In Memoriam 2019

As another year ends, our thoughts turn to those who we've lost during 2019. We paid tribute to Albert Finney, Peter Mayhew, and Doris Day throughout the year, but there were many people whom we were unable to pay tribute to at the time of their deaths. So here we remember some of the stars- from both in front of and behind the camera- who sadly passed away this year.

Character actor Danny Aiello received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Sal, a pizza parlour owner caught up in racial tensions in a changing Brooklyn neighbourhood  in Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing (1989). During his five-decade career, Aiello played a variety of killers, cops, and tough guys, from Lee Harvey Oswald's assassin Jack Ruby in Ruby (1992) to the mob boss Mr. Rathbone in British crime comedy Bring Me The Head Of Mavis Davis (1997). He was also praised for his supporting role as Nicolas Cage's brother in Moonstruck (1987). Other film roles include The Godfather: Part II (1974), The Purple Rose Of Cairo (1985), Jacob's Ladder (1990), Hudson Hawk (1991), Léon (1994), 2 Days In The Valley (1996), and Lucky Number Slevin (2006). Also a gifted singer, Aiello appeared in the video to "Papa Don't Preach" as Madonna's disapproving father. 

Making his first credited film appearance as Father John Mulcahy in M.A.S.H. (1970), Rene Auberjonois had an illustrious film and television career, and was in demand as a voice actor for film television, and video games. He appeared on-screen in films as diverse as Eyes Of Laura Mars (1978), King Kong (1976), The Patriot (2000), Inspector Gadget (1999), Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988) and Batman Forever (1995), whilst he provided the voices of Natori in the English-language version of Studio Ghibli's The Cat Returns (2002), The Skull in The Last Unicorn (1982) and Chef Louis in The Little Mermaid (1989). On television, he was known for his roles as Paul Lewiston in Boston Legal (2004-2008), Hugo Miller in Warehouse 13 (2010-2014) and as Constable Odo in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

Diahann Carroll made her film debut opposite Dorothy Dandridge in the 1954 movie Carmen Jones, before appearing in Porgy and Bess (1959), Paris Blues (1961), and Hurry Sundown (1967). She was the first black woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and was the first black woman to star in a non-servant lead role in a TV series. She was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the title role of Claudine (1974) and also appeared in the notorious Star Wars Holiday Special (1978). In the 1980s, she played the glamorous Dominique Devereaux in both Dynasty and The Colbys and made guest appearances in Grey's Anatomy and White Collar. 

Character actor Seymour Cassel was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as an ageing hippie swinger in Faces (1968), directed by John Cassavetes. He worked several times with Cassavetes, including Minnie And Moskowitz (1971), The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie (1976), and Opening Night (1977). He also worked several times with Wes Anderson, appearing in Rushmore (1998), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), and The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004). He also appeared in The Killers (1964), Wicked Stepmother (1989), and Dick Tracy (1990). Cassel once declared (perhaps jokingly) that he'd do any independent film for the price of a plane ticket if he liked the script. 

Carol Channing won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress (and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar) for her role as the flamboyant Muzzy Van Hossmere in the film version of Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). She also made appearances in Skidoo (1968), Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) and as the White Queen in Alice In Wonderland (1985). Primarily known as a Broadway actress, Channing starred as Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! (a role for which she won a Tony Award). She was also the first celebrity to perform at a SuperBowl half-time, doing so in 1970. 

Born in Milan, Valentina Cortese made her name in ingenue roles in Italy. She was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in François Truffaut's Day For Night [La Nuit Américaine] (1973). Cortese played Severine, an actress past her prime, with a fondness for champagne. When Ingrid Bergman won the Oscar instead (for Murder On The Orient Express), she apologised in her acceptance speech, stating that Cortese deserved the award more than she did! She worked with many great directors, including Michelangelo Antonioni, Jules Dassin, Franco Zeffirelli, Richard Wise, and Federico Fellini. Her other film roles include The Glass Mountain (1949), The Barefoot Contessa (1954), Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972), and The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (1988)

Windsor Davies will always be associated with his role as the no-nonsense Sgt. Major Williams in the TV show It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974-1981). One of his first film roles was as Sergeant Brick in Murder Most Foul (1964), with Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, and also appeared in The Alphabet Murders (1965) with Tony Randall as Hercule Poirot. He starred in two of the later Carry On... films- Carry On Behind (1975) and Carry On England (1976)- and was part of the cult Welsh rugby film Grand Slam (1978). He also provided the voice of Sergeant Major Zero in Terrahawks (1983-1986) and appeared with Donald Sinden as rival antique dealers in Never The Twain (1981-1991). 

