Sent this morning to the esteemed Gatecrashers crew (Sasha Stone, Jeff Sneider, William Mccuddy, Christian Toto, Chris Gore, Jordan Ruimy, Matthew Pejkovic, Kristi Coulter Bobhy Peru, Edward Douglas, John Nolte, Scott Kernen, The Cinescape, Scott Menzel, Knox Bronson, Bee Garner and two or three secret industry contributors):
Hail to all GateCrashers! A few significant films have yet to open or be widely screened, of course, but it’s time to begin the award season dance yet again.
You guys all know the drill. The forms and whatnot will be sent out soon. We should be up and rolling by…when? Mid-October? Let’s see how it develops.
In addition to the eternally wise and perceptive Kristi Coulter, I would personally love to add at least one more significant female movie lover. Suggestions?
Sasha and I are not exactly on the same page on a sidebar that I’m about to suggest, but we really need to add a ”pure cinema elevation” category.
Please submit the titles of at least five but no more than ten films that, by your sights and rights, qualify as the best films of 2025 so far. Sasha wants to wait on this until everything has been seen but I say “to hell with that”…send them along now. Forget which films the Academy and guild members and critics groups are likely to support and which distributors are likely to buy FYI ads on your site, and JUST GO WITH YOUR HEART.
Personal plea: Please do what you can to see Boorman and the Devil, which is EASILY one of the year’s best.
No more identity campaigns! And while we’re on this topic, death or at least significant award-season diminishment to Sinners, which would not even be jokingly discussed as an Oscar contender if it had been directed and written by Clem Kadiddlehopper.
And so the winner of the Samuel Z. Arkoff American International schlocko cunnilingus bloody Irish vampire Delta Blues / Robert Johnson drive-in popcorn award is (wait for it) (keep waiting) (here it comes) Sinners!
And the winner of the D.W. Griffith Birth of a Nation Inverse Award goes to One Battle After Another!
Yes, I’m kidding. Vote for whatever film or director of screenwriter or actor you think has the big heat.
Except deep down I’m NOT kidding. Identity campaigns are woke cancer. The great Steve McQueen is a major, world-class artist. Ryan Coogler isn’t even close to McQueen’s level…sorry.
Kidding, not kidding…who knows? Vote for whatever the fuck.