4AFROX9h6n2li4lgIysbbam0cCtjXeqRlXuNXKs5wuvPv0mJJ28OYobV4FLILDW8VRWc/w400-h266/bacurau.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">10. Host </span></b></p><p>Easily the most over hyped, underwhelming, generic horror movie I've seen in quite a while, Host is an hour-long exercise in doing nothing especially well. With awful pacing, editing, acting, and an incredibly bland script, this is possibly going to end up as one of my least favorite movies for the entire year. Maybe not once the dust settles, but as of now, it's right there.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">9. Butt Boy</span></b></p><p>Absurdity can be used to tell serious stories and disarm cynical audiences with a silly premise. Swiss Army Man instantly comes to mind. But where this movie fails is in its ability to find the appropriate blend, and the result just feels like a messy attempt at getting cheap laughs with its dumb idea.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>8. Shirley</b></span></p><p>A sort of humorless attempt at recreating the character dynamics of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, but with only a pair of strong performances, and far too much emphasis placed on the other two. Moss and Stuhlbarg are great, but never feel like they've been given quite enough to work with. It's not a failure, but doesn't live up to it's potential.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">7. Bill & Ted Face The Music</span></b></p><p>Across the board an inferior film to the previous two, this third installment doesn't really add much to the series apart from the usual nostalgia-bait you always see from this type of reunion. It's nothing special, but there's an optimism and charm to it that I still found appealing and hard to dislike.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">6. The Beach House</span></b></p><p>To even reveal the particular subgenre this movie belongs to would in effect be a bit of a spoiler, so I'll instead just say that knowing less going in would have definitely improved this one for me. Still, it's a solid film with some good creepy atmosphere and effective execution.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>5. Relic </b></span></p><p>While not as terrifying or emotionally devastating as it's been made out to be by some critics, Relic's slow pace, great acting, and unsettling atmosphere are more than enough to elevate it above your standard horror movie. Laced in metaphor, this movie doesn't rely on its deeper meaning to make it function -- it just adds to the impact.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>4. VFW </b></span></p><p>Probably the most violent movie I'll see all year, VFW is a wonderful throwback exploitation movie with surprisingly strong performances (because of the genre, not the actors) and a great visual style. If you like grindhouse sleaze, this could definitely wind up one of your favorites of the year.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>3. Lake Michigan Monster</b></span></p><p>A sort of surreal comedy genre hybrid that takes elements from everything from Guy Maddin to Spongebob Squarepants and throws it all into a zero-budget blender with the attention span of a toddler. Stylish, quirky, fast-paced, and imaginative. While its reach that may sometimes exceed its grasp, its shortcomings only add to the charm. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>2. I'm Thinking Of Ending Things</b></span></p><p>It's a Charlie Kaufman movie, and I've only seen it once. Therefore, I know I haven't come close to the full experience this film has to offer. That being said, this is a deeply layered movie with fantastic performances, loads of atmosphere, and far more going on than what appears on the surface. It's been close to a month since I've seen it, and I still can't shake it. </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1. Bacurau</b></span></p><p>Some movies just don't want to fit into a box. Equal parts 5 different genres, Bacurau bounces around and does so without ever feeling confused or muddled. It's a complete experience that takes a little bit from everything and the results are unlike just about anything I've ever seen. Also, it's got Udo Kier in his best role in a decade. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-91158199372095791402020-10-06T03:38:00.062-04:002020-10-06T04:05:00.440-04:00My 20 Favorite Oscar-less performances of the 2010sEveryone knows the Oscars are a huge joke, with pretty much everyone who loves movies collectively mocking them every year and complaining about the boring and generic picks they make over and over again. Most of the time the movies they award don't hold up at all (Green Book, for example), and a good dose of the movies they nominate were terrible to begin with (nearly 10 years have passed and I still get unreasonably irritated at Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close somehow getting a Best Picture nomination). That being said, I still spend months every year predicting nominees and getting excited for this stupid show, just because it's one of the few widely televised and recognized celebrations of movies that we've got, and when they get things right (like Parasite), it makes me feel like there's still hope that people might not be actually getting dumber on a daily basis. <div><br /></div><div>This is all just to lead into a couple lists I wanted to make to highlight some of my favorite performances that I feel got overlooked by the Academy. I'm splitting this into two top 10s, one for the men and one for the women. I do this just to keep my list from being too much of a sausage-fest, as probably 15 of my top 20 would have been from the men's list. I'm being inclusive, everyone, look at how #woke I am. </div><div><br /></div><div>First up, I'm gonna go over the list of my top 10 favorite female performances I felt should have been nominated for the Oscar (many of which I believe should also have won), and I will even include which category I would have put it in, and provide a nominee from said category I would have removed to make room. This is a very thorough list. Oh, except for the fact that I threw this list together in about 10 minutes and didn't bother to really dig through all the stuff I've seen to make it. So odds are I missed out on quite a few great ones, but also keep in mind this is just my opinion. Not meant to be taken seriously. </div><div><br /><a name='more'></a></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Top 10 - Female</u></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">10. Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina </span></div><div>Year: 2015</div><div>Category: Supporting Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Alicia Vikander in The Danish Girl, or Rachel McAdams in Spotlight</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9OCFThmBcDXn_BI1zkys_7TZWlLIPv46CK8IxJA3Y5YFq7UFrDchDG9bHRbsXUpEWmlkdzOlEUNV_vMfOtDyh2ypNjakigIrhxClsVpk6H2afJ_15L58acRgtYKPZ8XMbl5UN4vBXTI/s700/vikander-exmachina.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="700" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9OCFThmBcDXn_BI1zkys_7TZWlLIPv46CK8IxJA3Y5YFq7UFrDchDG9bHRbsXUpEWmlkdzOlEUNV_vMfOtDyh2ypNjakigIrhxClsVpk6H2afJ_15L58acRgtYKPZ8XMbl5UN4vBXTI/w400-h240/vikander-exmachina.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This one is a bit tricky to include here due to the fact that not only was Vikander already nominated in this category this year, but she even somehow won the Oscar -- just for the wrong movie. The Danish Girl was very standard Oscar-bait which had solid acting, but nothing new was brought to the table and her performance could have been just as good by nearly any other semi-talented actress it had gone to. But in Ex Machina she manages to pull off a very tricky performance that is layered in mystery and tension, as she completely sells her role as an incredibly sophisticated A.I.. It may not have deserved to have won (I likely still would have went with Winslet or JJL), but she still deserved to be included for Ex Machina and not The Danish Girl.