Whilst you mightn't recognise Stanley Donen's name, you would certainly know some of the many Golden Age of Hollywood musicals he directed. Making his directorial debut in On The Town (1949), he went on to direct perennial favourites Singin' In The Rain (1952), Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954), Funny Face (1957), and The Pajama Game (1957). He also directed the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore version of Bedazzled (1967) and Blame It On Rio (1984). He also directed the music video for Lionel Richie's 'Dancing On The Ceiling'.

Robert Evans produced some of the biggest films of the 1970s, including The Godfather (1972), The Godfather: Part II (1974), Marathon Man (1976) and Chinatown (1974) [for which he received his only Oscar nomination as the film's producer]. Originally an actor, Evans played MGM exec Irving Thalberg in Man Of A Thousand Faces (1957) and was cast by Darryl F. Zanuck as a bullfighter in The Sun Also Rises (1957). The other actors begged Zanuck to fire Evans, to which Zanuck replied "the kid stays in the picture" (which Evans later used as the title for his autobiography; a 2002 documentary detailing Evans' extraordinary life used the same title). He also produced Urban Cowboy (1980), The Cotton Club (1984), Sliver (1993), The Saint (1997) and How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003). 

Son of Henry, brother of Jane, and father of Bridget, Peter Fonda was part of a legendary Hollywood family. He made his film debut in 1963 in The Victors, and starred in 1969 cult classic Easy Rider, alongside Dennis Hopper (and shared an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay with Hopper and Terry Southern). He was nominated for a second Oscar- this time for Best Actor- for Ulee's Gold (1997) in which he played a reclusive beekeeper with family problems. He also won a Golden Globe for this performance. Other films include The Cannonball Run (1981), Escape From L.A. (1996), Ghost Rider (2007), 3:10 To Yuma (2007), and Wild Hogs (2007) 

Making his film debut in 1967 in Reflections in a Golden Eye, character actor Robert Forster made over one hundred films, and appeared in many different TV series. After appearing in films such as Avalanche (1978), The Lady In Red (1979) and Alligator (1980), Forster's career had something of a renaissance when he played bail bondsman Max Cherry in Jackie Brown (1997)- a role which Quentin Tarantino created with Forster in mind to play- which earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. He also appeared in Psycho (1998), Mulholland Drive (2001), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), The Descendants (2011) and Olympus Has Fallen (2013). His TV roles include recurring roles in Heroes, Last Man Standing, and Twin Peaks.

Swiss actor Bruno Ganz gave a powerhouse performance as the ailing Adolf Hitler in Downfall [Der Untergang] (2004). One particular scene has become much-memed- where Hitler rants at his subordinates- but it's a performance of great passion and  power throughout. Ganz' other performances include Wim Wenders' The American Friend (1977) and Wings Of Desire (1987), The Boys From Brazil (1978), Jonathan Harker in Werner Herzog's Nosferatu (1979), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), The Reader (2008), and The Party (2017)

Over a six decade career, Sid Haig took in everything from blaxploitation (Coffy [1973], Foxy Brown [1974]), Bond films (Diamonds Are Forever [1971]), and horror (Spider Baby [1967], Halloween [2007]). Of Armenian descent, he was often cast as Arabic muscle. Retiring in 1992 as he was tired of just playing what he called 'stupid heavies', Quentin Tarantino wrote the role of the Judge in Jackie Brown (1997) for Haig, reuniting him with frequent co-star Pam Grier. Haig would also appear in Kill Bill: Vol 2 (2004). In 2003, Haig made his first appearance as the terrifying clown-faced Captain Spaulding in Rob Zombie's House Of 1000 Corpses (2003). He would reprise the role in The Devil's Rejects (2005) and the upcoming 3 From Hell (2019). Other films include George Lucas' cult 1971 sci-fi THX1138, Galaxy Of Terror (1981), and Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Rutger Hauer began his acting career in the Netherlands, making several films and TV series directed by Paul Verhoeven. He made his Hollywood debut in 1981's Nighthawks, as a charismatic international terrorist opposite Sylvester Stallone. A year later, he played murderous replicant Roy Batty in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, giving a soulful performance that will be remembered for his final speech before he dies. His other film roles include Ladyhawke (1985), The Hitcher (1986), Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992), Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (2002), Sin City (2005), Batman Begins (2005), and Hobo With A Shotgun (2011). He also appeared in several TV shows including Smallville, True Blood, and Galavant, and did a series of adverts for Guinness.

