MAFFE Awards 2009!! Best Picture.

‘Rachel Getting Married’

This is how a wedding should be.
I never once felt a false note in Demme’s beautiful family symphony.
I honestly felt I was a guest for the weekend and I didn't want to go home.







‘Happy-Go-Lucky’

Mike Leigh’s ode to positive thinking completely won me over, and made me wish I was more like Poppy.
If only we all were.
A true case where a movie wants to make you a better person.






‘WALL-E’

Pixar magic hit again, this time focusing on robot love while critiquing the human race.
Not the best they have done (IMO), but for it to easily be in the top movies of the year shows a studio at the top of their game.







‘Milk’

The story of the first openly gay politician elected in the US makes for a funny, moving and gripping film.
So convincing that even though you know the outcome, you still somehow think it will be different.





‘The Dark Knight’

The comic book film gets upped with this ultra realistic and exciting outing.
Anchored by a remarkable turn my Heath Ledger.







‘Frozen River’

Human trafficking done on a small scale.
The story of a desperate woman trying to by a new trailer is brilliantly told.

MAFFE Awards 2009!! Lead Actress.

Sally Hawkins – ‘Happy Go Lucky’
She never puts a foot wrong in her portrayal. Never asking us to like or hate her, she becomes someone we all know. Oscar was blind for not recognizing this superb performance.

Melissa Leo – ‘Frozen River’
She plays her without asking the audience for sympathy or pity.
It is a deeply layered portrayal of a desperate woman doing desperate things for her family.


Anne Hathaway – ‘Rachel Getting Married’
She made good on her promise from ‘Brokeback Mountain’.
The wedding speech scene is worth the nomination alone, most uncomfortable I have been in a movie all year.

Tannishtha Chatterjee – ‘Brick Lane’
An almost silent performance of a woman in a strange country who wakes herself up by doing something against her morals.
She conveys so much with a shift of her eyes

Michelle Williams – ‘Wendy and Lucy’
This seemed to be the year of the honest portrayals of desperate woman.
Williams shines as a woman who is at the end of her means.

Kate Winslet – ‘Revolutionary Road’
She doesn’t hold back on the ugly side of her character.
She may have won for ‘The Reader’ but this was the better performance.

MAFFE Awards 2009!! Supporting Actress.

Alexis Zegerman – ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’
A true support to the lead. Gravitates the movie with her deadpan humour and the ease in which she walks in her characters skin and fully fleshes her out with no big actorly scene needed.

Viola Davis – ‘Doubt’
The moment you see her she tells you her entire story.
You know this woman, and she will do anything for her son. A gigantic performance.

Rosemarie DeWitt – ‘Rachel Getting Married’
Truly shines as the bride.
The film is more of an acting triumph for her with her very lived in and expressive performance - so good you don't notice the acting.

Marisa Tomei – ‘The Wrestler’
One of the most subtle performances she has given.
Her tenderness in scenes with Rourke are a stark contrast to her sadness whilst dancing in the club.

Penelope Cruz – ‘Vicky Christina Barcelona’
She entered the movie and made it as good as it was. Feisty, fiery and sexy. She was a Spanish whirlwind.

Misty Upman – ‘Frozen River’
For bringing a quiet dignity to a very flawed human. Through her hard surface you can see her humanity is bursting out from the surface.

MAFFE Awards 2009!! Lead Actor

Sean Penn – ‘Milk’
He wins this for simply not showing any trace of the angry pent up actor we knew. He becomes Milk and we believe in him and give into his charm. Who knew?

Colin Farrell – ‘In Bruges’
He made me laugh hysterically one minute, and in the next broke my heart.
Finally cashes in on his promise he showed many years ago. Can't wait to see what is next.

Mickey Rourke – ‘The Wrestler’
He masterfully expresses a range of emotion with ever having to over act.
You feel his pain but never by asking for symphony. And honest performance in its pathetic-ness.

Brendan Gleeson – ‘In Bruges’
It is amazing how comfortably he slips into this role, being both mentor and father figure to Farrell.
A true masterful performance. The humanity of a killer is fully realised.

Robert Downey Jr. – ‘Iron Man’
The best thing about his performance, aside from his nailing it, is you can tell he had a ball playing it.
Sometimes pure fun in a performance can elevate a film.

Leonardo DiCaprio – ‘Revolutionary Road’
Goes up against Winslet for a second time and is a powder keg as the flawed and cowardly husband.

MAFFE Awards 2009!! Supporting Actor.

Heath Ledger – ‘The Dark Knight’
Best Joker Ever! He was deliciously insane and you believed in his chaos.
A true actor at the top of his game.
Masterful acting.

Bill Irwin – ‘Rachel Getting Married’
Breaks your heart as the grieving father constantly trying to make peace in his family. The dishwasher scene reduced my to tears. Not everyone in the room on-screen understands, but the viewer does.

Eddie Marsan – ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’
Brilliantly executed and he almost walks off with the film as the humourless and angry driving instructor.
I did say almost.

Satish Kaushik – ‘Brick Lane’
Constantly joyous and optimistic, always looking on the bright side, even when down or being a looser in everyone's eyes..
Bonus point for his speech at the Muslim meeting.

James Franco – ‘Milk’
He feels completely natural and lived-in, in the role.
He does not have the most showy of the supporting turns, but it is him that stayed with me much longer than any other.

Ralph Feinnes – ‘In Bruges’
Some hated this performance, but I though he was hysterical and the foul mouthed crime boss whose humanity cracks through. Best line reading of the year: "You're an inanimate f*ckin' object!"

MAFFE Awards 2009!! Director.

Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
Meanders through the film allowing the viewer to not even notice the film is being directed. You feel like a guest at the wedding. Amazing film making.


Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky
Never once tries to make you like Poppy. He knows how to stand back just far enough to allow his actors to shine.


Andrew Stanton - WALL-E
His vision is amazing. He is mainly in here for the brilliant, silent first third of the film.
Genious.


Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
This was truly his vision and what a vision it was. The twisted darkness he brings into the film is something to behold.


Gus Van Sant – Milk
Simply for telling the story with such passion and elegance.
Bonus points for the casting.



Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
This small story would not have been made without her, and she creates a masterful film about the overlooked of society.

MAFFE 2009

Just realised I forgot to do my nominees for the MAFFE (Michael's Academy of Feature Film Excellence) Awards.

They will be coming soon! Mark my word!