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">9. Lupita Nyong'o in Us</span></div><div>Year: 2019</div><div>Category: Leading Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Renee Zellweger in Judy, or Charlize Theron in Bombshell</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqymrd2udEtZDTPY-ezZYjP08YYHtusmwyL5Fzw7aza2OpRBf4MRXefh1A9HoZpDJW_v6PtboNB0WBDNcHzqV0XELiBEIzO6M3H49gMnbDC1-NsodS2KUgPE9_do12fYgZaNFai3ilw7c/s720/nyongo-us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqymrd2udEtZDTPY-ezZYjP08YYHtusmwyL5Fzw7aza2OpRBf4MRXefh1A9HoZpDJW_v6PtboNB0WBDNcHzqV0XELiBEIzO6M3H49gMnbDC1-NsodS2KUgPE9_do12fYgZaNFai3ilw7c/w400-h225/nyongo-us.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In a time when the Oscars are constantly trying to prove how not-racist they are, they still have a few forms of bias that they just can't seem to get past. The big one I'm talking about here is, of course, HORROR movies. An entire genre that has been swept under the rug by the Oscars pretty much every year, with only Get Out managing to break free from this a couple years back, ironically also directed by Jordan Peele and earning Daniel Kaluuya a Best Actor nomination he didn't deserve. So while Get Out is far and away a superior movie, Nyong'o's performance in Us surpasses Kaluuya's in every way, as she tackles two very different characters that both have their share of screen time and memorable moments. Though this movie is just over a year old now, it's already become somewhat iconic, and Nyong'o is a huge reason for that.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">8. Carey Mulligan in Shame</span></div><div>Year: 2011</div><div>Category: Supporting Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids, Octavia Spencer in The Help, or Jessica Chastain in The Help</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFuOVXDaUL67OUTQceIE-iQ0t_e_8flrgMQBlv6c2azbCdG6mT_Hq1SKRkqMPC78mJbuV0nmelLR63EuQlwtz3WWuwMqxVYpPYD_7m7pGkEqnlfu7coe0XLvaGYxsEHp5FXapfisGTeI/s512/mulligan-shame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="512" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFuOVXDaUL67OUTQceIE-iQ0t_e_8flrgMQBlv6c2azbCdG6mT_Hq1SKRkqMPC78mJbuV0nmelLR63EuQlwtz3WWuwMqxVYpPYD_7m7pGkEqnlfu7coe0XLvaGYxsEHp5FXapfisGTeI/w400-h266/mulligan-shame.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Shame not getting any Oscar nominations when it came out wasn't a huge surprise (considering its NC-17 rating, taboo subject matter, etc.) but it still was a huge...missed opportunity. Just like that obvious joke. But while Fassbender got some attention at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, Mulligan somehow slipped through the cracks pretty much across the board. Which is kind of sad, but also not unexpected when you consider how many good performances Mulligan has given over the past decade that have gone completely overlooked. This is an emotional, raw performance that I find nearly as powerful as Fassbender's, mostly losing out due to the focus of the movie being on his character and her just not being given quite as much to work with. Either way, had she gotten this nomination, considering the other nominees in the category, I absolutely would have given her the win as well.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">7. Brie Larson in Short Term 12</span></div><div>Year: 2013</div><div>Category: Leading Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Amy Adams in American Hustle, or Sandra Bullock in Gravity</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82jfQ5JmEeJNULm8xM4gZ4-Sh7pYNz4SFdu7f_YYWbMjZU6fFPLDzouW_F2p9qpxp7w5qcp6Sd9USvom7NEodytWZJk9Q5J-5-11uCXMs8whzxTTnG7y_uaa9Z1Q58isyEIHYM5O_DfE/s568/larson-shortterm12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="568" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82jfQ5JmEeJNULm8xM4gZ4-Sh7pYNz4SFdu7f_YYWbMjZU6fFPLDzouW_F2p9qpxp7w5qcp6Sd9USvom7NEodytWZJk9Q5J-5-11uCXMs8whzxTTnG7y_uaa9Z1Q58isyEIHYM5O_DfE/w400-h268/larson-shortterm12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />What a complete and utter disappointment Brie Larson has been. After watching this movie back in 2013, and going to see her even-better performance in Room just 2 years later, I had high hopes for Larson. Then she pulled a Jennifer Lawrence, got wrapped up in her own ego, stopped making movies that were even remotely interesting, and pretty much destroyed any chance of me taking her seriously as an actress again. But this isn't just a rant on wasted potential, this is equal parts a celebration of her fantastic and emotional performance in the indie drama Short Term 12. This is a layered and damaged character that anyone would have struggled to fully bring to life, but Larson pulled it off and did so at a remarkably young age. While I still would have to give the Oscar to Blanchett that year for Blue Jasmine, Larson still definitely deserved a nomination and legitimate consideration for the top spot.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">6. Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia</span></div><div>Year: 2011</div><div>Category: Leading Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyKc7lyxtbePQM22zsFinvc3INup5ZL2qnHn5_hNx858pyqC61UPJYioeP26aIMmKe530fe0cAkQdrDbyCv5WCGi_U3jWlZFOrAhJviPjBwPSBgmDWgCGfVoDkCUsI4tQdHpGm69KATQ/s1599/dunst-melancholia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1599" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyKc7lyxtbePQM22zsFinvc3INup5ZL2qnHn5_hNx858pyqC61UPJYioeP26aIMmKe530fe0cAkQdrDbyCv5WCGi_U3jWlZFOrAhJviPjBwPSBgmDWgCGfVoDkCUsI4tQdHpGm69KATQ/w400-h169/dunst-melancholia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />After the well-documented and absolutely disastrous Lars Von Trier "I'm a Nazi" joke/admission at the Cannes Film Festival back in 2011, it's no surprise at all that this already-hard-to-digest sci/fi arthouse apocalypse drama wasn't going to be a huge awards contender that year, but that doesn't take away from just how great Dunst was in this film. This is a tough role to pull off with any level of sympathy, as she starts off the movie doing some pretty awful things in the first half, but finds a way to become a voice of reason and a calming presence as everyone collapses around her. It's a total oddity, and not the kind of movie I would expect to gain any serious awards attention, but she still should have landed a nomination over the forgettable and suitably baity Meryl Streep performance that won her her 3rd Oscar, in spite of being the blandest of the entire Best Actress category that year. Oh well.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">5. Mila Kunis in Black Swan</span></div><div>Year: 2010</div><div>Category: Supporting Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDccC7PeiULjOCpWS6QEe1H6wQsd5jP0CTOQzblx-1nWE73SOi7j4p1iMuZx5BBqtpiw5sQtORVA7RhIQjFHYqlNC7GUB7aX6UNAAJFLO2twVHypD6bXX_aVOMwIWqzJrP4rv0lEElos/s1000/kunis-blackswan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="1000" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDccC7PeiULjOCpWS6QEe1H6wQsd5jP0CTOQzblx-1nWE73SOi7j4p1iMuZx5BBqtpiw5sQtORVA7RhIQjFHYqlNC7GUB7aX6UNAAJFLO2twVHypD6bXX_aVOMwIWqzJrP4rv0lEElos/w400-h209/kunis-blackswan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Okay, I have to admit there's a bit of bias here, because I think Mila Kunis is ridiculously attractive. But I'm legitimately not letting that influence my decision to put her on this list...just how high she landed on it, that's all. While all the attention went to Portman's lead performance, which I mostly understand, during my most recent rewatch I found myself genuinely impressed by Kunis, and was more impressed with her than I was with Portman. Although it certainly isn't a stretch for Mila Kunis to play a very sexual, promiscuous, and outgoing person, the charisma she brings to the role and her ability to perfectly balance the friend-or-foe style mystery that comes with the character definitely requires more than just a pretty face. Additionally, Hailee Steinfeld was straight up awful in True Grit, and after about 3-4 watches I still can't figure out why she was praised so much for that, so Kunis not getting this nomination feels even more like an insult thanks to that. Oh, and my winner still would have been either Leo or Adams for The Fighter.