David Hedison holds a rare achievement in the world of Bond films. He was the first actor to reprise his role as Bond's CIA contact Felix Leiter, playing him in both Live And Let Die (1973) and Licence To Kill (1989). One of Hedison's first films was the 1958 version of The Fly (opposite Vincent Price and Patricia Owens). He also appeared in The Lost World (1960), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) and Spectres (2004), and in the TV series Five Fingers, The Young And The Restless, and Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea 

Composer and lyricist Jerry Herman created ten Broadway shows in his illustrious career- including Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage Aux Folles- many of which were turned into films; the film version of Hello, Dolly! starring Barbra Streisand and Walter Matthau was released in 1969, whilst Mame came out in 1974 and starred Lucille Ball in the title role. The writer behind such songs as "I Am What I Am", "We Need A Little Christmas" and "Put On Your Sunday Clothes", Herman's songs have been heard in a variety of films and television series, including WALL-E (2008), Scary Movie 2 (2001), Mystery Men (1999), and Paris Is Burning (1990) 

Grammy-, BAFTA- and Oscar-winning composer Michel Legrand wrote approximately 150 musical scores across an impressive seven decade career. His score and songs for the 1964 film The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg gained him three Oscar nominations in the same year. He went on to win three Oscars- two for his scores for Summer of '42 (1971) and for Yentl (1983) and one for Best Original Song for 'The Windmills Of Your Mind' (originally from The Thomas Crown Affair [1968] but which became a standard when Dusty Springfield recorded it). He also composed the scores for Ice Station Zebra (1968), Lady Sings The Blues (1972), and Never Say Never Again (1983).

Character actress Sylvia Miles made her film debut in 1960 with Murder, Inc. and would go on to have career spanning six decades. She received an Oscar nomination for her supporting role as Cass in Midnight Cowboy (1969), despite the performance only having six minutes of screen-time. Proving she could do a lot with a little, she received a second Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod for Farewell, My Lovely (1975)- in a performance that lasted eight minutes! A well-known fixture on New York's party scene, Miles also starred in Evil Under The Sun (1982), She-Devil (1989) [playing Meryl Streep's mother] and as Dolores the realtor in Wall Street (1987), reprising that role in the 2010 sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. 

Teen heart-throb Luke Perry made his film debit in 1990 in a film called Terminal Bliss, before moving on to his best-known role: Dylan McKay in Beverly Hills, 90210. His other film roles include Pike in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992), Billy in The Fifth Element (1997), and Sam in A Midsummer Comedy (2000), whilst on television he has provided the voice of Sub-Zero in a Mortal Kombat animated series and played Reverend Jeremiah Cloutier in Oz, Charlie Stafford in Body Of Proof, and Fred Andrews (Archie's dad) in Riverdale. 

After many TV roles (including roles in Lost In Space and Star Trek) and several smaller film roles, Michael J. Pollard was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as gas-station attendant-cum-bank robber C.W. Moss in Bonnie And Clyde (1967). It was his only Oscar nomination in a career spanning seven decades. His other films include Melvin And Howard (1980), Roxanne (1987), Scrooged (1988), Tango & Cash (1989), Dick Tracy (1990), Tumbleweeds (1999), and House Of 1000 Corpses (2003). 

Pianist, composer, and conductor André Previn was nominated for eleven Oscars, and won four for his work on the scores of Gigi (1958), Porgy And Bess (1959), Irma La Douce (1963), and My Fair Lady (1964). He also scored the musical numbers for Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), and was conductor for Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962), Inside Daisy Clover (1965) and Rollerball (1975). UK comedy fans will know him from the iconic 1971 Morecambe & Wise sketch where he- introduced as 'Andrew Preview'-  patiently tries to conduct Eric Morecambe who is ineptly playing Grieg's Piano Concerto, only to be told- by an exasperated Morecambe- 'I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order'

Screenwriter Alvin Sargent won two Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars for his work on Julia (1977) and Ordinary People (1980). He was nominated for a third for Paper Moon (1973). Having started his career in television, his first produced screenplay was Gambit (1966), starring Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine. His other screenplays include The Effect of Gamma Rays On Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972), Love And Pain And The Whole Damn Thing (1973), What About Bob? (1991), Anywhere But Here (1999), and Unfaithful (2002). He also provided the screenplay for Spider-Man 2 (2004), Spider-Man 3 (2007) and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

William Morgan Sheppard made regular appearances in sci-fi and fantasy films and TV shows. A graduate of RADA and an associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Sheppard appeared in The Elephant Man (1980), Hawk The Slayer (1980), The Prestige (2006), Transformers (2007) and as the villainous Vincent Talbot in cult classic Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark (1988). He also played several different characters in various Star Trek franchises- including a Klingon Commander in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)- and appeared along with his son Mark as the older version of Mark's character Canton Everett Delaware III in the revived series of Doctor Who. 

