The Movies, Books, Theater, Concerts, CDs, Etc. I Saw/Read In 2016

Updated December 31, 2016


BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS
(Increasingly, I am sampling books, reading 10%, 20% even 40 or 50% before deciding to move on. The books below are only the ones I've read completely. That also explains what looks like generous grading -- more and more, if I sense a book is not going to be among my favorites, I stop reading. Too many books; too little time!)


1. A Friend Of Mr. Lincoln by Stephen Harrigan ** 1/2
2. Attaboy, Sam by Lois Lowry ** 1/2
3. Rodzina by Karen Cushman ***/
4. The Marvels by Brian Selznick *** 1/2
5. The First Congress by Fergus M. Bordewich ***
6. The Goblin's Puzzle by Andrew S. Chilton ** 1/2
7. Black Wings Has My Angel by Elliott Chaze ****
8. In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri ***/
9. The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan *** 1/2
10. Jane And The Waterloo Map by Stephanie Barron ***
11. My Father, The Pornographer by Chris Offutt *** 1/2
12. Savage Season (Hap and Leonard #1) by Joe R. Lansdale ***
13. Flight Of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon **
14. Mrs. Jeffries Dusts For Clues by Emily Brightwell ** 1/2
15. Mrs. Jeffries and the Ghost by Emily Brightwell ** 1/2
16. Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy by Bishop John Shelby Spong ***
17. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff *** 1/2
18. Tru and Nelle by G. Neri ** 1/2
19. The Violet Hour by Katie Roiphe ***/
20. Pericles by Shakespeare (sort of) **
21. The Summer Before The War by Helen Simonson *** 1/2
22. Evicted by Matthew Desmond ****
23. Journey To Munich: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear **
24. Young Once by Patrick Modiano ***/
25. The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle ** 1/2
26. The Devil In The Marshalsea by Antonia Hodgson *** 1/2
27. The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson *** 1/2
28. The Midnight Assassin by Skip Hollandsworth ***
29. Switched On by John Elder Robinson ***
30. A Bandit's Tale by Deborah Hopkinson **/
31. The Murder Of Mary Russell by Laurie R. King *** 1/2
32. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 1: Emperor Of The Eight Islands by Lian Hearn *** 1/2
33. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 2: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child by Lian Hearn *** 1/2
34. The Translation Of Love by Lynne Kutsukaka ***
35. Waiting For Augusta by Jessica Lawson ** 1/2
36. The Bad-Ass Librarians Of Timbuktu by Josh Hammer ***
37. Draw The Line by Laurent Linn **
38. The Most Important Thing by Avi ***
39. Sunset Song by Lewis Gibbons ****
40. A Series Of Catastrophes And Miracles by Mary Elizabeth Williams ***/
41. Night Shift by Charlaine Harrius **1/2
42. Children of Earth And Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay *** 1/2
43. Court-Martial by Chris Bray ***
44. Grand Hotel by Vicki Baum (1929) *** 1/2
45. League Of Dragons by Naomi Novik (book 9 of Temeraire series) ***/
46. Charcoal Joe by Walter Mosley (Easy Rawlins series book 14) ***/
47. The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) *** 1/2
48. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead *** 1/2
49. Then And Now by Barbara Cook * 1/2
50. The Unknown Universe by Stuart Clark ***
51. Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert Heinlein *
52. Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein ** 1/2
53. Red Planet by Robert Heinlein **\
54. Bobby Kennedy by Larry Tye ***
55. Underground Airlines by Ben H. Winters ***
56. The Creepy Case Files Of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing ** 1/2
57. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne **
58. The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks ***
59. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 3: Lord Of Darkwood by Lian Hearn ***
60. The Tale Of Shikanodo Book 4: The Tengu's Game Of Go by Lian Hearn ***
61. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner ***
62. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson ***
63. The Gentleman by Forrest Leo *** /
64. Greenglass House by Kate Milford **
65. The Hidden Life Of Trees by Peter Hohlleben *** 1/2
66. Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz (1977) *** 1/2
67. Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs **
68. Hero Of The Empire by Candice Millar ***
69. The Secret Horses Of Briar Hill by Megan Shepherd ** 1/2
70. IQ by Joe Ide *** 1/2
71. My Life In France by Julia Child with Alex Prud'homme *** 1/2
72. The French Chef In America by Alex Prud'homme ** 1/2
73. Four Futures: Visions Of The World After Capitalism by Peter Frase ***
74. The Face-faker's Game by Chandler J. Birch ** 1/2
75. Countdown To Pearl Harbor by Steve Twomey ***
76. Teddy and Co. by Cynthia Voigt ** 1/2
77. America's Bank by Roger Lowenstein ***
78. Play It Loud by Brad Tolinski and Alan Di Perna ***
79. Orphans Of The Carnival by Carol Birch ***
80. My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier ** 1/2
81. Writing To Save A Life: The Louis Till File by John Edgar Wideman ***/
82. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins (short story) *** 1/2
83. Naming Thy Name: Cross Talk in Shakespeare's Sonnets by Elaine Scarry ***
84. Anything Could Happen by Will Walton **
85. The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg **
86. Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet by Ta-nehisi Coates and illos by Brian Stelfreeze ** 1/2
87. Valerian and Laureline: The Empire Of A Thousand Planets by JC Mezieres and P. Christin **
88. Dog Man Unleashed by Dav Pilkey ***
89. News Prints by Ru Xu **
90. Bryant And May: Strange Tides by Christopher Fowler ***
91. Economism by James Kwak ** 1/2
92. The Lost City Of The Monkey Gods by Douglas Preston ** 1/2
93. The Bear And The Nightingale by Katherine Arden *** 1/2
94. Why Time Flies by Alan Burdick ***
95. Tow-Truck Pluck by Annie M.G. Schmidt (1971) ***
96. Falling Ill by CK Williams ***/
97. The Abominable Mr. Seabrook by Joe Ollmann *** 1/2
98. How America Lost Its Secrets by Edward Jay Epstein ** 1/2






CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS CDS (A strong emphasis on the ones I like, so don't think I love everything I listen to -- I just don't bother really listening to the ones I don't )

