|
|
Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
Current TOT >>
TOT Archives |
About Tony |
Message Board
TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films gave out its 34th Annual Saturn Awards on June 24. Prior to that gala event, we asked our Tony Polls to cast their votes in each of the Saturn categories.
In a switch from how we usually give these results, the actual winner will be listed in bold.
Here's how you voted in the movie categories...
BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.....27.42%
Cloverfield.....24.19%
Transformers.....17.74%
I Am Legend.....16.13%
Sunshine.....8.06%
The Last Mimzy.....6.45%
I voted for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, though I'm not sure it belongs in this category. Maybe the Saturn Awards should consider adding a separate category for super-hero or comic-book-inspired movies.
BEST FANTASY FILM
Stardust.....29.69%
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.....18.75%
Spider-Man 3.....18.75%
Enchanted.....17.19%
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.....10.94%
The Golden Compass.....4.69%
I voted for Enchanted. I felt it was more consistent that the latest Spider-Man movie.
BEST HORROR FILM
Grindhouse (Planet Terror and Death Proof).....25%
Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street...23.33%
The Mist.....16.67%
30 Days of Night.....13.33%
Ghost Rider.....13.33%
1408.....8.33%
I voted for Ghost Rider, but that was mostly because I have a history with Johnny Blaze.
BEST ACTION ADVENTURE THRILLER FILM
300.....22.95%
The Bourne Ultimatum.....21.31%
3:10 to Yuma.....16.39%
Live Free or Die Hard.....16.39%
No Country for Old Men.....14.75%
Zodiac.....6.56%
There Will Be Blood.....1.64%
I voted for Live Free or Die Hard because I enjoyed it more than The Bourne Ultimatum, which was the only other nominee I saw. I don't get out much.
BEST ACTOR
Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd).....33.33%
Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood).....23.33%
Will Smith (I Am Legend).....18.33%
Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises).....10%
John Cusack (1408).....8.33%
Gerard Butler (300).....6.67%
I didn't see any of these movies, but, if I had, I would have voted for Will Smith. Even though he's a Scientologist. Which is usually a deal-breaker for me.
BEST ACTRESS
Amy Adams (Enchanted).....60.34%
Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd).....17.24%
Naomi Watts (Eastern Promises).....10.34%
Ashley Judd (Bug).....5.17%
Belen Rueda (The Orphanage).....3.45%
Carice Van Houten (Black Book).....3.45%
I voted for Amy Adams, who can cut up my drapes to make clothes any time. We've got sheer ones in the living room that are just screaming to be turned into lingerie.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men).....35.59%
James Franco (Spider-Man 3).....25.42%
Alan Rickman (Sweeney Todd).....16.95%
Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma).....13.56%
Justin Long (Live Free or Die Hard).....6.78%
David Wenham (300).....1.69%
I voted for Justin Long. If he's good enough for John McClane's daughter, he's good enough to get my vote.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Michelle Pfeiffer (Stardust).....33.93%
Rose McGowan (Grindhouse - Planet Terror).....28.57%
Imelda Staunton (Harry Potter).....17.86%
Marcia Gay Harden (The Mist).....8.93%
Lena Headey (300).....8.93%
Lizzy Caplan (Cloverfield).....1.79%
I didn't see any of these. But I've always liked Marcia Gay Harden, so I'm glad she won.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUNGER ACTOR
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter).....58.93%
Dakota Blue Richards (The Golden Compass).....19.64%
Alex Etel (The Water Horse).....8.93%
Freddie Highmore (August Rush).....7.14%
Rhiannon Leigh Wryn (The Last Mimzy).....5.36%
Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia).....0%
I also didn't see any of these, but isn't Radcliffe almost 20 years old? He was old enough to appear nude for stage performances of Equus in London's West End and on Broadway. It seems to me that he should be competing with the adults.
BEST DIRECTOR
Zack Snyder (300).....28.12%
Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd).....25%
Sam Raimi (Spider-Man 3).....18.75%
David Yates (Harry Potter).....12.50%
Paul Greengrass (Bourne Ultimatum)......10.94%
Frank Darabont (The Mist).....4.69%
I vote for sentimental favorite Sam Raimi.
BEST WRITING
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (No Country For Old Men)...36.21%
Brad Bird (Ratatouille).....31.03%
Roger Avery & Neil Gaiman (Beowulf).....13.79%
Michael Gordon, Zach Synder, Kurt Johnstad (300)...8.62%
Michael Goldenberg (Harry Potter).....6.90%
John Logan (Sweeney Todd).....3.45%
I didn't see any of these, but I'm glad Brad Bird won. I'm so sure I'll like Ratatouille that I bought the DVD. I hope to watch the movie later this summer.