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">4. Zhao Shuzhen in The Farewell</span></div><div>Year: 2019</div><div>Category: Supporting Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Kathy Bates in Richard Jewell, or Florence Pugh in Little Women</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrPBoTreCoKwk9g09c844L14biOT_m7CDv-85n-HYzneVsvGY-U-7sRxZSra3Z3txQ57UXlvo91KUBt4uSgzZXMrw-D1uCp1uE91o7_X-OPmo5om5qYn1Qy0sJee7AD5xkw7Rn4f2Drs/s700/shuzhen-thefarewell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="700" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrPBoTreCoKwk9g09c844L14biOT_m7CDv-85n-HYzneVsvGY-U-7sRxZSra3Z3txQ57UXlvo91KUBt4uSgzZXMrw-D1uCp1uE91o7_X-OPmo5om5qYn1Qy0sJee7AD5xkw7Rn4f2Drs/w400-h217/shuzhen-thefarewell.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Yeah, it's been less than a year since this fraudulent non-nomination occurred, so it's definitely still pretty fresh on the mind, but Shuzhen's supporting role as this sweet-hearted Chinese grandma was one of the most endearing performances of the decade and I still think it's a crime that she didn't win the Oscar. Yeah, from here on out, all of these performances are ones I think should have won, not just been nominated. Not much to say here, apart from I think the Oscars still have a weird bias against Asian actors/filmmakers that Parasite winning Best Picture still isn't enough to make up for. Shuzhen was robbed, and she was ignored by pretty much every other major award for this movie as well. It doesn't make any sense to me, but that's why I'm here now complaining about this. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">3. Tilda Swinton in We Need To Talk About Kevin</span></div><div>Year: 2011</div><div>Category: Leading Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): ANY (but especially Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZAPS8Yc7-UlZxX3bzSiGzeQXVeqXNKCWl_pFtPq8yRbz2kDY5kvipaDS6gHkjk0SVyYTzkfZAiZ6LM_Xrwi3GxnLmsGtB4Nk4wQF1I1pZ-P-8654hDj8rqJnDHd8XI5me73Pwddufv4/s640/swinton-weneedtotalkaboutkevin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZAPS8Yc7-UlZxX3bzSiGzeQXVeqXNKCWl_pFtPq8yRbz2kDY5kvipaDS6gHkjk0SVyYTzkfZAiZ6LM_Xrwi3GxnLmsGtB4Nk4wQF1I1pZ-P-8654hDj8rqJnDHd8XI5me73Pwddufv4/w400-h225/swinton-weneedtotalkaboutkevin.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />For Dunst in Melancholia, I was willing to sacrifice Meryl Streep at the altar of Overratedness, but for Tilda Swinton, I would gladly kick out any of the other Best Actress nominees that year to make space. This was the obvious best pick of the bunch, Swinton gives the performance of her career as a layered and complex dramatic character that never stops impressing me no matter how many times I watch the movie. Additionally, I wanted to make room for a few of the bottom entries on this top 10, but I want to make a special mention for a couple other things Swinton should have gotten nominations for this decade:</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span><span> </span>Snowpiercer, 2013</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span><span> </span>A Bigger Splash, 2016</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span><span> </span>Suspiria, 2018</span></div><div><br /></div><div>I won't go on about any of those and why she stood out so much in them, but suffice it to say Swinton has been - and still remains - one of the most talented actors of the 21st century, and deserves far more attention than what she's gotten.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">2. Toni Collette in Hereditary</span></div><div>Year: 2018</div><div>Category: Leading Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born, or Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRka93l_vsOvccLTfrmgusVo-JH94XImIV8NsjVu5O9nxwCd9ypPqgp4x-kAGAphzAsTxdq3SK8Ez0RiJm_OPfPPf66la3GKAA9TRTJklMV2LlF9zjjINpXd-BnQy9GN7m3IMsI_7otXA/s1000/collette-hereditary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRka93l_vsOvccLTfrmgusVo-JH94XImIV8NsjVu5O9nxwCd9ypPqgp4x-kAGAphzAsTxdq3SK8Ez0RiJm_OPfPPf66la3GKAA9TRTJklMV2LlF9zjjINpXd-BnQy9GN7m3IMsI_7otXA/w400-h225/collette-hereditary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Overall, the 2018 Oscars pool was pretty weak, but the Best Actress category wasn't too bad. That being said, Collette walking away empty-handed has nothing to do with how strong that category was and all comes back to what I was talking about earlier with the Oscars being racist against horror movies. Which is kind of funny, since Collette's only other nomination has come from her appearance in, you guessed it, a horror movie. So why couldn't they do that for her again? I don't know. Seriously, I can't explain it. This is Ellen Burstyn in The Exorcist level good. It's one of the best performances of the decade, and even amongst Collette's impressive filmography still sits firmly at the top. She also has had some ignored performances - like her comedic turn in Knives Out - that should have landed her some nominations, but this one is just too good and too obvious for me to ignore.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">1. Scarlett Johansson in Her</span></div><div>Year: 2013</div><div>Category: Supporting Actress</div><div>Substitution(s): Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMErYiOSz5CPQSMngnZqCdiw0UkyTJkEacI5UEQn4doq7YPsJ4ia7FpSfLz6QmmyRpm29XTH83rOacER7QtOPe9hnOA5RxlqfYJyzjEHOmvYBp_qZkPCM3pdLdd4Xi3XOJFAqBCojRY2g/s980/johansson-her.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="980" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMErYiOSz5CPQSMngnZqCdiw0UkyTJkEacI5UEQn4doq7YPsJ4ia7FpSfLz6QmmyRpm29XTH83rOacER7QtOPe9hnOA5RxlqfYJyzjEHOmvYBp_qZkPCM3pdLdd4Xi3XOJFAqBCojRY2g/w400-h266/johansson-her.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I have made abundantly clear my love for this movie, so it shouldn't really come as a surprise that I'd include Johansson's voice-only performance on this list. But some people probably look at voice acting and scoff, as if that doesn't require talent. To which I'd say "shut up, you're wrong". When you consider the tools Johansson had to work with, this performance becomes even more impressive. Not only did she have to sell her character without any visual aid (even cartoon characters get at least some kind of visual to help convey emotion), she manages to pull that off so well as to make you feel a wide array of emotions for an A.I. operating system to the point where it's not hard to see why Joaquin Phoenix's character manages to fall in love with her in the first place. The fact this movie was able to work on any level at all is miracle enough, but Johansson's character is probably the biggest hurdle, and she pulls it off. Somehow. To me, there's no reason at all why this shouldn't have won her an Oscar, or in the very least gotten the conversation started to make a category for voice and motion capture acting. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so that's all I've got for the ladies, now on to the gents. </div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u>Top 10 - Male</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">10. Albert Brooks in Drive</span></div><div>Year: 2011</div><div>Category: Supporting Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): ANY (except Christopher Plummer in Beginners)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ullaxvf1ab-pWe54LI9rH-JGDvJSpUtrPHb0rZB-4QViZCu41OZyun2Vm3T2zEhGncAqwR-2zYadNWwjfFgAycREXxh7ykD3BPyVTznup-Qw1JDt3tNHB5ZvxIORkzUltMyGlEKHlQk/s465/brooks-drive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="465" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ullaxvf1ab-pWe54LI9rH-JGDvJSpUtrPHb0rZB-4QViZCu41OZyun2Vm3T2zEhGncAqwR-2zYadNWwjfFgAycREXxh7ykD3BPyVTznup-Qw1JDt3tNHB5ZvxIORkzUltMyGlEKHlQk/w400-h299/brooks-drive.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />2011 was a weirdly bad year for the Oscars, with only a handful of the movies they nominated really standing out (or holding up at all years later), but the gift of hindsight isn't all that made this omission so unforgivable. I actually made a post about 9 years ago where I detailed several of the reasons why Brooks deserved to not only receive a nomination, but win the whole thing. An against-type dark, villainous performance by a primarily protagonistic comedic actor, this was not just a great performance/character, but one of the major highlights of a movie that stands among the best of the entire decade. Supporting Actor was a huge disappointment in 2011, but Brooks would have drastically increased the value of that particular pool of performances. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">9. Mads Mikkelsen in The Hunt</span></div><div>Year: 2013</div><div>Category: Leading Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Christian Bale in American Hustle</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITdWl1N2fKBIh0E5oal0rO338BuaB8p83UWy4sMOvMN5tSsQoYphqRyTTLfyu1CO2SGse-iC2WzhsvvvEF51KSB4TnEfwwyCtoSXa3THXK1l3QRtzzPx6thssDGbdf4UlErvMWRWilxQ/s1200/mikkelsen-thehunt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITdWl1N2fKBIh0E5oal0rO338BuaB8p83UWy4sMOvMN5tSsQoYphqRyTTLfyu1CO2SGse-iC2WzhsvvvEF51KSB4TnEfwwyCtoSXa3THXK1l3QRtzzPx6thssDGbdf4UlErvMWRWilxQ/w400-h266/mikkelsen-thehunt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />There was some strong competition for Best Actor in 2013, with a few notable performances like Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips and Robert Redford in All Is Lost missing out on nominations, but far more than both of those movies Mikkelsen was robbed of this one. While I still feel, of the actual nominees, Chiwetel Ejiofor was slightly better in 12 Years A Slave, I think my #2 slot (had he made the cut, of course) would have been Mikkelsen. A subtle and powerful performance that goes far beyond simple emotional outbursts to convey strong emotions and deep suffering, Mikkelsen manages to express a lot throughout the entire movie without relying on cheap actorly tricks to fake his way through it. It's as genuine and affecting a performance as you could ever hope from an actor, and will most likely stand as the finest work of his entire career, even when looked back on it 30 years from now. Also, Bale wasn't a standout in his movie, so his nomination was a huge waste. Just like American Hustle as a whole. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">8. Song Kang-ho in A Taxi Driver</span></div><div>Year: 2017</div><div>Category: Leading Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Denzel Washington in Roman J. Israel, Esq. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywHavDYOTSEYkISMMjO-wi1RZpVJi13rrCYA3qV376E3EU8MQKW095eevi6cM-kwAJEjEE2Cae0x2uF5a2t8dJyAolHGWELZXgrP5b0Twc7AbP81Z2QRXNYhOZHnJS_zmisHs6EGe_BE/s1920/song-ataxidriver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywHavDYOTSEYkISMMjO-wi1RZpVJi13rrCYA3qV376E3EU8MQKW095eevi6cM-kwAJEjEE2Cae0x2uF5a2t8dJyAolHGWELZXgrP5b0Twc7AbP81Z2QRXNYhOZHnJS_zmisHs6EGe_BE/w400-h266/song-ataxidriver.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I could fill an entire countdown with performances by Song Kang-ho that were unjustly overlooked by the Academy Awards, but it all really came down to two: this and Parasite. But to avoid being totally obvious, and considering how well-received Parasite was already, I won't beat that dead horse (even though he totally deserved to get something for that movie) and instead I'll focus on this deeply emotional action-drama. It's a familiar story that could easily be compared to Hotel Rwanda or Schindler's List, not in scope, but more in terms of the arc of its lead character. He manages to bring his usual charm and physicality to the role, but has more than a few opportunities to utilize that expressive face of his to emote when the story calls for it. It's a full, balanced, and incredible performance that doesn't seem to have found much attention outside of small film circles. Which is a huge shame, because not only is Song terrific in it, but the movie as a whole is a roller coaster of emotions, and I loved it. Also, Washington, as much as I love the guy, didn't deserve this nomination at all. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">7. Patrick Stewart in Logan</span></div><div>Year: 2017</div><div>Category: Supporting Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project, or Christopher Plummer in All The Money In The World</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq0oV8YSkVdSSeeRd1K9_AoBgaSwvG3LHdqoz9N50o2jl3mGiBorKCO5v_6p-H5inmgcQB7EkPH6ZTm-FNqZiaBeRGsnL45t4BWcVAidzrSAUbCYR2PugfSWkqCm0m62zc_Zr4NnFNSE/s1024/stewart-logan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq0oV8YSkVdSSeeRd1K9_AoBgaSwvG3LHdqoz9N50o2jl3mGiBorKCO5v_6p-H5inmgcQB7EkPH6ZTm-FNqZiaBeRGsnL45t4BWcVAidzrSAUbCYR2PugfSWkqCm0m62zc_Zr4NnFNSE/w400-h225/stewart-logan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I've said it about a million times before (and I've probably prefaced the following statement with those exact words about half a million times before) but I am tired of superhero movies. So when I say this was one of the best performances I saw in the entire year of 2017, that should mean at least something. Patrick Stewart, in spite of being one of the most beloved and celebrated actors of the past 40 years, has never gotten any serious awards attention, and while Logan still managed to score an Oscar nomination, I really hoped this would be the movie to earn Stewart his first nomination. It didn't happen, and apart from the obvious (superhero/action movies don't traditionally do very well at the Oscars), I can't really imagine why. This is a powerful, affecting performance, that even without the context of previous X-Men films still stands as an excellent bit of acting that runs circles around 99% of all acting within the genre(s). No, he wouldn't have realistically won, but a nomination in the very least should have happened for him. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">6. Daniel Radcliffe in Swiss Army Man</span></div><div>Year: 2016</div><div>Category: Leading Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Andrew Garfield in Hacksaw Ridge</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRJA2ASUyixWmjbPa9kT2fV8aWy7DK24IaouJeYaPCyEoYprx6zyIJAGpAaqGiiMvCKmwRa3V4v8h39czeVtqPxrq1d5_3Drrh7GVAZtQxDQh4I38I_6zDzCOvfkA0gu_6Yxoc6rBYMo/s1920/radcliffe-swissarmyman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRJA2ASUyixWmjbPa9kT2fV8aWy7DK24IaouJeYaPCyEoYprx6zyIJAGpAaqGiiMvCKmwRa3V4v8h39czeVtqPxrq1d5_3Drrh7GVAZtQxDQh4I38I_6zDzCOvfkA0gu_6Yxoc6rBYMo/w400-h225/radcliffe-swissarmyman.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />While I could just as easily argue that Radcliffe could/should land in the Supporting Actor category, I consider the quality of this performance to be strong enough, as well as prominent enough, to land in the Best Actor category and still earn that nomination. This is one of those performances much like Vincent D'Onofrio's in Men In Black, where the actor is able to sell the audience on a concept so foreign and absurd, and does so without ever giving us reason to second-guess it. D'Onofrio managed to convince us without pause that he was indeed a giant space cockroach using a human hick as a body suit, and Radcliffe manages to convince us that he's a talking, farting corpse with seemingly endless useful abilities -- including having a compass for a dick. Not only does he sell this unusual concept, but does so in a way that makes you genuinely care for him. Additionally, his comedic timing is absolutely perfect, with a loud, croaking delivery that makes every joke land regardless of the quality of the joke itself. This is an uncommonly good performance that I wouldn't expect to receive nominations, but is the kind of thing I would have loved to have seen get more attention. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">5. Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler</span></div><div>Year: 2014</div><div>Category: Leading Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Bradley Cooper in American Sniper</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXRf9HtkwvMRJ_j4idHma0UMtF5g6XWiu0Yg2I998xk9XVlnTnHFs0sPkfHFK5xqrp92nm94vhFVuGAtNzRsrdfKhSQb6WqUMx9yFLG3gplkdrTdl2ij76bg1wY8LKXfVyfwNv2q4V9s/s1920/gyllenhaal-nightcrawler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXRf9HtkwvMRJ_j4idHma0UMtF5g6XWiu0Yg2I998xk9XVlnTnHFs0sPkfHFK5xqrp92nm94vhFVuGAtNzRsrdfKhSQb6WqUMx9yFLG3gplkdrTdl2ij76bg1wY8LKXfVyfwNv2q4V9s/w400-h225/gyllenhaal-nightcrawler.