1. David Bowie -- Blackstar *** 1/2
2. Panic At The Disco -- Death Of A Bachelor *** 1/2
3. James Hunter -- Hold On! *** 1/2 /
4. Dori Freeman -- Dori Freeman ***/
5. Michael Cerveris -- Piety ** 1/2
6. M. Ward -- More Rain ** 1/2
7. The Cactus Blossoms -- You're Dreaming ** 1/2
8. Willie Nelson -- Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin ***\
9. M. Ward -- More Rain ** 1/2
10. Mavis Staples -- Livin' On A High Note ** 1/2
11. Frank Turner -- Mittens EP ***
12. Dusty Springfield -- Faithful (1971) ***/
13. Loretta Lynn -- Full Circle ***
14. The Cars -- The Cars (1978) *** 1/2
15. The Cars -- Candy-O (1979) ***
16. The Cars -- Shake It Up (1981) ** 1/2
17. The Cars -- Heartbeat City (1984) ***\
18. Carly Simon -- Carly Simon (1971) **
19. The Last Shadow Puppets -- Everything You've Come To Expect ***
20. Todd Rundgren -- Runt (1970) *** 1/2
21. Charles Bradley -- Changes **
22. Todd Rundgren -- Runt: The Ballad Of Todd Rundgren (1971) *** 1/2
23. Margo Price -- Midwest Farmer's Daughter ***
24. The Coral -- Distance Inbetween ***
25. Austin Plaine -- Austin Plaine ** 1/2
26. Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones -- Little Windows *** 1/2
27. Todd Rundgren -- Something/Anything? (1972) *** 1/2
28. Pet Shop Boys -- Super *** 1/2
29. Peter Wolf -- A Cure For Loneliness ***
30. Ben Watt -- Fever Dream ** 1/2
31. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide To Earth *** 1/2
32. Chris McGregor -- African Sound ***/
33. Matthew Barber -- The Family Album ** 1/2
34. Todd Rundgren -- A Wizard, A True Star (1973) *** 1/2
35. Cheap Trick -- Bang, Zoom, Crazy...hello ** 1/2
36. The Jayhawks -- Paging Mr. Proust ***\
37. PigPen -- Whole Sun ***\
38. Brennen Leigh -- Sings Lefty Frizzell ***/
39. The Posies -- Solid States ***
40. Mary Chapin Carpenter -- The Things That We Are Made Of ** 1/2
41. The Lumineers -- Cleopatra ***/
42. Martina McBride -- Reckless **
43. Marlon Williams -- Marlon Williams **
44. BB King -- Live In Cook County Jail (1971) *** 1/2
45. Radiohead -- A Moon Shaped Pool *** 1/2/
46. Bob Dylan -- Fallen Angels *** 1/2
47. Ben E. King -- Complete Atco Atlantic Singles ***
48. Etta James -- Tears of Joy: Modern and Kent Singles **
49. Mud Crutch -- Mud Crutch 2 *** 1/2
50. Nicholas Krgovich -- The Hills ***/
51. Nicholas Krgovich - On Cahuenga (2015) ***/
52. Foy Vance -- The Wild Swan ***
53. Eric Clapton -- I Still Do **
54. Karl Blau -- Introducing Karl Blau... **
55. Various Artists -- The Golden Age Of American Popular Music: More Country Hits ***
56. Status Quo -- If You Can't Stand The Heat (1975) ***
57. Ariana Grande -- Dangerous Woman **
58. Drake -- Views **
59. Various Artists -- Jon Savage's 1966: The Year The Decade Exploded ***
60. The Monkees -- Good Times! *** 1/2
61. Paul Simon -- Stranger To Stranger ***
62. The Spinners - The Spinners (1973) *** 1/2
63. Rev. Gary Davis -- Harlem Street Singer (1960) ***/
64. Flume -- Skin **
65. ABC -- The Lexicon Of Love II ***
66. King Creosote + Michael Johnston -- When I Was A Thief *** 1/2
67. Beth Orton -- Kidsticks ** 1/2
68. The Highwaymen -- The Very Best Of The Highwaymen **
69. William Bell -- This Is Where I Live **
70. Neil Diamond -- All-Time Greatest Hits *** 1/2
71. Various Artists -- Dub Specialist: Studio One Dub FireSpecial ** 1/2
72. The Rolling Stones -- Totally Stripped ** 1/2
73. Car Seat Headrest -- Teens of Denial *** 1/2
74. Rob Baird -- Wrong Side Of The River **
75. Damien Jurado and Daniel Hart -- Tumbledown Soundtrack **
76. Brett Dennen -- Por Favor **
77. Jackie Moore -- The Complete Atlantic Recordings ** 1/2
78. Brad Mehldau -- Blues And Ballads ***
79. Mrs. Magician -- Bermuda **1/2
80. Sandy Denny -- I've Always Kept A Unicorn ***\ (pacing of set, not individual songs)
81. Weezer -- Weezer (White Album) ***/
82. Duncan Sheik -- Legerdemain ***/
83. Whitney -- Life Upon The Lake **
84. Yes -- Fragile (1971) *
85. Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass -- To Be True (1975) *** 1/2
86. Erykah Badu -- But You Caint Use My Phone **
87. Malcolm Middleton -- Summer Of '13 **
88. The Struts -- Everybody Wants Some *** 1/2
89. Robbie Fulks -- Upland Stories **
90. Carol Sloane -- Sophisticated Lady (1970) **
91. The Animals -- The Animals ***\
92. Cowboy Junkies -- At The End Of Paths Taken CD1 ***
93. The Cactus Blossoms -- You're Dreaming ** 1/2
94. They Might Be Giants -- Why? ***
95. Tom Paxton -- Ramblin' Boy (1964) **
96. Wynonna And The Big Noise -- Wynonna And The Big Noise ** 1/2
97. Peter Hollens -- Misty Mountains: Songs Inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings ***
98. Miles Davis -- Sorceror (1967) ***
99. Lucky Peterson -- Long Nights *** 1/2
100. Paul McCartney -- Pure McCartney ***
101. Avett Brothers -- True Sadness **
102. Beyonce -- Lemonade **
103. case/lang/viers -- case/lang/viers ***
104. Calypso Rose -- Far From Home ***/
105. Brandy Clark -- Big Day In A Small Town **
106. Tom Odell -- Wrong Crowd **
107. Max Jury -- Max Jury **
108. Neil Young -- Earth *
109. Colvin And Earle -- Colvin And Earle **
110. T.O.L.D. -- Witches **
111. Laura Mvula -- The Dreaming Room ** 1/2/
112. PJ Harvey -- The Hope Six Demolition Project ***/
113. Gallagher And Lyle -- Gallagher and Lyle ((1972) ***
114. Moby Grape -- Now I Know High (comp) ***/
115. Status Quo -- On The Level (1975) ***/
116. Brian Eno -- The Ship ***/
117. Marissa Nadler -- Strangers **
118. Kendrick Lamar -- untitled, unmastered ***
119. Jake Bugg -- On My One **
120. Ria Mae -- Ria Mae **
