At last, it is the end of the film award season. The OSCARS and the BAFTAS are done leaving some baffled, others joyous, and minorities unsatisfied. Finally, but for the first time, Sherbhert gives you the SHAFTAS.
After an arduous, diverse and egalitarian process of nomination, the films from which the winners will be selected are:
- Little Women
- 1917
- The Irishman
- The Joker
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
- The Personal History of David Copperfield
- Rocketman
This is a complete range of genres. The absence of a foreign language film, even Parasite, can only be explained by inability to get a ticket.
It is important to remember that key criteria at the SHAFTAS is the answer to the question “Would I want to watch this again?”
A brief critical analysis of each of the films follows:
LITTLE WOMEN
A landmark novel brilliantly adapted to embrace a modern presentation of the hopes and ambitions of these unique sisters. It has plenty of romance and tragedy, and drama. A happy ending helps. The actors play very well off each other, not competing for space. What a nice film.
Score 7/10
1917
Outstanding cinematography and sound, with a clever continuous single story. You felt you had been in the trenches, but sick of the sight of rats and rotten corpses at close quarters. The lead actors do great work. But the cameos of celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch, and Richard Madden are “oh dear” moments. The scene with woman and child is so out of place and unbelievable but trying to give a message. It was absorbing (why do we feel attracted to war, blood and guts?), and great human qualities shone through the misery and futility. One left feeling tired and beaten up.
Score 7/10
THE IRISHMAN
What can one say? Cold violence and callousness, depicting the complete selfishness of the gangster world. But three almost past it actors, sometimes made to look young, made this more a parody of the gangster genre, with exaggerated accents and macho delivery. The portrayal of pathetic ageing of these once top dogs in their little criminal worlds was edifying and a powerful reminder of the temporary nature of seeming human success. This film dragged on far too long.
Score 5/10
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
The comedy drama has a hard time to meet the key criteria, and this one also failed. It was pleasant and charmingly flippant, but perhaps the treatment of the Charles Manson darkness did not quite play out. When beautiful Hollywood looks in on itself, it is rarely scathing enough of its shallowness, wasteful glitz, obsession with wealth and extravagant lifestyle where few decent values shine through. But still this was entertaining, and shallow, but not funny enough. Some critics saw a lot of angles and sub messages, such as the racial discrimination against Bruce Lee- too deep digging maybe. Nearly 3 hours, this too was a bit too long,
Score 6/10
THE JOKER
Dark and weird. Joaquin Phoenix always captivates. He does smiling evil very well. Unless one appreciated past representations of the Joker, it is hard to get the best out of this. And so Sherbhert did not. But pretty compelling viewing
Score 6/10
THE PERSONAL HISTORY Of DAVID COPPERFIELD
Dev Patel was totally convincing as David, an excellent piece of imaginative casting and a great performance, as was also that of Jairaj Varsani his childhood stand in. This is a captivating film, managing to encapsulate, through imaginative artfulness, a long book with numerous strands and characters, into a variety show of a couple of hours. All characters were well cast and played such as Tilde Swinton as Betsey Trotwood and Hugh Laurie as Mr Dick The story was adapted cleverly into modern mores, such as the posh black mother of Steerforth, the white (privileged?) public schoolboy, who enchanted with his bluff and met a very unprivileged end. That fraudulent greed did not win out, but a happy ending again prevailed for the loveable characters made this re-watchable.
Score 9/10
ROCKETMAN
Elton John is an icon for many. Taron Egerton did a great job portraying this musical genius, elated, puzzled, and troubled at different stages, struggling so often to cope through extremes of seeming ecstasy and despair, fuelled by booze, drugs and sex, and hangers on of course. Yet throughout he concocted prolifically in combination with Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell) appealing song after song-great music with unique variety and lyrics
Score 8/10
And so the SHAFTA award for best film goes to The Personal History of David Copperfield. This film also picks up the wards for: –
Best Director – Armando Iannucci
Best Actor – Dev Patel
Best supporting actor – the remaining cast of The Personal History of David Copperfield
Best author of a book for a film – Charles Dickens. In absentia the award was collected by Greta Gerwig.
Rocketman, another re-watchable picked up the award for best music by Bernie Taupin and Elton John.
Special thanks to all minority interest groups for the various threats received concerning the process if the results failed to meet the identity criteria they all impose. They worked.
At the after party until 8am the next day, the imported avocados, nuts, flaxseeds and soya milk were photographed and tweeted furiously, while the celebs and plebs at the Lamb and Cow tucked into local and seasonal wines, greens, fruits, cheeses and grass-fed steaks. What a performance!