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Unlike the last performance on this list, this is one where I genuinely don't understand how it didn't wind up with a nomination. Everything about this character/performance works, from the physicality to the dialogue and delivery of every line. Although he wound up with BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations for this one, Gyllenhaal was yet again ignored by the Oscars in favor of Bradley Cooper's passable-but-forgettable biographical propaganda war movie performance. A disappointment, to say the least, but for now I want to focus on just how underrated Gyllenhaal's career has been over the past decade or so. With movies like this, Prisoners, Enemy, End Of Watch, Nocturnal Animals, Stronger, and The Sisters Brothers just in the 2010s alone, Gyllenhaal has somehow walked out of this decade without any new Oscar nominations (or wins, obviously) to his name. It doesn't make any sense, but is yet again evidence of the ineptitude of these award shows. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">4. Michael Fassbender in Shame</span></div><div>Year: 2011</div><div>Category: Leading Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Brad Pitt in Moneyball, or Demian Bichir in A Better Life</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjI0rMdQ3ubREoK8iKOQw97KZYUB8g_YYLZE4JwZvMHsE9DWvsHwEwkSGQiAMQsq8kqAiguuuvwJIss0JYTbkbEZOGFTFdpIxI2hUBAoq5Wg5wZvk82NeN6_VQgAcXSm494S9ZobZSI4/s600/fassbender-shame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjI0rMdQ3ubREoK8iKOQw97KZYUB8g_YYLZE4JwZvMHsE9DWvsHwEwkSGQiAMQsq8kqAiguuuvwJIss0JYTbkbEZOGFTFdpIxI2hUBAoq5Wg5wZvk82NeN6_VQgAcXSm494S9ZobZSI4/w400-h220/fassbender-shame.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />While I do love Moneyball for what it is, and A Better Life does feature a strong lead performance, this is the one movie I felt most deserved to win Best Actor back in 2011. And while my opinion on the movie as a whole has diminished upon rewatching it, the fact still remains that Fassbender put everything he had into this movie and gave one of the most revealing (figuratively and literally), emotionally bare, and dare I say brave performances I've ever seen. It's hard for me to praise this one enough, and while I did like all of the Best Actor nominations of 2011, he deserved to win for this, and the fact that he wasn't even in the pool of nominees is ridiculous. At least he got a few other major award nominations, but still. </div><div><br /></div><div>(Editor's note: Be proud of the lack of "what a shame" jokes included in this and the Carey Mulligan segment. The omission of the aforementioned hack jokes caused the writer near-insurmountable pain, so be grateful.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">3. Issey Ogata in Silence</span></div><div>Year: 2016</div><div>Category: Supporting Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Dev Patel in Lion, or Lucas Hedges in Manchester By The Sea</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6XeAEpwCl1z1m2DQfBmCHmxf7q3_ibbxQ5Ke4Ie0OV2sJs32LNOZv37au7yqn3YK2PsDxVQGI7rJ9hY3Ydmd8TacB87NRzfQee0hmuIlLbDzxSMl9h0FGzw5nE1Jd5p7ecmmKGkcNsA/s860/ogata-silence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="860" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6XeAEpwCl1z1m2DQfBmCHmxf7q3_ibbxQ5Ke4Ie0OV2sJs32LNOZv37au7yqn3YK2PsDxVQGI7rJ9hY3Ydmd8TacB87NRzfQee0hmuIlLbDzxSMl9h0FGzw5nE1Jd5p7ecmmKGkcNsA/w400-h266/ogata-silence.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />One of the reasons I didn't throw Radcliffe into the Supporting Actor category for 2016 was this guy right here. Back in 2016 when all the awards discussions and endless predictive speculations were circling prior to the release of this film, pretty much everyone (myself included) suspected Liam Neeson would walk away with something, or perhaps even Andrew Garfield. Little did we know, the movie would wind up being stolen by this elderly Japanese man, unknown to the west, who doesn't even show up or play an important role in the film until about halfway through. But this is the type of odd, specific, and absolutely perfect performances that I love more than any showy biographical Oscar-bait. With slow, calculated and almost dweeby line delivery, and one of the all-time great disappointed sighs in the history of cinema, Ogata's villainous performance is something no one else could have pulled off. I found myself rooting for him he was so great. Even though he doesn't really play a part in the story until the second half, he is what carries the movie through what could have easily been the most tedious portion of the story, and winds up being the major highlight of the whole film for me. As great as Mahershala Ali was in Moonlight, I still would have probably given the Oscar to Ogata. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">2. Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse</span></div><div>Year: 2019</div><div>Category: Supporting Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): Al Pacino in The Irishman, Anthony Hopkins in The Two Popes, or Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaFP4gFCKEXClIVQDRlcJB2GLN_vcM0MpmN_YdUBCDnJVH9XAwF2OxvtMHcWbAFiuCDo-xTHSHSeLiyYUzIZDukRqizG-qCP92z8eL0KZKAyt06b2yj-53qSIVrjiTk9K4Jj4nhd9Cgc/s1024/dafoe-thelighthouse.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1024" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaFP4gFCKEXClIVQDRlcJB2GLN_vcM0MpmN_YdUBCDnJVH9XAwF2OxvtMHcWbAFiuCDo-xTHSHSeLiyYUzIZDukRqizG-qCP92z8eL0KZKAyt06b2yj-53qSIVrjiTk9K4Jj4nhd9Cgc/w400-h231/dafoe-thelighthouse.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />After I made this list, and with no real doubts in my mind going into it, I watched The Lighthouse for about the 4th time and found myself once again totally drawn in, blown away, and completely entertained and engaged by Dafoe's crabby lighthouse keeper. Even though I loved the movie the first time I saw it, I still find more things to enjoy about it as I watch it again and again, and while Pattinson more than holds his own as the more central focus of the film, Dafoe totally steals the show. When I woke up the day the Oscar nominations were announced, I found myself getting nervous at the thought of Dafoe getting his much-deserved nomination for this movie. When he didn't get it I wasn't surprised, but I was still very disappointed. The 2-minute unblinking sea curse monologue alone would be enough for me to love this performance, but the nuances and complete transformation Dafoe undergoes as an actor (without the aid of tons of prosthetics) just push it all over the edge to the point of being one of the most complete, entertaining, and wonderful performances of the decade. While Hopkins and Hanks were both solid nominees, Pacino's "hoo-ah, I'm Jimmy Hoffaaaaa" in The Irishman didn't need to be there and stood no chance of actually winning. Dafoe, however, should have won.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">1. Joaquin Phoenix in Her</span></div><div>Year: 2013</div><div>Category: Leading Actor</div><div>Substitution(s): ANY (but, again, especially Christian Bale in American Hustle)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjyVpDM_SYne86NWkQah89pxdB4jyc10HmBPZJqqQ1V34sXVeT-UpXFW6TRuhRntQeYC8CfI3Y6bdca8BwEzOeUJpNAJy3N9XVfMNUhz3K3lZ9UblmHUQ4RTjcVKhNOK2jMS999QNXGY/s2048/phoenix-her.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjyVpDM_SYne86NWkQah89pxdB4jyc10HmBPZJqqQ1V34sXVeT-UpXFW6TRuhRntQeYC8CfI3Y6bdca8BwEzOeUJpNAJy3N9XVfMNUhz3K3lZ9UblmHUQ4RTjcVKhNOK2jMS999QNXGY/w400-h266/phoenix-her.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />You sick of hearing me talk about how incredible this movie is yet? Because, honestly, I don't think I could talk quite enough about just how perfect so many aspects of this movie are. But I will spare you, and just mirror previous statements I've made about how much emotion and depth Phoenix brings to a role in which he basically has to act opposite a speaker phone, and still manages to make you care. I laugh, cry, feel pain, awkwardness, frustration...just about every emotion is contained within this movie, and none of it could have landed without Phoenix there to carry you through it. Even in the incredible filmography Phoenix has amassed over the past 25 years, this is still my #1 pick for the best he's ever done, and I would be genuinely shocked if he ever surpassed it. Maybe someday I'll write a 100,000 word scene-by-scene analysis on this movie. I probably should, actually.