121. Allen Toussaint -- American Tune ***
122. Deerhoof -- The Magic ** 1/2
123. Nick Jonas -- Last Year Was Complicated **
124. Fitzgerald and the Tantrums -- Fitzgerald and the Tantrums **
125. The Explorers Club -- Together ***\
126. Esperanza Spalding -- Emily's D-evolution ** 1/2
127. Dion -- New York Is My Home **
128. Corinne Bailey Rae -- The Heart Speaks ** 1/2
129. Charlie Puth -- Nine Track Mind ***
130. Santana -- Santana IV **
131. Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee -- At Sugar Hill (1961) ***
132. Branford Marsalis w Kurt Elling -- Upward Spiral ** 1/2 (but "I'm A Fool To Want You"!)
133. Stewart Lindsay -- Spitballin' **
134. Gallagher and Lyle -- Seeds (1973) ** 1/2
135. Psychic Temple -- Plays Music For Airports *** 1/2
136. Margot Glaspy -- Emotions and Math ***/
137. Various Artists -- Bluesin' By The Bayou ** 1/2
138. James Blake -- The Colour In Anything **
139. Jane Siberry -- Ulysses' Purse *** 1/2
140. Wynton Marsalis -- The Abyssinian Mass ** 1/2
141. Joe Ely -- Panhandle Rambler ** 1/2
142. Sarah Vaughan -- Live At Rosy's (1978) ** 1/2
143. Rod McKuen -- A Boy Named Charlie Brown * 1/2
144. JD Souther -- John David Souther (1972) ***
145. Judy Collins -- Colors Of The Day: Best Of (1972) ** 1/2
146. John Martyn -- Sapphire (1984) * 1/2
147. Nicki Minaj -- Lady Penolope **
148. John Doe -- The Westerner ***
149. Jethro Tull -- Aqualung (1971) ***
150. Hurry -- Guided Meditation **
151. Gregory Porter -- Take Me To The Alley **
152. Graham Nash -- This Guided Path **
153. Eva Cassidy -- Songbird ** 1/2
154. Edward Sharp -- Persona **
155. The Westies -- Six On The Out ** 1/2
156. Wolfmother -- Victorious **
157. Various Artists -- Wayfarin' Strangers ** 1/2
158. Fetty Wap -- Fetty Wap (2015) ***
159. Tweed Funk -- Come Together * 1/2
160. William Tyler -- Modern Country ***
161. Underworld -- Barbara, Barbara, We Face A Shining Future ***
162. Spring King -- Tell Me If You Like To **
163. Phil Collins -- ...But Seriously (1989) **
164. Peter, Bjorn and John -- Breaking Point **
165.  Chance The Rapper -- Coloring Book *** 1/2
166. Maxwell -- blackSUMMERnights *** 1/2
167. Maren Morris -- Hero ** 1/2
168. Leon Russell -- Leon Russell (1970) *** 1/2
169. Jake and Amanda Palmer -- You Got Me Singing ***/
170. The Earls Of Leicester - Rattle and Roar ** 1/2
171. Nice As F*** -- Nice As F*** **
172. The Beach Boys -- Today! (1965) ***/
173. Kris Kristofferson -- The Cedar Creek Sessions ** 1/2
174. The Doobie Brothers -- The Platinum Collection (2007) ***
175. John Lee Hooker -- John Lee Hooker (1962) ***
176. Jesse Winchester -- Learn To Love It (1974) ***
177. Stevie Ray Latham -- Modern Attitudes (Dylan should sue!) **
178. Aaron Neville -- Apache * 1/2
179. Erin Rae -- Soon Enough ** 1/2
180. Steven Tyler -- We're All Somebody Somewhere **
181. Various Artists - Remembering Mountains: Unheard Songs by Karen Dalton **
182. Jacob Collier -- In My Room ** 1/2
183. Sara Watkins -- Young in All The Wrong Ways ** 1/2
184. Cole Risner -- Better Man **
185. Moon Brothers -- These Stars **
186. Rebecca Hosking -- Safe Haven **
187. Roosevelt -- Roosevelt **
188. Irene Kelley -- These Hills **
189. Nao -- For All We Know **
190. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez -- Corazones **
191. Angel Olsen -- My Woman ** 1/2
192. Houston Pearson and Ron Carter -- Chemistry ***/
193. Jamie Isaac -- Couch Baby ***
194. Lawrence Arabia -- Absolute Truth **
195. Built To Spill -- There's Nothing Wrong With Love (1994) ** 1/2
196. Kanye West -- The Life Of Pablo *** 1/2
197. Ryley Walker -- Golden Sings That Have Sung ***
198. Minister Marion Hall -- When God Speaks **
199. Paul Lamb -- After Hours: The Country Blues Sessions ** 1/2
200. Various Artists -- Let the Good Times Roll: 40 Jumping R and B Classics ***
201. Various Artists -- Nigeria Freedom Sounds: Popular Music and the Birth... ** 1/2
202. Various Artists -- You Make My Heart Sing: 50 Of The Greatest Love Songs Ever *** 1/2
203. Big Maybelle -- The Complete King, Okeh and Savoy Singles ***
204. Lori McKenna -- The Bird And The Rifle ** 1/2
205. Lady Lamb The Beekeeper -- After (2015) *** 1/2
206. Anohni -- Hopelessness ***
207. Pinegrove -- Cardinal **
208. Chairlift -- Moth **
209. Bosco Rogers -- Post Exotic **
210. Dolly Parton -- Pure and Simple ** 1/2
211. Benny Goodman -- At Carnegie Hall 1938 ****
212. Frank Ocean - Blond(e) **
213. John Paul White -- Beulah **
214. The Stray Birds -- Magic Fire **
215. Boys Forever -- Boys Forever **
216. Jellyfish -- Spilt Milk (1993) ***/
217. Jellyfish -- Bellybutton (1992) *** 1/2
218. Lisa Hannigan -- At Swim ** 1/2
219. Stephen Simmons -- A World Without End **
220. Elvis Presley -- Way Down In The Jungle ** 1/2
221. Anna Tivel -- Heroes Waking Up **
222. Teenage Fanclub -- Here ** 1/2 (but "Steady State" great)
223. The Chris Robinson Brotherhood -- Anyway You Love ** 1/2
224. Various Artists -- Very Best Of Folk Songs ** 1/2
225. Shirley Davis -- Black Rose **
226. The Shelters -- The Shelters ** 1/2
227. Don Williams -- One Good Well **
228. Britney Spears -- Glory * 1/2
229. Violent Femmes -- We Can Do Anything ***
230. B.J. Barham -- Rockingham ** 1/2
231. Rolando Bruno -- Bailazo ** 1/2
232. Shawn James -- On The Shoulders Of Giants **
233. Nina Simone -- In Concert (1964) *** 1/2
234. John McCutcheon -- Joe Hill's Last Will **
235. Jonah Tolchin -- Thousand Mile Night **
236. Sara Gazarek -- Dream In The Blue **
237. Blues Pills -- Lady In Gold * 1/2