BEST MUSIC
Alan Menken (Enchanted).....42.59%
Tyler Bates (300).....18.52%
Nicholas Hooper (Harry Potter).....14.81%
Jonny Greenwood (There Will Be Blood).....12.96%
Mark Mancina (August Rush).....5.56%
John Powell (Bourne Ultimatum).....5.56%
I voted for Alan Menken.
BEST COSTUME
Penny Rose (Pirates: At World's End).....35.09%
Sammy Sheldon (Stardust).....26.52%
Colleen Atwood (Sweeney Todd).....21.05%
Ruth Myers (The Golden Compass).....3.51%
I screwed up when I posted the nominees in this category and left out Any Temime (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and Michael Wilkinson (300) while inexplicably including composers Alan Menken and John Powell. My apologies.
BEST MAKE-UP
Pirates: At World's End...43.64%
Grindhouse - Planet Terror.....20%
Sweeney Todd.....12.73%
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.....10.91%
300.....7.27%
30 Days of Night.....5.45%
I didn't see any of the above.
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
Transformers.....37.29%
Spider-Man 3.....23.73%
300.....20.34%
Pirates: At World's End.....10.17%
The Golden Compass.....5.08%
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.....3.39%
I voted for Spider-Man 3.
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Eastern Promise.....40.54%
The Orphanage.....21.62%
Goya's Ghost.....13.51%
Sleuth.....13.51%
Day Watch.....8.11%
Black Book.....2.70%
I didn't see any of these foreign films because I was afraid someone would question my patriotism.
BEST ANIMATED FILM
The Simpsons Movie.....40.68%
Ratatouille.....28.81%
Beowulf.....11.86%
Shrek the Third.....10.17%
Meet the Robinsons.....5.08%
Surf's Up.....3.39%
I voted for The Simpsons Movie because it spoke to my real-life concerns. You see, for the past eight years, I've lived in stark fear of the Bush administration dropping an impenetrable dome over my home.
In the television categories...
BEST NETWORK TV SERIES
Lost (ABC).....35.14%
Heroes (NBC).....29.73%
Pushing Daisies (ABC).....14.86%
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX).....10.81%
Supernatural (CW).....5.41%
Journeyman (NBC).....4.05%
I had a tough time deciding between Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Supernatural. Summer Glau was the deciding factor in my voting for the former.
BEST SYNDICATED/CABLE TV SERIES
Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi Channel).....50%
Dexter (Showtime).....25%
Stargate SG-1 (Sci Fi Channel/MGM).....11.76%
The Closer (TNT).....10.29%
Saving Grace (TNT).....2.94%
Kyle XY (ABC Family).....0%
I voted for Dexter, even though I've yet to watch the second season of the series. I haven't watched any of the others, though I may catch up with them on DVD.
BEST PRESENTATION ON TV
Battlestar Galactica: Razor (Sci Fi Channel).....40.62%
The Family Guy: "Blue Harvest" (FOX).....28.12%
Masters of Science Fiction (ABC).....15.62%
Tin Man (Sci Fi Channel).....10.94%
The Company (TNT).....3.12%
Shrek The Halls (ABC).....1.56%
Fallen (ABC Family).....0%
I voted for Masters of Science Fiction.
BEST INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Doctor Who (Sci Fi Channel).....64.71%
Torchwood (BBC America).....13.24%
Jekyll (BBC America).....8.82%
Life on Mars (BBC America).....7.35%
Robin Hood (BBC America).....5.88%
Meadowlands aka Cape Wrath (Showtime).....0%
Of all the categories, this was the toughest one for me. The top four choices were all in the running, but, ultimately, I chose Torchwood.
BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES
Michael C. Hall (Dexter).....28.99%
Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica).....26.09%
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies).....21.74%
Matthew Fox (Lost).....11.59%
Kevin McKidd (Journeyman).....10.14%
Matt Dallas (Kyle XY).....1.45%
I voted for Michael C. Hall.