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There's a ton of other choices I sadly had to omit, but maybe I'll think about doing a follow-up list with some other great Oscar-less performances later on down the road. Michael Shannon in Take Shelter, in particular, I feel bad about leaving out, but meh. It's just a dumb list anyway, nobody should care that much. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the list. Keep watching good movies, stop supporting Disney, and see you next time.</div>Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-78491927904044742532020-09-24T11:51:00.000-04:002020-09-24T11:51:05.006-04:00200 Items Or Less: The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (2005)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpFVnKIRQ0fCnJrtVYPmK6-DpHSjjNCfZYJ6XbwPO9FtPvKwIizdeiUjM8Pil3JEezJuVK8QDL4NrZmP36hlZDv7ZarWr1bBp9sm6Ovjcy4eBVYf-z4f2bj8HRebQNOJMatUPx6xT4Dc/s1600/10b630ffaf8d5ebeab660abc292e30d6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpFVnKIRQ0fCnJrtVYPmK6-DpHSjjNCfZYJ6XbwPO9FtPvKwIizdeiUjM8Pil3JEezJuVK8QDL4NrZmP36hlZDv7ZarWr1bBp9sm6Ovjcy4eBVYf-z4f2bj8HRebQNOJMatUPx6xT4Dc/s200/10b630ffaf8d5ebeab660abc292e30d6.jpg" width="135" height="200" data-original-width="450" data-original-height="668" /></a></div><b>A few thoughts:</b> In spite of having seen this movie a good half-dozen times, it wasn't until this most recent viewing that I came to appreciate both how imaginative and memorable it is. Full of visual craziness and bizarre characters, this adaptation draws enough inspiration from the source material to satisfy fans and has enough new to offer to maintain a certain amount of freshness without alienating the audiences. While I usually find Zooey Deschanel to be insufferable, she's tolerable here, but the real highlights are Sam Rockwell's goofball southern rock star-esque President of the Galaxy, and the droll voice-only performance by Alan Rickman as a robot with a depressed personality. There are so many wonderful little moments and off-the-wall jokes to be found here, but it never comes across as too hyperactive and attention deficit to keep it from telling an actual story. The effects hold up really well, and the Hitchhiker's Guide itself being narrated by Stephen Fry was a wonderful choice. Very entertaining. <br />
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<a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBjVnkQ31vrDusCXD_JDcGOAjbbz3AmCoaAGFtyy7q-c63V_oKds-wiUPZ24FaX_uX4JV-dp6t0uhsQHqOTiPR3JcI3QRBiNDTZrMLBsAwhakr6eZERaze8JU6AN57gwDXNrrrJB6tmM/s1600/hitchhikersguide01-640x290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBjVnkQ31vrDusCXD_JDcGOAjbbz3AmCoaAGFtyy7q-c63V_oKds-wiUPZ24FaX_uX4JV-dp6t0uhsQHqOTiPR3JcI3QRBiNDTZrMLBsAwhakr6eZERaze8JU6AN57gwDXNrrrJB6tmM/s400/hitchhikersguide01-640x290.jpg" width="400" height="181" data-original-width="640" data-original-height="290" /></a></div><br />
<b>Who would I recommend it to?</b> Fans of screwball humor and sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously.<br />
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<b>My grade:</b> BJeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540480104359490939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-35427194708383275662020-08-29T04:37:00.000-04:002020-08-29T04:37:37.855-04:00200 Items Or Less: Sky High (2005)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMVSSiTHUYtRBDcaP2lKL1DngQIVFVbk7Yo3sdmloVIdBr44caWrmQB7M8zwQNgxSZiZ92kr7mldQHDEArvsf3aLi1EL6F5wm1-cYL0sA6nLgX7y1AaIy9ZuQoNEdwAjBRsnPBlYyBoQ/s1600/Sky_High_movie_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMVSSiTHUYtRBDcaP2lKL1DngQIVFVbk7Yo3sdmloVIdBr44caWrmQB7M8zwQNgxSZiZ92kr7mldQHDEArvsf3aLi1EL6F5wm1-cYL0sA6nLgX7y1AaIy9ZuQoNEdwAjBRsnPBlYyBoQ/s200/Sky_High_movie_poster.jpg" width="135" height="200" data-original-width="236" data-original-height="350" /></a></div><b>A few thoughts:</b> My fiance was talking with someone and they insisted this was the best superhero movie they've ever seen, so we decided to say "screw it" and check it out. I'd already seen it and knew it was dumb, but that was over a decade ago...not much has changed. This is a dorky, predictable, formulaic, and obvious product of its time. It felt like some executive at Disney said "hey, those superhero movies are popular right now and so is that Harry Potter guy, let's smash the two together", which is exactly what you get here. It's bright, colorful, and will undoubtedly hold a certain appeal to kids, but I can't see it being something I would ever seek out again. Kurt Russell is fun, but he seems to be one of the only people in this who actually put out effort -- Mary Elizabeth Winstead, for example, is shockingly bad. Also, it misused Bruce Campbell, which is a horrible crime to commit. In the end, every move the plot takes was ripped from the pages of Screenwriting For Dummies, and it didn't have enough humor or excitement for me to forgive it of that. <br />
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<a name='more'></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM09tnza4c8hTudeERaNk9kOstmbZLBs6RsvRGVPxrkKX7FD-7lrmFtTMP8Q7Mw-Q6XzmM5i_IzTVKzWRp3mD0GgSs670XtbAwU6vA8sZSVSCXXb_SUT_TXTOghadCbk6Bc38bJQ-06y4/s1600/MV5BY2IwMjMzOWItZjkwZi00YTlmLThlMTgtNGJlN2Y1ZWU3OWY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjQ4ODE4MzQ%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM09tnza4c8hTudeERaNk9kOstmbZLBs6RsvRGVPxrkKX7FD-7lrmFtTMP8Q7Mw-Q6XzmM5i_IzTVKzWRp3mD0GgSs670XtbAwU6vA8sZSVSCXXb_SUT_TXTOghadCbk6Bc38bJQ-06y4/s400/MV5BY2IwMjMzOWItZjkwZi00YTlmLThlMTgtNGJlN2Y1ZWU3OWY5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjQ4ODE4MzQ%2540._V1_.jpg" width="400" height="165" data-original-width="1280" data-original-height="528" /></a></div><br />
<b>Who would I recommend it to?</b> Small children and people with the same hobbies and interests of them.<br />
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<b>My grade:</b> DJeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11540480104359490939noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7195703801433692967.post-60815755505081315022020-07-12T07:33:00.001-04:002020-07-12T07:37:15.178-04:00All 5 Neil Breen films ranked<big>A highly opinionated list by a fan of a very odd filmmaker. </big><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfFPeT_tDhtS5stu-vvJvW8gkxR6hSGRtXrT20exyy1UbpQ2TwG5DHiOWiJdYIEjXiQmnk_Z7QYZ1R7CF6YHEK23od7aB3mMKaoN4uykBXAlcJM1BRKWv_Aiyq-3dHasUnPIJl5vIo10/s1600/breen+portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfFPeT_tDhtS5stu-vvJvW8gkxR6hSGRtXrT20exyy1UbpQ2TwG5DHiOWiJdYIEjXiQmnk_Z7QYZ1R7CF6YHEK23od7aB3mMKaoN4uykBXAlcJM1BRKWv_Aiyq-3dHasUnPIJl5vIo10/s320/breen+portrait.jpg" width="247" height="320" data-original-width="395" data-original-height="512" /></a></div>Neil Breen. The mere mention of his name can evoke unforgettable images and quotes. When I first heard of him back in 2014 on a Paste magazine list of the 100 greatest B-movies of all-time (a list I highly recommend looking into if you're in the mood for some oddball, off-the-beaten-path entertainment), I was instantly intrigued. When I later found his movies had become somewhat notorious on YouTube thanks to RedLetterMedia (and later YourMovieSucks, FanboyFlicks, and the like), I couldn't say I was terribly surprised. He's an interesting filmmaker whose ineptitude, sincerity, and almost scary Messiah-like view of himself has generated some of the most genuinely baffling movies of the 21st century. Usually modern filmmakers who accrue dedicated cult followings gain a sort of self-awareness that steals the genuine charm away from their future efforts, but with 5 features to his name, Breen still seems to be delusional enough to think what he's making is legitimate art. He is no Tommy Wiseau, who has leaned into his infamy to an obnoxious degree, but a completely new breed of crazy that is difficult to explain.<br />