238. Rich Robinson -- Flux **
239. Various Artists -- Wilko Johnson Presents The First Time I Met The Blues ** 1/2
240. Various Artists -- Mojo Presents Jamaican Explosion ** 1/2
241. Lynrd Skynrd -- Old Time Greats ***
242. Various Artists -- Aloha Got Soul 1979-1985 ***
243. Butch Walker -- Stay Gold ***
244. Peter Broderick -- Partners **
245. Cleo Laine -- All Of Me **
246. The O'Connor Band w Mark O'Connor -- Coming Home ** 1/2
247. The Way Down Wanderers -- The Way Down Wanderers **
248. Chet Baker -- The James Dean Story ** (but vocals "Let Me Be Loved" good)
249. Okkervil River -- Away **
250. St. Paul and the Broken Bones -- Sea Of Noise **
251. Nat King Cole -- Destination Moon ** 1/2
252. Petula Clark -- From Now On ***/
253. Willie Nelson -- For The Good Times: A Tribute To Ray Price ** 1/2
254. Milt Jackson and John Coltrane -- Bags and Trane ***
255. Catherine Russell -- Harlem On My Mind ** 1/2
256. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris -- Trio: The Complete Collection *** 1/2
257. The Ramones -- The Ramones Mono 40th Anniversary ****
258. Dawes -- We All Gonna Die **
259. Jason Aldean -- They Don't Know * 1/2
260. Ultimate Painting -- Dusk **
261. Meat Loaf -- Braver Than We Are *
262. Jack White -- Acoustic Recordings 1998-2016 *** 1/2
263. Fantasia -- The Definition Of... **
264. James Vincent McMurrow -- We Move ***
265. Wilco -- Schmilco ***\
266. The Rifles -- Big Life **
267. Seth Lakeman -- Ballads Of The Broken Few **
268. Led Zeppelin -- The BBC Sessions *** 1/2
269. Charlie Puth -- Nine Track Mind ***/
270. Various Artists -- Music Of Tanzania **
271. Green Day -- Revolution Radio *** 1/2
272. Conor Oberst -- Ruminations ***/
273. Bill Charlap -- Notes From New York ** 1/2
274. Ian Hunter -- Fingers Crossed ***
275. Regina Spektor -- Remember Us To Life *** 1/2
276. Lady Gaga -- Joanne ** 1/2\
277. Leonard Cohen -- You Want It Darker *** 1/2
278. The Beat feauring Ranking Roger -- Bounce ** 1/2
279. Arthur Alexander -- You Better Move On ** 1/2
280. CeDell Davis -- Even The Devil Gets The Blues ***
281. Common -- Black America Again ***/
282. Nashville Voices -- Christmas In The Country *
283. Straight No Chaser -- I'll Have Another...Christmas Album **
284. Lightnin' Hopkins -- Thinkin' And Worryin': The Aladdin Singles 1947-1952 ****
285. Jim James -- Eternally Even ** 1/2
286. She And Him -- Christmas Party ***
287. Madness -- Can't Touch Us Now ***/
288. Tricia Yearwood -- Christmas **
289. Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood -- Christmas Together * 1/2
290. Pavo Pavo -- Young Narrator In The Breakers **
291. Matt Pond PA -- Winter Lives **
292. Sting -- 57th And 9th ***
293. Chris Robinson Brotherhood -- If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home By Now ** 1/2
294. Kings Of Leon -- Walls ** 1/2
295. Robbie Williams -- The Heavy Entertainment Show ** 1/2
296. Seth James -- A Million Miles Of Love **
297. Stevie Nicks -- The Wild Heart (1983) **
298. Eleanore Mills -- This Is Eleanore Mills! **
299. Chris Staples -- Golden Age ** 1/2
300. Hayes Carl -- Lovers and Leavers ** 1/2
301. Dwight Yoakum -- Swimming Pools, Movie Stars *** 1/2
302. Alicia Keys -- Here ** 1/2
303. Doyle Bramhall II -- Rich Man ** 1/2
304. De La Soul -- And The Anonymous Nobody ***
305. Davy Knowles -- Three Miles From Avalon ** 1/2
306. David Bromberg -- The Blues, The Whole Blues and Nothing But The Blues ** 1/2
307. David Bowie -- Lazarus EP *** 1/2
308. Crowded House -- Woodface (1991) *** 1/2
309. Youssou N'dour -- Africa Rekk ** 1/2
310. Steve Mason -- Meet The Humans ** 1/2
311. Suzanne Vega -- Lover, Beloved: Songs From An Evening With Carson McCullers ***
312. Michael Buble -- Nobody But Me ** 1/2
313. Leslie Odom, Jr. -- Simply Christmas ***
314. Asleep At The Wheel -- Lone Star Christmas * 1/2
315. Rumer -- The Look Of Love ***/
316. Mahalia Jackson -- Moving Up A Little Higher *** 1/2
317. Pretenders -- Alone ***
318. Iggy Pop -- Post Pop Depression ** 1/2
319. Nat and Alex Wolff -- Public Places ** 1/2
320. Michelle David -- The Gospel Sessions ***/
321. John Legend -- Darkness and Light ***
322. Julia Jacklin -- Don't Let The Kids Win ***/
323. Aaron Lee Tasjan -- Silver Tears ***
324. A Tribe Called Quest -- We've Got It From Here...Thank You 4 Your Service *** 1/2
325. Bonobo -- Migration **
326. Benjamin Dean Wilson -- Small Talk **
327. Various Artists -- Doin' It In Lagos: Boogie, Pop and Disco in 1980s Nigeria **
328. Lakuta -- Brothers and Sisters **
329. Nick Cave -- Skeleton Tree ***
330. Nico Muhly and Teitur -- Confessions **
331. Richard Barone -- Sorrows and Promises: Greenwich Village in the 1960s ** 1/2
332. Shirley Horn -- Live At The 4 Queens (poorly recorded) ** 1/2
333. Stan Ridgway and Pietra Wexstun -- Priestess Of The Promised Land **
334. Miranda Lambert -- The Weight Of These Wings *** 1/2
335. Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau -- Nearness *** 1/2
336. Bill Charlap -- Notes From New York **
337. Barry Gibb -- In The Now ** 1/2
338. Billy Bragg and Joe Henry -- Shine A Light ***
339. Hannah Williams -- Late Nights and Heartbreak **
340. J Cole -- 4 Your Eyez Only ** 1/2
341. Jimmy "Duck" Holmes -- It Is What It Is **
342. Joe Lovano -- Classic! Live At Newport *** 1/2
343. Johann Johannsson -- Arrival *** (but *** 1/2 in film)
344. John Prine -- For Better, Or Worse ** 1/2
345. Kenny Barron -- Book Of Intuition *** 1/2
346. My Girl The River -- This Ain't No Fairytale ** 1/2
347. Solange -- A Seat At The Table *** 1/2





MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES TV MOVIES 

(Not TV movies, of course, but movies and TV -- and TV movies if it comes to that. Mostly I only list TV shows when I've tackled an entire season at once or reappraising an entire series after it's over This doesn't really capture my ongoing watching of current TV.)

1. Deadpool ** 1/2
2. The Witch ** 1/2
3. Everybody Wants Some!! *** 1/2
4. Purple Rain ** 1/2 for movie but **** for concert sections
5. The Jungle Book (2016) **
6. Zootopia *** 1/2
7. Sea Scouts (1939 Disney short w Donald Duck, plus Huey, Lewey and Dewey) *
8. The Hidden Island (1960 Japanese film, almost silent, faux docu) ***
9. Hail, Caesar! *** (Alden Ehrenreich, Scarlett Johansson)
10. The Lobster *** 1/2
11. Love And Friendship ***/
12. The Secret Life Of Pets ** 1/2
13. Star Trek: Beyond ** 1/2
14. Pièges (1939 at Moma) ** 1/2
15. Jason Bourne **
16. Florence Foster Jenkins **
17. Hell Or High Water *** 1/2
18. Moonlight *** 1/2
19. Toni Erdmann ***/
20. The Edge Of Seventeen **
21. The Arrival ** 1/2 (botches the ending)
22. Manchester By The Sea *** 1/2
23. The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939) * 1/2
24. Midnight Shadow (1939) no stars
25. Stand Up And Fight (1939) **
26. Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them ** 1/2
27. Kubo And The Two Strings ***
28. The Nice Guys ***/
29. Moana ** 1/2
30. 20th Century Women ***
31. Cameraperson ** 1/2
32. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ** 1/2
33. Seth's Dominion (2014) ** 1/2
34. The Nine (docu at Moma, unreleased) **
35. I. Daniel Blake ** 1/2
36. La La Land * 1/2
37. Nocturnal Animals  no stars
38. Midnight Special ** 1/2
39. Neon Bull ***
40. Aferim! *** 1/2
41. Allied (great birth scene) *
42. The Fits *** 1/2
43. Green Room *** 1/2
44. Little Men (but terrific Michael Barbieri) **
45. American Honey *** 1/2






THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS THEATER CONCERTS
(The names after the shows are the people who joined me at the performance.)

1. Employee Of The Year (Under The Radar at Public) *** [Noam}
2. Germinal (Under The Radar At Public) *** 1/2 [Noam]
3. Fiddler On The Roof 2015 Broadway revival with Danny Burstein ** 1/2 [Cohen]
4. Skeleton Crew *** [Noam]
5. Noises Off (2016 Broadway revival) ** but *** if you've never seen it before [Zoe]
6. The Pearl Fishers at Met w Diana Damrau, Mariusz Kwiecien and esp Matthew Polenzani ***/ [Garrett]
7. The Grand Paradise (Third Rail immersive theater) *** [Cohen]
8. Our Mother's Brief Affair (Linda Lavin) * 1/2 [Noam]
9. Something Rotten *** [TJ]
10 Sense And Sensibility (Bedlam revival) *** 1/2 [Frima]
11. Broadway and The Bard * 1/2 [Noam]
12. Prodigal Son ** [Zoe]
13. A Bronx Tale: The Musical ** [Noam]
14. Buried Child (2016 revival w Ed Harris) ** [Noam]
15. Nice Fish *** [solo]
16. Broadway By The Year: The 1930s at Town Hall *** [TJ]
17. Hughie ** [Noam}
18. Pericles (w Christian Camargo) * 1/2 [Noam]
19. Straight ** 1/2 [Luis]
20. Eclipsed *** [Noam]
21. Red Speedo *** [Noam]
22. The Royale ** 1/2 [Noam]
23. Angel Reapers (Signature piece ** 1/2 [Cohen, Zoe, Noam]
24. Boy **** [Cohen]
25. The Robber Bridegroom *** [TJ]
26. Hold On To Me, Darling *** [Noam]
27. Blackbird ** 1/2 [Noam]
28. Disaster! * [TJ]
29. The Effect ** 1/2 [Cohen]
30. Dry Powder ** 1/2 [Zoe]
31. Head Of Passes ** 1/2 [Noam]
32. Broadway By The Year: The 1950s *** 1/2 [TJ]
33. Familiar *** 1/2 [solo]
34. The Crucible (w Ben Whishaw) [Noam] ***
35. Bright Star [ **
36. She Loves Me (w Laura Benanti) ***
37. Antlia Pneumatica [Noam] ** 1/2
38. RSC at BAM: Richard II (w David Tennant) [solo]  ** 1/2
39. RSC at BAM: Henry IV Part I and II (w Antony Sher) [solo] ***
40. RSC at BAM Henry V (w Alex Hassell) [solo] ** 1/2
41. Nathan The Wise [Noam] ** 1/2
42. The Father [Noam] **
43. American Psycho [Garrett] **
44. Waitress [Noam] ** 1/2
45. Fully Committed [Cohen] ** 1/2
46. Long Day’s Journey Into Night [Noam] ***
47. A Streetcar Named Desire [solo] ***
48. Tuck Everlasting [Cohen]**
49. War (Cohen) **
50. Paramour (Franny) * 1/2
51. Hadestown (at NYTW w Noam and Frima) *** 1/2
52. Shuffle Along (solo) *** 1/2/
53. Cats (on Broadway, 2016 revival w Noam) **

54. The Encounter (Complicite on Broadway w Luis) **
55. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (at Two River Theater w Noam and Zoe) ***
56. Oh, Hello (w Dave Cohen) ** 1/2
57. Heisenberg (remounting on Broadway w Luis) ** 1/2
58. The Dudleys (solo) ** 1/2
59. Holiday Inn (w Luis) * 1/2
60. Tristan Und Isolde (at Met w Nina Stemme and Stuart Skelton, Simon Rattle conducting -- w Stephen Garrett) **
61. Duat via Soho Rep (early preview, but Jacques Colimon a find -- w Noam) ** 1/2
62. A Life (w David Hyde Pierce -- w Luis) ** 1/2
63. Love Love Love (w Amy Ryan-- w Noam) ** 1/2
64. The Radicalization Of Rolfe (FringeFest NYC -- w TJ) ** 1/2
65. Sweat (Public Theater -- w Noam) * 1/2
66. The Death of The Last Black Man In The Whole Entire World aka The Negro Book Of The Dead *** (Signature w Noam and Zoe and Cohen) 
67. Falsettos ** (Bway revival -- w Zoe)
68. Dead Poets Society ** 1/2 (CSC w Noam) 
69. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 *** (but ** 1/2 if you’ve seen it before -- w Luis)
70. Sweet Charity (w Sutton Foster -- w TJ) **
71. Mouse: The Persistence Of An Unlikely Thought (St. Ann's Warehouse w Noam and Zoe and Heather) *** 1/2
72. Wicked (on Bway 11-9-2016 -- w Cohen) ** 1/2
73. Master Harold and the Boys (Signature w Noam and Zoe and Cohen) **
74. Dear Evan Hansen ***
75. The Illusionists: Turn Of The Century **
76. The Bodyguard **
77. The Wolves *** 
78. The Band’s Visit *** 1/2
79. In Transit *
80. Salome (at Met) ** (dreadful sets, stand-in for lead)
81. L'amour de loin (at Met) (magnificent sets!) *** 1/2

Updated December 31, 2016

The 41st Annual IRA Film Awards -- "Tangerine," "The Tribe" Triumph

The 41st Annual IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS -- 2015

The IRAs are a mysterious but august film society that has voted on the best films of the year since 1976. Officially known as the New York Independent Film Critics Awards but lovingly nicknamed the IRAs, it is more international and indie focused than the Oscars, more mercurial than the LA Film Critics, more loyal to their favorites than the Golden Globes, the IRAs are proud to announce their picks for the best movies released in 2015.