John Singleton made Oscars history when. at the age of 24, he became the youngest person to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar (a record that he still holds as of the 2019 Oscars) for his first feature film, the inner-city drama Boyz N The Hood (1991). He was also the first African-American Best Director nominee, and is the youngest nominee for the Best Original Screenplay Oscar (he also wrote the screenplay). His other films include Poetic Justice (1993), Higher Learning (1995), the 2001 remake of Shaft starring Samuel L. Jackson, 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Four Brothers (2005), and Abduction (2011). He also directed the music video for 'Remember The Time' by Michael Jackson, and has directed episodes of Empire, American Crime Story: The People Vs OJ Simpson, and Billions. 

In a career spanning seven decades, Rip Torn acted on film, stage, and television, known for his dramatic performances but equally comfortable with comedy (indeed, he won a Primetime Emmy for his performance as talk show producer Artie on The Larry Sanders Show). Torn was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance as a backwoods hunter in Cross Creek (1983). His other film roles include Judas Iscariot in King Of Kings (1961), Tom Finley in Sweet Bird Of Youth (1962), Nathan Bryce in The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976), Maax in The Beastmaster (1982), The CEO in RoboCop 3 (1993), Agent Zed in Men In Black (1997) and its 2002 sequel, the voice of Zeus in Hercules (1997), and Patches O'Houlihan in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004). 

Agnès Varda was a Belgian-born writer, director, short filmmaker, and documentarian. She made her feature film debut in 1955 directing La Pointe-Courte, and went on to direct Le Bonheur (1965), L'une Chante L'autre Pas [One Sings, The Other Doesn't] (1977) and Les Glaneurs Et La Glaneuse [The Gleaners & I] (2000). She was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Cléo de 5 à 7 [Cléo From 5 To 7] (1962) and the DGA's Documentary award in 2010 for Les Plages d'Agnès [The Beaches Of Agnès]. At the 2018 Oscars, Varda was not only given an Honorary Award but received her first Oscar nomination in a competitive category: for the documentary feature Visages Villages [Faces Places] (2017). At the age of 89, she became the oldest person to be nominated for any competitive Oscar. 

Italian director Franco Zeffirelli was known for his visually sumptuous adaptations of Shakespeare, including The Taming Of The Shrew (1967) starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Romeo And Juliet (1968) starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey (for which Zeffirelli would receive a Best Director Oscar nomination), and Hamlet (1990) with Mel Gibson and Glenn Close. His other films include The Champ (1979), Young Toscanini (1988), Jane Eyre (1996), Tea With Mussolini (1999) and Callas Forever (2002). He would receive a second Oscar nomination (for Art Direction) for his 1982 version of La Traviata. He regularly directed opera productions at La Scala in Milan, the Arena of Verona, and the Rome Opera House. 

Others who passed away this year include: 

- American actress Julie Adams (Creature From The Black Lagoon, Crooked River, The Killer Inside Me)

- Swedish actress Bibi Andersson (The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Persona)

- British writer and editor Diana Athill

- American actor Carmen Argenziano (The Godfather: Part II, When A Stranger Calls, The Accused)

- French actress Claudine Auger (Domino Derval in Thunderball)

- American actor Robert Axelrod (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Akira, The Blob)

- American producer, director, and actor Ben Barenholtz (Barton Fink, Georgia, Requiem For A Dream)

- American actor Paul Benjamin (Midnight Cowboy, Do The Right Thing, The Station Agent)

- American actress Verna Bloom (Animal House, High Plains Drifter, The Last Temptation Of Christ)

- American actor Cameron Boyce (Eagle Eye, Grown Ups, Descendants)

- American special effects artist, make-up artist, and director John Carl Buechler (The Garbage Pail Kids Movie, A Nightmare On Elm Street 4, Friday 13th Part VII)

- American actor Carmine Caridi (The Godfather: Part II, The Money Pit, Brewster's Millions)

- Australian actor Richard Carter (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Man Who Sued God, Happy Feet)

- American writer, director and producer Larry Cohen (A Return To Salem's Lot, Phone Booth, Wicked Stepmother)

- British actor Paul Darrow (Blake's 7, Die Another Day, Doctor Who)

- British screenwriter and script editor Terrance Dicks (Doctor Who, The Avengers)

- American actor Billy Drago (The Untouchables, The Hills Have Eyes, Mysterious Skin)

- American actor Aron Eisenberg (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) 

- American actor Richard Erdman (Stalag 17, Anything Goes, Community)

- British musician Keith Flint (The Prodigy)

- American producer David Foster (The Thing, Short Circuit, The Mask Of Zorro)

- American director James Frawley (The Muppet Movie, The Monkees)

- Swedish musician Marie Fredriksson (Roxette) 

- American actor Rob Garrison (The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid Part II, Prom Night)

- Taiwanese actor Godfrey Gao (The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones, Toy Story 3, Shanghai Fortress)

