Predicting the 84th Academy Awards Winners (2012)

Oscars tomorrow and I think I need to post a quick prediction of who’ll get the awards as I’ve done in previous years.

Best Picture – The Artist (though how I’d love to see Tree of Life or even Hugo win this one)

Best Director – Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist (or Martin Scorsese could snatch his second)

Best Actor in a Leading Role – Jean Dujardin, The Artist (his campaign has been well but we could get a Clooney Surprise. Still wishing Pitt has a chance)

Best Actress in a Leading Role – Viola Davis, The Help (weirdly, I have a feeling that Glenn Close could make an upset. And there’s still Meryl Streep)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Christopher Plummer, Beginners (just for the support from the precursor awards. But Max von Sydow is close behind)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Octavia Spencer, The Help (I don’t like her, but that’s how these things work. Wish Chastain could pull an upset)

Best Original Screenplay – Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen (or The Artist if they’re planning for a sweep)

Best Adapted Screenplay – The Descendants, Alenxander Payne (going with the WGA for this one)

Best Original Score – The Artist (Not the best of the bunch, but will win for sure)

Best Makeup – The Iron Lady (or Harry Potter, just cos I’ve no idea how they judge this)

Best Costume Design – Jane Eyre (or The Artist cos they love it so much)

Best Art Direction – Hugo (come on now. Won’t forgive them if they give this to The Artist)

Best Cinematography – The Tree of Life (it’s about time)

Best Editing – The Artist

Best Foreign Language Film – A Separation, Iran (normally the one with the weirdest winners. But I’m sticking with Iran cos it’s the best one of the bunch, plus that writing nod)

Best Animated Film – Rango

Best Sound Editing – Hugo

Best Sound Mixing – Hugo (just cos I don’t know the difference)

Best Visual Effects – Rise of the Planet of the Apes(or Hugo)

Best Original Song – Man or Muppet, The Muppets

Best Documentary Feature – Pina

Best Live Action Short – The Shore

Best Animated Short - The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Best Documentary Short – Saving Face (haven’t seen any of these shorts so really just guessing)

Thats it. The quickest blog post I’ve ever made. Let’s all find out tomorrow 10amish Manila time.

2011: Year in Songs

By Sanriel Chris Ajero

My 20 (+1) favorite songs for 2011.

2011: Year in TV

By Sanriel Chris Ajero

Same drill as with films, here are my 20 favorite TV shows of the past year. No rules and basis, just shows that aired within 2011 that had me glued to the TV and became culprits to why I spent more time watching 20 to 40 minuter episodes than watching films.

Before the 20, there are a few shows that missed the cut because I have not seen enough of it or because I failed to catch the season that aired in 2011 – Treme, Sons of Anarchy, Friday Night Lights, Luther, Doctor Who and Justified. In addition to that, just outside the 20 are Boss, Hell on Wheels and Junior Masterchef: Pinoy Edition.

2011: Year in Film

By Sanriel Chris D.J. Ajero

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Wow it’s been almost 10 months since I last opened this blog. I may not have been blogging, but I have not failed to do my film watching duties. I’ve seen a decent amount of film and I’m really impressed with how 2011 turned out. For 2012, I promise to post more and this year-ender list officially seals my 2011 and kickstarts that promise.

What follows is a list of the 20 films I liked most during the past year. No write-ups, I’m afraid. I’ll also be posting lists on TV and music in the coming days. Here’s to a less lazy me this 2012!

PREDICTION: 83rd Academy Awards Winners

By Sanriel Chris Ajero

A quick take on the yearly tradition. Just for fun, yes. Too bad I won’t be able to catch the ceremony live.

LIST: Best Foreign Films of 2010

By Sanriel Chris Ajero

Same script, different casts. My top 40 films of 2010. This list only includes those of foreign origins. I made the same list with local films and it can be found here.

Before the top 40, here are other lists I need to get out of my system.

LIST: Best of Philippine Cinema 2010

By Sanriel Chris Ajero

LIST: A Decade of Metro Manila Film Festival

By: Sanriel Chris Ajero 

More than Christmas tradition to the Filipinos, the annual Metro Manila Film Festival is host to launching a good selection of local mainstream cinema. Its reputation propelled when it started producing some of the most unforgettable local films of all time. Within its 36 years of existence, the festival spawned the creation of such all-time gems as Burlesk Queen (1977), Kisapmata (1981), Himala (1982) and Bulaklak ng City Jail (1984) . Unfortunately, the festival also accommodated the production of lacklustre mainstream efforts that now defines the Philippine cinema for the majority of the Filipinos. The decline furthered during the past decade, as the festival yielded series after series of film franchises (Shake, Rattle and Roll; Enteng Kabisote; Mano Po) with only profitmaking as its main rationale and a slew of just crappy WTF productions (Hula Mo, Huli Ko; ’Di Kita Ma-Reach; Hesusmaryosep!) that question its very existence.

It has been, therefore, quite a daunting and difficult task to skim over all the MMFF entries of the last decade and choose my favourite film for each year (Case in point: the last 4 years when not even one film was good.) Personally, I believe the last glimmer of MMFF hope stroke during the 2003 festival and it went nowhere but downhill since. And quite a fall it has been.

Without further blabber, here are my picks for the best MMFF films for each year of the last decade. PS: I cheated on some years.

REVIEW: Maynila Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag

By Sanriel Chris Ajero

For the final installment of the October ‘Manila’ series of Cinematon! Cinematon!, I give you a photoreview of what is considered as one of the best Filipino films of all time, Lino Brocka’s Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag.

LIST: Best of July (Cinemalaya Special)

By Sanriel Chris Ajero

July, for a Filipino cinephile, equates to home-grown filmic orgasm. This, we thank Cinemalaya for. Having seen all the competing entries from the 6^th Cinemalaya Film Festival and then some (35 total), I feel compelled to write at least a round up of the best I’ve seen from the fest. With this, I decided to devote my monthly viewing list to a pure Cinemalaya special. Since its humble inception, the fete has been a reliable goldmine of the very best in Philippine cinema every year. Year number 6 is no exception. With a newly opened category and an interesting mix of exhibition features, the festival gave room to more possibilities of greatness. Here’s a taste of the 10 best films from Cinemalaya 2010, highly subjected to my own bias.I