The IRAs began when passionate film students and friends complained about the parade of annual awards shows, declaring, "We could do better!" What followed was an all-night, knock-down, drag-out fight to establish the very first winners of the IRAs. (One of the members is named Ira, but how his name became the name of the award is a story lost in the mist of time.) The IRAs has been profiled in The New Yorker so it is officially a New York institution, though no one has ever heard of it. Over the years, its rotating cast of voting members have included Oscar-winning writers, major directors, top studio execs, best-selling and critically acclaimed authors of books on movies, critics, screenwriters, budding playwrights, plain old film buffs and so on. 

This year the IRAs have added Best Nonfiction Film to its list of awards. 

Every year, the IRAs shine a light on some of the best films of the year. The secret reason the IRAs flourish is that its members are passionate film lovers. Many have careers involving the arts but it's not always easy to stay in the swim of things and keep on top of the flood of new releases every year, especially when the movies favored by IRA members are not always playing at your local multiplex for weeks at a time. The movies they appreciate tend to be harder to catch, playing in theaters only briefly before popping up (hopefully) on some streaming service or DVD if you miss it. Quite simply, the IRAs force them to stay committed to seeing new movies with the same fervor they felt in their college days when going to see a film was the only purpose in life, before jobs and family made claims on their time. So if you want to stay on top of great cinema every year or explore its history, there's no better place to start than the award winners of the IRAs. 

True, the IRAs have no more claim to pronounce the best films of the year than anyone else. But they've been doing it for decades so, hey, it's tradition! And the IRA goes to....

BEST PICTURE

1. Tangerine -- 22 pts. (out of a possible 45 pts.)
2. Mommy -- 13 pts.
3. (tie) Mad Max: Fury Road -- 12 pts.
    (tie) The Tribe 12 pts.
5. Clouds Of Sils Maria 8 pts.

NOTE: When there's a tie, the number of films tied fill up a corresponding number of slots. Here, two films tied for #3, so that fills up both #3 and #4. Thus the next film listed is ranked at #5. This year nine ballots were submitted with a top score for each film of 5 pts, so the maximum any one film could achieve was 45 pts.

The IRAs are voted on from Best Costumes up to Best Picture. So this award comes towards the end of the evening. The victory of Tangerine is no surprise, really: it won or tied for six of the Top 12 awards. (There are also "negative" awards.) Clearly it's support was deep and strong. Still, when The Tribe won the penultimate prize of Best Director by a substantial margin, it was reasonable to expect it would win Best Picture. The IRA members are no vehement auteurists, but they certainly recognize directors as usually the driving force of most films. Much of the time, Best Picture and Best Director go hand in hand. That gets muddier when the race is tight, as you can see in years past. What makes this year rather unusual is that Tangerine enjoyed a substantial victory for Best Picture and The Tribe enjoyed a substantial victory for Best Director. It just proves that IRA voting is informed and smart but ultimately driven by passion and admiration, not by any hidebound rules or academic theory. The result? Five films enjoyed five of the top six awards for the night: The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, The End Of The Tour, Mommy, Tangerine and The Tribe. 


BEST DIRECTOR

1. Miroslav Slaboshpytski for The Tribe -- 24 pts.
2. Sean Baker for Tangerine -- 16 pts.
3. Xavier Dolan for Mommy -- 12 pts.
4. George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road -- 10 pts.
5. Todd Haynes for Carol -- 9 pts.

NOTE: Coming out of nowhere, The Tribe wins Best Director. However, while it wasn't a threat to win in earlier categories, The Tribe did garner mentions in three earlier rounds of voting. Plus, the film's best shot at an acting award probably came in supporting actress, one of the most crowded awards in memory, with a wealth of good performances to choose from. The male characters in the film are unnamed and tend to blur together. It's not a criticism of the film -- that's how it was crafted. But that does make it harder to single people out. But this Ukrainian film is one of the boldest movies in memory. It's set in a school for the deaf and the entire film is performed in Ukrainian Sign Language, with no dialogue, no subtitles and no voice-over or even any explanatory text providing context for the film. And yet, anyone can follow the complex storyline and shifting loyalties of the characters with relative ease. It's remarkably absorbing and feels genuinely fresh and new. That doesn't happen every day and this award is a statement from the IRAs that we'll be hearing from this director again.


BEST ACTOR

1. Jason Segel for The End Of The Tour -- 26 pts.
2. Paul Dano for Love And Mercy -- 17 pts.
3. Antoine-Olivier Pilon for Mommy -- 16 pts.
4. Ben Mendelsohn for Mississippi Grind --13 pts.
5. Géza Röhrig for Son Of Saul -- 8 pts.

NOTE: Jason Segel's turn as David Foster Wallace inspired passionate support from voters. However, Jesse Eisenberg's turn as the reporter in that film received "Mechanical Actor" points in the final negative awards of the night, which helps explain why The End Of The Tour could win Best Actor and Best Screenplay but not really be a player in many other categories. Ditto Paul Dano and John Cusack for Love And Mercy. (By the way, I'm aware it's an ampersand in the official title of Love And Mercy, but blogger has a glitch and won't display an ampersand properly. Someone call Google! Ironically, the song itself IS styled "Love And Mercy," so there.)



BEST ACTRESS

1. (tie) Anne Dorval for Mommy -- 23 pts.
    (tie) Kitana Kiki Rodriguez for Tangerine -- 23 pts.
3. Ronit Elkabetz for Gett: The Trial Of Viviane Amsalem -- 14 pts.
4. Rooney Mara for Carol --12 pts.
5. Bel Powley for The Diary Of A Teenage Girl -- 11 pts.

NOTE: Here's the big victory for Mommy, a film by previous IRA winner Xavier Dolan. You can see his new movie was a player in numerous categories throughout the night, from the first award voted on (Best Costumes) right up to the top award (Best Picture). Still, despite our passionate appreciation for Dolan and his work, most voters weren't able to catch Tom At The Farm, a 2013 film of his that finally had a blink-and-you-miss-it commercial run in New York City. At least IRA members have long memories: Mommy came out in January of 2015 but that didn't stop us from honoring it at our ceremony 14 months later.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1. Alexander Skarsgård for The Diary Of A Teenage Girl -- 18 pts.
2. Michael Keaton for Spotlight -- 14 pts.
3. Karren Karagulian for Tangerine -- 9 pts.
4. (tie) Steve Carell for The Big Short --7 pts.
    (tie) Emory Cohen for Brooklyn -- 7 pts.
    (tie) Michael Fassbender for Slow West -- 7 pts.