- American producer Leonard Goldberg (WarGames, Sleeping With The Enemy, Charlie's Angels)

- British comedian and actor Jeremy Hardy

- American actress Valerie Harper (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, Blame It On Rio) 

- Egyptian producer Salah M. Hassanein (Creepshow, Knightriders, Day Of The Dead)

- American actress Katherine Helmond (Family Plot, Time Bandits, Brazil)

- Welsh actor Glyn Houston (The Sea Wolves, Are You Being Served?, Doctor Who)

- British comedian, musician and songwriter Neil Innes (Monty Python And The Holy Grail, Erik The Viking, Puddle Lane)

- American actor Eddie Jones (Rocketeer, Sneakers, The Terminal)

- British screenwriter Barrie Keeffe (The Long Good Friday)

- American screenwriter and producer Patricia Louisianna Knop (9½ Weeks, Wild Orchid, Delta Of Venus)

- Japanese actress Machiko Kyô (The Teahouse Of The August Moon, Rashomon, Gates Of Hell)

- American actor Ron Leibman (Norma Rae, Garden State, Friends)

- American actress Virginia Leith (The Brain That Wouldn't Die, Fear And Desire, A Kiss Before Dying)

- British writer Andrea Levy (Small Island)

- French cinematographer Pierre Lhomme (Cyrano de Bergerac, Jefferson In Paris, Maurice)

- American actress Peggy Lipton (Twin Peaks, The Mod Squad, The Postman)

- Croatian producer Branko Lustig (Schindler's List, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down)

- American actress Carol Lynley (The Cardinal, The Poseidon Adventure, The Cat And The Canary)

- American producer Michael Lynne (The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, Hairspray, The Mortal Instruments)

- American actress Sue Lyon (Lolita, The Night Of The Iguana, Crash!)

- Samoan actor Pua Magasiva (30 Days Of Night, Shortland Street, Power Rangers Ninja Storm)

- American editor Barry Malkin (The Godfather: Part II, Peggy Sue Got Married, Big)

- British actress Tania Mallet (Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger)

- British-Australian actor Bryan Marshall (The Long Good Friday, The Spy Who Loved Me, BMX Bandits)

- Armenian-American screenwriter Mardik Martin (New York New York, Raging Bull, Mean Streets)

- American conceptual artist, visual futurist and designer Syd Mead (Aliens, TRON, Blade Runner)

- American actor Dick Miller (Gremlins, The Terminator, The Howling)

- American actress Shelley Morrison (Will & Grace, Shark Tale, Fools Rush In)

- American writer Toni Morrison

- British playwright and screenwriter Peter Nichols (A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg, Privates On Parade, Georgy Girl)

- American actress Denise Nickerson (Violet Beauregard in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory)

- American actress and singer Jessye Norman

- British photographer and film producer Terry O'Neill

- American production designer and art director Lawrence G. Paull (Blade Runner, Back To The Future, Romancing The Stone)

- American cinematographer and documentary film-maker D.A. Pennebaker (The War Room, Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back)

- American actor Joseph Pilato (Dawn Of The Dead, Pulp Fiction, Digimon: The Movie)

- American casting director Pam Polifroni (TRON, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Gunsmoke)

- British producer Nik Powell (Mona Lisa, The Crying Game, Little Voice)

- American producer and director Harold 'Hal' Prince (A Little Night Music, Cabaret, The Phantom Of The Opera)

- British actress Anna Quayle (Casino Royale, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, A Hard Day's Night)

- American composer and songwriter Sid Ramin (West Side Story, Demolition Man, Secretary)

- Serbian actress Nadja Regin (From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Number Six)

- Canadian actor Shane Rimmer (The Hunger, Gandhi, The Spy Who Loved Me)

- American sound engineer/sound mixer Gregg Rudloff (Mad Max: Fury Road, American Sniper, The Matrix)

- French actress Edith Scob (Eyes Without A Face, Holy Motors) 

- American producer and former chief of Universal Pictures Sid Sheinberg

- American actor and puppeteer Caroll Spinney (Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch on Sesame Street)

- British actor Clive Swift (Frenzy, A Passage To India, Keeping Up Appearances)

- American actor Brian Tarantina (BlacKkKlansman, Summer Of Sam, Uncle Buck)

- Irish actor Niall Tóibín (Ryan's Daughter, Far And Away, Ballykissangel)

- Italian costume designer and set decorator Piero Tosi (Death In Venice, La Traviata, La Cage Aux Folles) 

- American actor Vinny Vella (Casino, Analyze That, Spy)

- Mexican producer Jorge Vergara (Y Tu Mamá También, The Assassination Of Richard Nixon)

- American director Stephen Verona (The Lords Of Flatbush, Pipe Dreams, Talking Walls)

- American paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren (The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2)

- Canadian animator Richard Williams (Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Casino Royale)

- American actor John Witherspoon (Friday, Boomerang, Vampire In Brooklyn)

Review: The Two Popes (UK Cert 12A)

Based on Anthony McCarten's 2017 play The Pope, The Two Popes is directed by Fernando Meirelles (City Of God, The Constant Gardener) and stars Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as the two pontiffs.