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As previously mentioned, I have been aware of this odd fellow for several years now, but I still had only seen one or two of his movies fully until very recently. This was quite an adventure as a big fan of B-movies, and while I had probably already seen over half of the laugh-out-loud moments from his films before this, watching through them all start to finish was definitely something I needed to do. But now that I've seen them, what do I do with that information? Do I write inane meme reviews where I say crap like "omg what did I just see? I literally can't even, I got Breened lawl 10/10"? I don't think so. I'll leave that for the asshats on Letterboxd who think that's funny or has any sort of value. No, instead I'm going to do the thing that the title of this post says. Maybe this way anyone who happens upon this post can maybe have a better idea where to start when it comes to Breen as a whole. Some of his movies are definitely funnier than others, and some are a lot more boring than others. One in particular can pretty much be skipped entirely, in my humble opinion. So let's talk about that one now.<br />
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<font size=+2>5. Pass Thru (2016)</font><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6QBq9ypcReXhAwtu2OMIOJggLUHPz43Ih895FlOFVe-d27qtcdqP21h559omSRvgl7oKm1nlBwZTFHZV28oVY8MspPd2v9m0X-5krNygVpkYReHVig12nLOOcvZwKPfCPx1w1oP9ciM/s1600/breen+pass+thru.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL6QBq9ypcReXhAwtu2OMIOJggLUHPz43Ih895FlOFVe-d27qtcdqP21h559omSRvgl7oKm1nlBwZTFHZV28oVY8MspPd2v9m0X-5krNygVpkYReHVig12nLOOcvZwKPfCPx1w1oP9ciM/s400/breen+pass+thru.jpg" width="400" height="228" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="342" /></a><br />
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<b>The "plot":</b> Neil Breen is an all-powerful space traveler who hates banks, corporations, the government, and all other manners of corruption and evil, and decides to use his powers to wipe them all out.<br />
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If you indiscriminately enjoy watching terrible movies just because you think it's fun to laugh at them being bad, I suppose this could be a recommendation, but if I were to introduce someone to the works of Neil Breen, this would absolutely be the last step in that adventure. I can say with some certainty, had this been the first movie of his that I'd seen, I doubt I would have bothered with the other 4. Apart from being incredibly slow, shot in a very ugly manner, and featuring some of the most obnoxious characters I've ever seen, this movie also lacks the charm of his other efforts. This is a dismal movie with godawful acting that's more grating than it is funny (Kathy Corpus, who shares the lead with Breen himself, is especially terrible). Everyone yells every line of dialogue throughout the entire movie, and it became very annoying very fast. The story is all over the place, and Breen's general attitude towards the usual corporations, banks, government, etc. seems even more militant and hostile than ever before. Many people before me have said it, but this feels like the kind of movie someone would release right before they snap. There's very little humor to be found here that can't also be found in any/all of his other movies, so the result is just a bitter, ugly, mean-spirited, and weirdly rambling piece of nonsense that I really can't recommend for bad movie night. It actively gave me a headache to watch. I grade movies I see on a contextual scale that takes into account many aspects, but mainly on how entertaining I find them to be. A few chuckles aside, I give it...<br />
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<big>3/10</big> (4/10 if I'm feeling especially generous)<br />
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tl;dr - Too boring, annoying, and uninspired to stand out among Breen's previous films in any positive way.<br />
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<font size=+2>4. I Am Here....Now (2009)</font><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyOQGh-faVw3pnQC2MIg42UmcEndVSg9VcB7cx2p7WEZNd0dN_qyRksbkCCIWfa8vbEQ-cEwqHYo80kOxjGPwkW-GOF1dDosUAlHFEM7kbzd7MayTz9RaTVWY5TD7LZrtVE-JDB4gDhg/s1600/breen+i+am+here+now.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyOQGh-faVw3pnQC2MIg42UmcEndVSg9VcB7cx2p7WEZNd0dN_qyRksbkCCIWfa8vbEQ-cEwqHYo80kOxjGPwkW-GOF1dDosUAlHFEM7kbzd7MayTz9RaTVWY5TD7LZrtVE-JDB4gDhg/s400/breen+i+am+here+now.jpg" width="400" height="225" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="338" /></a><br />
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<b>The "plot":</b> Neil Breen is a robot alien space deity who has returned to Earth (which he created, of course) to stop unemployed Las Vegas women from becoming hookers, and to end government/corporate corruption.<br />
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The first Breen movie I ever saw, and while it's quite a bit better than Pass Thru, there's a lot of similarities between these two in all the wrong ways. The boredom factor is definitely there, Breen once again plays a super powerful space alien (this time, one who claims to have created all of mankind), and too much time is spent focusing on other characters who don't really add much of anything to the plot. The major difference here, apart from just being overall much more entertaining to watch than Pass Thru, is that this movie is almost a decade older than Pass Thru, and covered almost all of the same topics, rendering that movie completely pointless. To be fair, he's covered themes of corruption and all that crap in everything he's done, but still. There's an awkwardness to the characters and the dialogue in this movie that's much less abrasive here, and with characters behaving in such hilarious and irrational ways, watching them lose their office jobs and instantly take up prostitution is never not funny to me. There are a lot of wonderful moments that I wouldn't want to spoil for anyone, but there are definite dry spells that make this one a big of a chore to sit through if you aren't sufficiently inebriated. I've watched this one a couple of times now, and it still generates some big laughs from me, and I find it all too charming not to want to watch it again sometime in the future. So, for pure B-movie entertainment value, I'm gonna give it...<br />
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<big>6/10</big><br />
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tl;dr - A bit slow, not enough time spent on Breen's character, but ultimately enjoyable.<br />
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<font size=+2>3. Twisted Pair (2018)</font><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYLdWxUkUS7qNTxnLhKPjscEpyoASn42JhNOmrTdnCqdGvbNQaedfyZLQEBWBqM6kZBy-7wtPiOSZFwrDl3GRrFYFHFDfAQQEk1T939Ukrmvkn2mdOQyaIPyrNlNFkobsanDhPVNz8GY/s1600/breen+twisted+pair.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYLdWxUkUS7qNTxnLhKPjscEpyoASn42JhNOmrTdnCqdGvbNQaedfyZLQEBWBqM6kZBy-7wtPiOSZFwrDl3GRrFYFHFDfAQQEk1T939Ukrmvkn2mdOQyaIPyrNlNFkobsanDhPVNz8GY/s400/breen+twisted+pair.jpg" width="400" height="225" data-original-width="1366" data-original-height="768" /></a><br />
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<b>The "plot":</b> Neil Breen and Neil Breen are twins who are separated at a young age by either the government or aliens (I don't think even Breen knows which) and are given special powers. Except one of the Neil Breens is bad, so he grows a comedy beard and does drugs. But they both still take down corruption.<br />
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Usually, Breen movies are at their best the more he shows up on screen, so with two copies of him sometimes even sharing the screen together, this was bound to be a pretty wonderful experience. Also, after the steaming dud that was Pass Thru, it was nice to see him back on top as king of the bad movie. In a lot of ways, this was a totally different visual experience from his previous efforts, with all of the non-green screen shots being filmed at night. It gave the whole movie a whole new look, which I found refreshing after all of his past movies looked virtually the same -- mostly due to how much time is spent with characters standing outside with blue sky backgrounds, as well as dozens of shots of Breen wandering around in the Nevada desert. Also, the addition of Breen wearing a Mirror Spock evil twin beard is the kind of visual that's hard not to laugh at. This is the point where I have trouble determining whether or not he understands what his movies really are to people, with some aspects being just as nonsensical as before, but in some ways they've actually kind of improved. Regardless, this one was hard for me to put in third place, because it feels like it deserves to be higher. Ultimately, that's just a testament to the overall enjoyability of his movies. So, using the same contextual scale as before, I will have to give this one...<br />