NOTE: This was the only win for The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, one of the best films of the year (at least according to me). It was admired by those who saw it but not enough voters did. And here you can see that getting Oscar attention is no barrier to IRA attention, with Spotlight, The Big Short and Brooklyn all getting some support for various elements.
                                            

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Mya Taylor for Tangerine by acclamation.

1. Mya Taylor for Tangerine -- 26 pts.
2. Suzanne Clément for Mommy -- 13 pts.
3. Jennifer Jason Leigh for The Hateful Eight -- 9 pts.
4. Elizabeth Banks for Love And Mercy --6 pts.
5. (tie) Jane Fonda for Youth -- 5 pts.
    (tie) Greta Gerwig for Mistress America -- 5 pts.
    (tie) Marcia Gay Harden for Grandma -- 5 pts.

NOTE: If a majority of the voters participating in the IRAs each year (some members vote in absentia via ballot) all nominate the same person or film in a category, that nominee is the winner by acclamation. They garnered a majority of support on the first ballot. We then go through our ballots to see the other honorees, but the winner is foreordained. As with every category, once a winner is announced, there is a vote on whether to rescind. Perhaps a core group liked one performance -- enough to score the most points -- but a majority hated it. Or perhaps a majority want to see the runner-up win instead. In cases of a first round winner by acclamation, since a majority of the people already picked it, a vote to rescind has never prevailed.


BEST NONFICTION FILM

1. In Jackson Heights -- 20 pts.
2. Amy -- 18 pts.
3. Listen To Me, Marlon -- 15 pts.
4. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison Of Belief -- 11 pts.
5. Call Me Lucky -- 10 pts.

NOTE: Recent years have seen a flurry of new categories and renaming of old ones. This year, the IRAs have included the category of "Best Nonfiction Film." Documentaries and other nonfiction works have triumphed at the IRAs in years past, notably the PBS civil rights masterpiece Eyes On The Prize and the art film Decasia (which married decaying scraps of old movies to a new score by Michael Gordon to haunting effect). However, those are the ONLY two nonfiction films to triumph and these movies have rarely even made a dent in the Top Five Best Picture race. After much debate and worry that creating this category meant a nonfiction film would never garner the top prize again, it has been added. Hopefully, this will encourage more watching of nonfiction films by members and increase its chances of being honored in all eligible areas, like editing and director and score and so on. We shall see.


BEST SCREENPLAY

1. Donald Margulies for The End Of The Tour -- 23 pts.
2. Charles Randolph and Adam McKay for The Big Short -- 14 pts.
3. Ronit Elkabetz and Shlomi Elkabetz for Gett: The Trial Of Viviane Amsalem -- 13 pts.
4. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck for Mississippi Grind --11 pts.
5. Xavier Dolan for Mommy -- 9 pts.



BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. Sean Baker and Radium Cheung for Tangerine -- 28 pts.
2. Emmanuel Lubezki for The Revenant -- 15 pts.
3. Valentyn Vasyanovych for The Tribe -- 9 pts.
4. (tie) Mátyás Erdély for Son Of Saul -- 8 pts.
    (tie) Edward Lachman for Carol -- 8 pts.
    (tie) Robert Richardson for The Hateful Eight -- 8 pts.
    (tie) André Turpin for Mommy -- 8 pts.

NOTE: In a year filled with impressive cinematography, one could hardly go wrong in naming a well-shot movie. Four films tied for fourth place and all of them deserved to be singled out, along with others that didn't make the cut. Technology is such that everything from the "shot on an iPhone" Tangerine" to the "spare no expense" cutting edge work on The Revenant can look great, serve the story and make a film. Still, the IRA voters are not ones to embrace empty craft: all the films listed had their adherents, though arguably The Hateful Eight is the exception that proved the rule. No one touted it as one of the best films of the year, but it was still appreciated for both some of the acting and the old fashioned virtues of shooting on film, not to mention the almost perverse stunt of choosing an extreme aspect ratio and yet setting most of the film inside a one room lodge.


BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

1. (tie) Judy Becker for Carol -- 18 pts.
    (tie) Colin Gibson for Mad Max: Fury Road -- 18 pts.
3. Mark Digby for Ex Machina -- 15 pts.
4. Keith P. Cunningham for Love And Mercy --11 pts.
5. Vlad Odudenko for The Tribe -- 10 pts.

NOTE: Here it was clear that Mad Max: Fury Road had a lot of admirers, much as it swept the technical categories at the Academy Awards. And just like the Oscars, the technical awards are the only ones that Mad Max: Fury Road would win. Since we display our ballots, you can see how close Mad Max: Fury Road did, garnering a Top Five placement in Best Picture and Director. When some mocked voting for Mad Max: Fury Road by dismissing it as an Oscar winner, others asked what was so wrong with that? Must the IRAs invariably avoid movies that win Oscars? Naturally, if the IRAs merely repeated the same movies that garnered attention from the New York and LA critics, the Golden Globes and the Oscars, or even the Spirit Awards and other bodies, it wouldn't have much reason for being. Happily, the IRAs have a strong independent and international bias that means there is often very little overlap in the major awards. But there's even little overlap in the more indie-leaning awards, perhaps due to the idiosyncratic nature of IRA voters, their willingness to search out truly obscure movies (usually all the movies appearing on Best Of The Year list have been vetted by at least some IRA voters) or who knows, a wealth of good movies in a world where more than 1000 films are released in New York City each year.

BEST SCORE/MUSIC

1. (tie) Junkie XL for Mad Max: Fury Road -- 14 pts.
    (tie) Atticus Ross and Brian Wilson for Love And Mercy -- 14 pts.
3. Rich Vreeland for It Follows -- 13 pts.
4. (tie) Carter Burwell for Carol --11 pts.
    (tie) Jóhann Jóhannsson for Sicario --11 pts.

NOTE: It's not official yet, but there's a desire to official rename Best Music or Best Score to the more appropriate category of "Best Use Of Music." Did Brian Wilson write a score for the movie Love And Mercy? No. But his music from Pet Sounds is ingeniously used in the film to illuminate the creative process, complete with Paul Dano recording new vocals and showing songs in various stages of completion. Platoon made a brilliant use of pre-existing music, as did 2001: A Space Odyssey. Love And Mercy does something different and bolder. Yet none of it is as easy as you might think. Just slapping some Beethoven on your images isn't going to win you an IRA or make your movie good. Rather than worry about what's new and what's pre-existing and which percentage of which to credit a film for, we have simply been appreciating the movies that make the best use of music, whatever their source.