In 2005, upon the death of Pope John Paul II, cardinals from all over the world are called to the Vatican for the conclave to elect his successor. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pryce) travels from Buenos Aires and is considered to be an alternative to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Hopkins), who is eventually elected and takes the papal name Benedict XVI. Seven years later, in a time of turmoil for the Catholic Church, Bergoglio seeks Benedict's permission to retire and travels to Rome to discuss this. Conservatism meets liberalism as the two men clash in what would prove to be a pivotal moment in the Catholic church.

You can tell that it's based on a play. Indeed, I commented to my husband after I watched it (but before I found out it started life on the stage) that it could be a play. It feels very stage-like, although Meirelles lifts it from being a static affair. McCarten adapts his own script, and there's some very interesting discussions between the two men, with their stance on the world (Bergoglio is more into breaking walls down, for instance). Of course, a lot of it is imagined and surmised- there's a couple of real flights of fancy, especially towards the end, which are amusing but there's virtually no chance of them being real (you'll lnow them when you see them). 

The film focuses a lot of Bergoglio (you learn a lot more about his early life and history, and his role during the Argentine military junta of the 1970s, a lot of which I didn't know) and Pryce is utterly superb in the role. A softly-spoken charismatic figure, Bergoglio is seen as much more personable than Benedict. He's forthright, however, when he needs to be; the discussion over paedophile priests and what Benedict knew and when is a particularly strong moment. It, of course, helps that Pryce looks very much like Bergoglio to start with. It's a quietly brilliant performance, and amongst Pryce's best work. 

I must also praise Argentinian actor Juan Minujín, who plays the young Bergoglio in flashback, seeing him before he is called to the church and during the military junta (and afterwards). His performance is exclusively in Spanish as well, which is impressive. 

We learn less about Benedict, which seems like a failing; it would have been interesting to see his early history (especially as he had been conscripted into the Hitler Youth as a teenager; there's a few snide comments about him being a Nazi, but there's no evidence to suggest he was an enthusiastic participant). That said, Hopkins is still given some meaty material, as the embattled Pope dealing with various Vatican leaks. He refuses to give Bergoglio permission to retire as he feels it would be a vote of no confidence in his papacy. Teutonic, inscrutable, and irascible, there's still a twinkle of charm behind it (which is down to Anthony Hopkins, no doubt). He matches Pryce and it's a joy to see the two men share the screen.

It is a beautiful-looking film; the sets are sublime- especially the Sistine Chapel interior, which was faithfully recreated at the Cinecitta studios in Rome- as are the costumes (everything from the Cardinals to the Swiss Guard look superb). You also don't really need to know anything about the situation before watching either- the situation is set up quickly and it's easy to follow (although anyone who has had even a passing interest in world affairs over the last decade will be aware of some of the story points). 

Ultimately, this won't be everybody's cup of tea, and I can imagine the pitch might have raised a few eyebrows. But I liked it; it's well-written and impeccably acted by two masters of the stage and screen. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez

Review: Marriage Story (UK Cert 15)

Cinema is awash with films about the beginning of love. But what about the end of it? They are less prevalent, especially any that deal explicitly with divorce. Of course, one of the first to come to mind will be Robert Benton's Kramer Vs. Kramer (1979) with Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. Well, you can now add Marriage Story to that list. 

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach (The Squid And The Whale, Margot At The Wedding), Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson play the disintegrating couple- Charlie, a theatre director and Nicole, an actress, respectively- negotiating the end of their relationship, including custody of their young son Henry (Azhy Robertson). 

Baumbach based large parts of the screenplay on his own experiences; in 2013, he went through a divorce from Jennifer Jason Leigh. That's probably why the film feels so authentic, so real. You can believe these two characters having these conversations. It also highlights things that you wouldn't necessarily think of when a relationship breaks down- such as negotiating extended family relationships (Charlie has a good relationship with Nicole's mum Sandra, for example).

Performances are extremely strong throughout. Johansson is a revelation as Nicole; for anyone who's only ever seen her in the MCU movies, you're missing out. She gets an extraordinary five-minute monologue where she explains to her lawyer (a superb turn by Laura Dern) about how the relationship has curdled; it's done in one take, and she's absolutely transfixing. Matching her in intensity is Driver as Charlie; whilst he's pretty much responsible for wrecking the marriage by sleeping with someone else, there's still a level of sympathy with him. Their climactic fight, when some very ugly truths come spilling out, will make your breath catch in your throat.