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<big>7/10</big> (maybe even an 8/10)<br />
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tl;dr - Breen is back, with another unusual experience that actually distinguishes itself from his other movies in all the right ways.<br />
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<font size=+2>2. Fateful Findings (2013)</font><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTGj8Gh7KvM6F2Ucd7YoNKOi3HMGOwNuAUPtAl7LKSlQMrk7fjBJ8kk1zYY6elzC7hhDAaeBoqH9DTw1sLkhRCEqwrCwfigadj3dR5Y17q6R91Y24RyYASAzv21GU7PbaDGfS6AvzOUs/s1600/breen+fateful+findings.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTGj8Gh7KvM6F2Ucd7YoNKOi3HMGOwNuAUPtAl7LKSlQMrk7fjBJ8kk1zYY6elzC7hhDAaeBoqH9DTw1sLkhRCEqwrCwfigadj3dR5Y17q6R91Y24RyYASAzv21GU7PbaDGfS6AvzOUs/s400/breen+fateful+findings.jpg" width="400" height="225" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="337" /></a><br />
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<b>The "plot":</b> Neil Breen is hit by a car, writes very successful novels, reconnects with an old flame, has superpowers, hacks into government secrets, and can not believe his friend committed suicide. <br />
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In a lot of ways, this is the best intro to Breen that anyone could ask for. With a plot full of cheesy melodrama, terrible/terrific dialogue, and a healthy dose of "the corporations and corruption must be stopped!", Fateful Findings would probably be the first thing I'd recommend to someone who's looking to get into his movies. With plenty of Breen-focused acting moments, this is a slightly less ego-driven movie than his others, but still includes scenes where Neil Breen uses otherworldly powers and uses his righteousness to exact revenge on the evil and corrupt. Not only this, but his usual mysticism is involved when it comes to his rekindled romance with a girl he loved when he was like 8, when they found a magic mushroom together that was actually a jewelry box that had rocks in it or something. It doesn't make much sense, but they covered it back up with twigs, so it's fine, don't worry about it. There are plenty of laptops in this one, probably his single most iconic acting moment, and overall silly and inept filmmaking throughout. It's really a great example of what people have come to love about Breen as a whole, and while it's not the one I find the most enjoyment out of, as mentioned before, I would still throw this one of his at someone first if they had an interest in getting into so-bad-it's-good movies. Not much else to say at this point, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to love. For what it is, my rating would have to be...<br />
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<big>8/10</big><br />
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tl;dr - A great introduction to Breen, full of hilarious and nonsensical moments. Great example of so-bad-it's-good entertainment.<br />
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<font size=+2>1. Double Down (2005)</font><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF_LM3nqaKPu3BKDRYjQE0JjbMdcKus3RubFtlyL5kEliO1qt_8NtDqgZ8NDxMnCt5yBl08qBMNkIm4gkbqHOTt6UT4mUteA7e0ZLmkZiqq4mPw50g1S0CO660NDZdeLBH8ifY0vw18Q/s1600/breen+double+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF_LM3nqaKPu3BKDRYjQE0JjbMdcKus3RubFtlyL5kEliO1qt_8NtDqgZ8NDxMnCt5yBl08qBMNkIm4gkbqHOTt6UT4mUteA7e0ZLmkZiqq4mPw50g1S0CO660NDZdeLBH8ifY0vw18Q/s400/breen+double+down.jpg" width="400" height="216" data-original-width="1491" data-original-height="806" /></a><br />
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<b>The "plot":</b> Neil Breen runs up and down mountains in the desert, eats tuna from the can, sleeps in (and sometimes under) his car, pines after his dead fiance, and is also the best and most amazing spy/assassin (who sometimes kills the wrong people by accident).<br />
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As the huge RedLetterMedia fan that I am, it's honestly hard for me to separate this movie from the equal parts hilarious (Rich Evans) and frustrating (Max Landis) experience of watching their discussion on this movie -- the discussion that ultimately led to Breen's current state of fame. But, instead of just having this be an RLM gush-fest, I will try to sum up just what makes this the most entertaining Breen film to me. First off, I will always have a certain fondness for debuts, even if they're not always that great -- there is an unfiltered charm to these early efforts that I find pretty wonderful. Secondly, there is no doubt in my mind that Breen was 100% legitimately attempting to make a serious thriller here. Some of his later movies (Twisted Pair and the awkward beard, for example) raise some questions in me as to his self-awareness, but this one is the real deal. Third, the ideas found in this movie are so genuinely baffling and idiosyncratic, I have a hard time believing anyone else in the world would be able to come up with this crap. Breen, from his very first feature, knew exactly what he wanted from his movies, and that template hasn't really changed. And finally, the jarring use of stock footage, nonsensical visuals and editing, rambling and idiotic dialogue, thousands of cans of tuna, Breen's hilarious jogs up and down hills, and complete lack of narrative cohesion all add up to make this an incredibly funny and unapologetically sincere film to experience. There is something incredibly funny about this movie, and I didn't hit the point of burn-out that I often get with this type of thing, as I found it entertaining from the beginning to the end. I was left pretty awestruck by it, and as we chronologically went through his movies over the past week, I constantly found myself thinking "Double Down is still better". It's a total failure in every conventional filmmaking sense, but a rousing success in terms of sheer entertainment and originality. I kinda love this movie, and I consider it the best thing Breen has done to this point -- and honestly, I doubt he'll ever be able to top it. So, I'm giving it...<br />
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<big>9/10</big><br />
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tl;dr - It's Neil Breen's 'The Room'. A perfect storm of hilariously awful filmmaking choices and pure ego-driven storytelling.<br />
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<font size=+2>Ranking</font><br />
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5. Pass Thru (2016)<br />
4. I Am Here....Now (2009)<br />
3. Twisted Pair (2018)<br />
2. Fateful Findings (2013)<br />
1. Double Down (2005)<br />
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In the end, even though I don't love Neil Breen as much as some people do (I must admit, I think a good deal of these people aren't too familiar with many so-bad-it's-good movies, so they're probably just easily excitable), he is a unique voice in B-movies, and a director/writer/actor/producer/superhacker that has left an immense mark on so-bad-it's-good movies. The impact he has made on this particular subgenre has spread far and wide, with even relatively casual movie fans sometimes knowing of his work. A total oddity in the independent landscape of cinema, Breen's uncompromising social/political views and recurring themes push him far beyond the Tommy Wiseau and James Nguyen types who make one funny bad movie and were never able to even come close to capturing that same magic again. He has reached, and perhaps even surpassed the status of Ed Wood, carving his place in the hall of fame of bad movies, bringing so much joy to so many people it's hard to even call them "bad" movies anymore. If I were to make a list of my 100 favorite directors, I think I'd be able to - unironically - find a spot for him on that list. Thanks for reading, and try to get ahold of his movies if you can. Well worth your time, assuming you're in the mood for some baffling nonsense.<br />
Jeff SChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18061980318630943559noreply@blogger.com1