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES
Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies).....28.57%
Evangeline Lily (Lost).....23.61%
Lena Headly (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles)...17.46%
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer).....15.87%
Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer).....9.52%
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace).....4.76%
I voted for Lena Headly.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV SERIES
Masi Oka (Heroes).....36.36%
Michael Emerson (Lost).....22.73%
Terry O'Quinn (Lost).....22.73%
Greg Grunberg (Heroes).....6.06%
Josh Holloway (Lost).....6.06%
Erik King (Dexter).....6.06%
I went with Greg Grunberg. I think Masi Oki is great, but Grunberg's character demands more range than does Oki's. So he got my vote.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES
Summer Glau (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles)...50%
Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost).....28.12%
Hayden Panettiere (Heroes).....15.62%
Jaime Murray (Dexter).....3.12%
Jaime Alexander (Kyle XY).....1.56%
Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter).....1.56%
I chose Summer Glau, who shared the actual award with Elizabeth Mitchell.
In the DVD categories...
BEST DVD RELEASE
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (remix).....46.88%
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.....18.75%
The Man From Earth.....15.62%
Driftwood.....9.38%
White Noise 2.....9.38%
The Nines.....0%
Alas, your busy Tipster doesn't have much time to watch many DVDs. I passed on this and most of the other DVD categories. But not all of them.
BEST SPECIAL EDITION DVD RELEASE
Blade Runner (5-disc ultimate edition).....61.29%
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th anniversary - Blu Ray).....11.29%
Death Proof (Grindhouse: extended & uncut).....9.68%
Pan's Labyrinth (platinum series).....9.68%
Big (extended edition).....6.45%
Troy: Director's Cut (ultimate collector's edition).....1.61%
BEST CLASSIC FILM DVD RELEASE
The Dark Crystal.....35.85%
Flash Gordon.....24.53%
Witchfinder General.....16.98%
The Monster Squad.....15.09%
Alligator.....3.77%
Face/Off.....3.77%
I'm not sure I'd call it a classic, but I always thought that Alligator was fun. Especially when the creature beats that limousine to death with its owner inside of it.
BEST COLLECTION ON DVD
Stanley Kubrick (Warner Home Video Directors Series)...32.20%
The Godzilla Collection.....18.64%
The Sergio Leone Anthology.....18.64%
Vincent Price (MGM Scream Legends Collection).....18.64%
The Mario Bava Collection (Volume 1 & Volume 2).....10.17%
The Sonny Chiba Collection.....1.69%
You disappoint me with your lack of culture. There cannot be a better DVD collection than The Godzilla Collection, whose star has a much bigger screen presence than Kubrick, Leone, Price, Bava, and Chiba combined. You and the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films diss the Big G at your peril.
BEST TELEVISION SERIES ON DVD
Heroes (Season 1).....37.68%
Planet Earth: The Complete BBC Series.....21.74%
Lost (The Complete Third Season).....17.39%
Eureka (Season 1).....10.14%
MI:5 (Volume 4 & Volume 5).....7.25%
Hustle (Complete Season 2 & Complete Season 3).....5.80%
I voted for Eureka, though I'll admit Heroes has hotter cheerleaders and hitwomen.
BEST RETRO TELEVISION SERIES ON DVD
Twin Peaks (The Definitive Gold Box Edition).....33.82%
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (Volume 1: The Early Years).....22.06%
The Wild Wild West (Second Season and Third Seasons).....16.18%
Mission Impossible (Second Season and Third Seasons).....14.71%
Land of the Giants (Full Series).....10.29%
Count Dracula (BBC Mini-Series 1977).....2.94%
I voted for The Wild Wild West. Furthermore, in these troubled times, I think our government needs to revive this idea of roving secret agents in railroad cars.
And railroads.
In this week's Tony Polls, we ask you to rate the genre films released this summer.
You can cast your voted here:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/poll
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 07/07/2008 | 07/08/2008 | 07/09/2008 >>
Discuss this column with me at my Message Board. Also, read Heroes and Villains: Real and Imagined.
Recent Columns:
| NEWEST | Finale (06/22/2010) |
| 06/17/2010 | I review Siege |
| 06/16/2010 | Linda Gold 1949-2010 |
| 06/15/2010 | Everett True Tuesday! |
| 06/14/2010 | I review The Amazing Adventures of Nate Banks #1: Secret Identity Crisis, Secret Identity Crisis: Comic Books and the Unmasking of Cold War America and The Walking Dead Volume 2: Miles Behind Us. |
| Archives >> |
Current TOT >>
TOT Archives |
About Tony |
Message Board
|
|
THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
Please send material you would like me to review to:
Tony's Online Tips
840 Damon Drive
Medina, OH 44256
|
|
Anything Goes Trivia