In support, Alan Alda adds a warmth as Charlie's first lawyer Bert. Ray Liotta, in contrast, is a typical shark lawyer, who Charlie hires when things start to get nasty. Dern gets a brilliant speech where she bemoans the double standards in divorce proceedings- that women have to be perfect and unimpeachable, while men are often allowed to get away with less than stellar behaviour. The only performance that doesn't quite fit for me is Julie Hagerty as Nicole's mum Sandra- in a film of low-key and unshowy performances, her exuberant, quirky demeanour jars a little (although she gets a good couple of lines which lift the mood somewhat). 

I wish I'd seen this earlier in December so I could have talked about it more in our Review of 2019. It would have definitely made it onto my Nice List. I can see why this has been getting a lot of awards attention, and I think it's going to do well at the Oscars. Not a light, fluffy film by any stretch of the imagination- but it's an exceptionally well-made drama, with a strong script and superb performances. Well worth two hours of your time.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

Review: Knives Out (UK Cert 12A)

Renowned mystery writer Harlan Thrombey is found dead in his attic study. It looks like he's died by his own hand? But is that really what happened? Gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc is hired by an unknown benefactor to investigate Harlan's death and finds that foul play has indeed been done. But who in the household would have murdered the old man? In traditional Agatha Christie style, more than one person had reason to want him dead. Blanc must utilise his skills to work out what really happened... 

Rian Johnson (Looper, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi) directs an all-star cast star- including Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer, and Jamie Lee Curtis-  in a fitfully funny, cleverly plotted mystery that will have audiences talking long after the credits finish. 

When Johnson was editing the film, he tweeted out a series of movie posters which he was using as inspiration for Knives Out. These included the all-star Christie adaptations of the 1970s and 1980s (including Murder On The Orient Express, The Mirror Crack'd, and Death On The Nile) as well as comedy murder mysteries (Clue and Murder By Death) and period thrillers (Gosford Park). You can feel those influences throughout - the all-star cast, the trail of clues, cross-examinations in large rooms, the old overstuffed house- but Johnson puts his own spin on these, and on the tried-and-tested tropes of the genre. 

Performances are solid throughout. Daniel Craig affects a mellifluous Southern accent as gentleman detective Blanc, initially a taciturn presence with a mind as sharp as one of Harlan's many knives. He lays on the charm as he works through the case, ably assisted by two policemen: Lieutenant Elliott (LaKeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan). Elliott is a traditional by-the-numbers cop, trying to get answers against Blanc's occasional flights of fancy. Wagner provides comedy relief as a star-struck nerd who fanboys over Harlan's works. The three performances work together very well.

Jamie Lee Curtis is tough and forthright as eldest child Linda, married to a shifty sod named Richard (a delightfully unctuous performance by Don Johnson), whilst there are laughs to be had by Toni Collette as a slightly airheaded lifestyle-guru-cum-influencer (imagine Gwyneth Paltrow and her Goop enterprise and you're not far off). Michael Shannon gives a wounded air of melancholy as Harlan's son Walt, publisher of his father's works. Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell play members of the younger generation of Thrombeys but their characters aren't particularly fleshed out, being more "types" than people (more on that in a moment). Seen almost exclusively in flashback, Plummer makes for a warm yet strict character (in the sense that, once his mind is made up, it isn't being changed) and it's interesting to see his interactions with various family members. 

Rounding off the cast nicely are Chris Evans as Harlan's playboy grandson Ransom (the polar opposite of Captain America), and Ana de Armas who plays Harlan's nurse Marta. Marta is recruited by Blanc to help with the investigation, as Marta has a rather unusual trait which Blanc describes as "a regurgitative reaction to mistruths". She is physically incapable of lying, because she vomits if she does. This comes into play a few times during the film, only once graphically, but it provides a darkly amusing counter to the cerebral workout that Blanc goes through to work out who the killer is. 

As a murder mystery, it's well plotted - the dripfeed of information, misinformation, red herrings, half-truths and downright lies comes at a good pace, and there's a couple of times where the rug is pulled out from under you as what you've seen (or, more accurately, what you THINK you've seen) proves to not be the case. It's not convoluted, it doesn't disappear up its own fundament, doesn't rely on cheap tricks or obfuscation, and doesn't rely on a massive leap of logic to solve it. I was impressed by that. I also didn't work out the solution, but the solution presented didn't feel wrong. There are some clever moments that, on a repeated viewing (thus knowing the solution), will have greater significance. 

One thing, however, that lets the film down for me slightly is the politics. Some sly bits of subtle commentary are interesting and work well (for instance, the Thrombeys claim Marta is "part of the family" but they don't seem to know which country her family's originally from: Cuba, Ecuador, and Paraguay are all mentioned) but some bits get a bit too on-the-nose. Langford's character Meg is described as attending a liberal arts college, so automatically gets called a "snowflake" at one point, whilst Martell's character Jacob is permanently attached for his phone and is described as an alt-right sympathiser and troll. All very pertinent in these polarised and divisive times. But on both of these cases, we're just told this rather than shown it. There's also a conversation between Richard and some of the others, re: Trump, which again feels a little unnecessary- Richard has already been shown to be an absolute raging douchebag so to drive that point home by having him espouse the usual Republican line about immigrants (and humiliating Marta into the bargain) felt a bit pointless to me. 

That's a minor niggle, and not enough to ruin the film for me. It's a well-cast, beautiful-looking film (kudos to the production designer, the art designer, the set decoration and the costume designer) and the central mystery is engaging and expertly-constructed. A fine whodunit, and a late addition to my Nice List for 2019. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez

The Watchers Review Of 2019 (Part Two)

The second part of our Review of 2019 is now available!

In Part 2, we talk through the films that we think deserve a lump of coal in their stockings this Christmas, and look forward to what's coming up in 2020.


The first part can be found here.

Merry Christmas!

Review: Frozen II (UK Cert U)

Whatever you may think of it, Frozen (2013) was a cultural phenomenon. Even now, six years on, the impact the film had can still be felt. It was only going to be a matter of time before a sequel happened, so here we are. Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee return to direct, with Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez returning to write the songs. Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff reprise their voice roles from the first film, with Evan Rachel Wood, Sterling K. Brown, Alfred Molina, and Jeremy Sisto joining the cast. 

Three years have passed since Elsa was crowned queen of Arendelle. But when she hears a mysterious voice calling to her, she unintentionally awakens ancient elemental spirits which attack the kingdom. With Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven at her side, she makes the journey north to the Enchanted Forest to find the truth behind the voice and the kingdom's past...

Frozen II is one of those rare sequels that doesn't just try and rehash the original. This isn't a cynical, rushed-out, by-the-numbers, cash-in sequel. There's been six years between Frozen and Frozen II, and there's been a lot of thought put into the story. Linking to Arendelle's past, the history of Elsa and Anna's family, and the expansion of the world beyond the city are all done very well and- whilst it may not exactly be a surprise when you find out the truth behind what happened in the Forest- the reveals never feel signposted or too obvious. There isn't much I want to say about the cast, apart from the voice acting is as superb as it was for the first film. 

Proving that "Let It Go" wasn't just a one-off fluke, Lopez and Anderson-Lopez provide several anthemic numbers for Frozen II [and thankfully there's nothing as twee or as saccharine as "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" this time round.]  

For me, the best song is "Into The Unknown" where Elsa explains being torn between the temptation of following the voice or staying where she is and where things are settled (which also has an absolutely belting cover over the end credits by Panic! At The Disco; of all the musical numbers, this stands the best chance of getting an Oscar nod for Best Original Song). Other standout songs are "Show Yourself" (when Elsa gets to the Forest to confront the mysterious voice) and "Lost In The Woods"; having not had a big number in the original film, Jonathan Groff gets to flex his vocals in a deliciously 80's power ballad where Kristoff explores his feelings for Anna, calling her his "one true north".  

Just as a side note, the script continues to show Kristoff as a thoroughly positive character and frankly one hell of a role model for any young boys who might be in the audience (so massive kudos to Jennifer Lee for writing such a decent character). Not only does he get a song where he is open about his emotions, he's always shown as supportive and encouraging; at one point, when Anna is charging in to help Elsa, he doesn't take over or try and muscle in, he simply asks her what she needs from him. Also, later, after Anna has a freakout about how things have gone, he reassures her that his love "isn't fragile". And it's all done naturally, isn't overemphasised or pointed out. 

Frozen II is an ideal family film: there's heart, there's humour, the occasional thrill of danger, some great songs, and some truly superb animation. There's also a very cute end-credits scene which doesn't add much but is still worth sticking round for. So do the next right thing, take a step into the unknown and show yourself to Frozen II. You won't regret it. 

Rating: 4 out of 5

Tez

The Watchers Review Of 2019 (Part One)

Our Review of 2019 is now available, in a handy two-part podcast!

In the first part, we discuss the films we liked/enjoyed/didn't think sucked. Matt also gives his review of the best horror films of 2019.



Part 2, where we sharpen our claws and get certain grievances off our chests, will be released shortly.