BEST EDITING

1. Sean Baker for Tangerine -- 20 pts.
2. Margaret Sixel for Mad Max: Fury Road -- 18 pts.
3. (tie) Chris King for Amy -- 12 pts.
    (tie) Valentyn Vasyanovych for The Tribe -- 12 pts.
5. Stevan Riley for Listen To Me Marlon -- 10 pts.

NOTE: Documentaries often score highly in the editing category because they typically include a wealth of footage and the movie is "discovered" in the editing. This year Tangerine triumphed, arguably because its non-professional cast and loose nature meant this too was a feature film more than most that found its shape in the editing.


BEST COSTUME

1. Shih-Ching Tsou for Tangerine -- 29 pts.
2. (tie) Sandy Powell for Carol and Cinderella -- 20 pts.
    (tie) Jenny Beavan for Mad Max: Fury Road -- 20 pts.
4. Emma Potter for The End Of The Tour --11 pts.
5. (tie) Xavier Dolan for Mommy -- 10 pts.
    (tie) Danny Glicker for Love And Mercy -- 10 pts.

NOTE: Sure, as some noted Tsou was essentially raiding the wardrobes of the actors in the movie. But she's the one who chose which outfits to wear so it's still valid. Whether you craft a costume from scratch, alter a pre-existing one or piece together vintage clothes, you're making artistic choices every step of the way.

SOMINEX (The movie that put you to sleep)

1. The Assassin -- 20 pts.

2. The Hateful Eight -- 18 pts.

3. Magic Mike XXL -- 9 pts.

4. Black Mass -- 7 pts.

5. Jurassic World -- 6 pts.

NOTE: Arguably the funniest story of the night revolved around a screening of The Assassin. That led to a brief torrent of similar tales about watching a movie with the talent present -- if you know the director/star/producers are there and the movie is bad, it can be excruciating. If you don't know they're there, it can be embarrassing.
             

DRAMAMINE (The film that made you sick)

1     1. Chi-Raq -- 15 pts.

2. Stonewall -- 13 pts.

3. The Martian -- 12 pts.

4. The Danish Girl -- 10 pts.

5. Where To Invade Next -- 8 pts.

NOTE: No one is harder on liberals than liberals. So four of the five films mentioned here are "progressive" by any standard yet that won't protect them from brickbats for the worse failing of making bad art. 

MECHANICAL ACTRESS

1. Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl -- 25 pts.

2. Carrie Fisher for Star Wars: The Force Awakens -- 13 pts.

3. Angelina Jolie Pitt for By The Sea -- 8 pts.

4. Meryl Streep for Ricki And The Flash and Suffragette -- 6 pts.

5. (tie) Laura Dern for  99 Homes --    5 pts.
    (tie) Lily Tomlin for Grandma -- 5 pts.

NOTE: The Mechanical awards are for actors relying on familiar tricks we've seen them personally use time and again or those tackling a role in a cliched manner. It's a moment for poisonous comments, getting revenge on movies and talent we once admired that have let us down or never fooled us in the first place but keep making moves we have to see. This year, the IRAs honored the transgender women of Tangerine but perhaps undermined that timely nod by cheekily naming Eddie Redmayne Mechanical Actress for his performance in The Danish Girl. Redmayne is of course authentically male (as they say) and portrays a character who begins as outwardly male but comes to realize and claim her authentic self as Lily, becoming one of the first people in the world to undergo surgery as part of her transition to claiming her identity as a woman. (Whew, had to be careful there!) Some strongly objected (I mean you, Andy), feeling this was disrespectful to women and transgender actors and people. While somewhat of a joke, this award also drove home the belief that in fact Redmayne's performance and the "tragic" film The Danish Girl was in fact inauthentic and thus this belief was driven home by giving him the award in the "wrong" category. The fact that Tangerine triumphed in numerous categories, including honors for its two main talents, will hopefully balance out any outrage over this choice.

               

MECHANICAL ACTOR

1. John Cusack for Chi-Raq and Love And Mercy -- 19 pts.

2. Matt Damon for The Martian -- 10 pts.

3. Jeff Daniels for The Martian -- 7 pts.

4. (tie) Jesse Eisenberg for The End Of The Tour -- 5 pts.

    (tie) Tom Hardy for The Revenant -- 5 pts.
    (tie) Chris Hemsworth for Blackhat and In The Heart Of The Sea -- 5 pts.

    (tie) Ryan Reynolds for Woman In Gold -- 5 pts.
    (tie) Tom Sturridge for Far From The Madding Crowd -- 5 pts.

NOTE: So you can spot a groundswell of dislike for The Martian in the negative awards. Unlike The Revenant, the Ridley Scott film had no champions. Similarly, a few really liked John Cusack in the generally admired Beach Boys movie Love And Mercy. But a strong contingent -- indeed most of the voters -- felt he was the central flaw in that movie. Everyone, however, agreed his turn in Spike Lee's Chi-Raq was surreally strange. Unfortunately, since a majority of voters included both performances in their vote, the minority who would have preferred just to single out his work in Chi-Raq had to either ignore Cusack entirely or give points to an award that would reflect the will of the voters and mention both movies.


PAST IRA WINNERS

THE COMPLETE IRA MOVIE AWARD WINNERS

1975 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Barry Lyndon
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for La Rupture and Just Before Nightfall
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
Best Supporting Actor: François Perrier in Just Before Nightfall
Best Supporting Actress: Blythe Danner in Hearts Of The West
Best Screenplay: Tom Stoppard and Thomas Wiseman for The Romantic Englishwoman
Best Cinematography: John Alcott for Barry Lyndon



1976 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Lipstick and The Marquise Of O
Best Director: Eric Rohmer for The Marquise Of O
Best Actor: Sean Connery in Robin And Marian
Best Actress: Sissy Spacek in Carrie
Best Supporting Actor: Jason Robards in All The President’s Men
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Bancroft in Lipstick
Best Screenplay: Alain Tanner and John Berger for Jonah Who Will Be 25 In The Year 2000
Best Cinematography: Nestor Almendros for The Marquise Of O



1977 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Annie Hall
Best Director: Wim Wenders for The American Friend
Best Actor: John Gielgud in Providence
Best Actress: Dianne Keaton in Annie Hall and Looking For Mr. Goodbar
Best Supporting Actor: G. D. Spradlin in One On One
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave in Julia
Best Screenplay: Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman for Annie Hall
Best Cinematography: Robby Müller for The American Friend


1978 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Days Of Heaven
Best Director: Terence Malick for Days Of Heaven
Best Actor: Jon Voight in Coming Home
Best Actress: Jane Fonda in Coming Home
Best Supporting Actor: Dom DeLuise in The End
Best Supporting Actress: Stephane Audran in Violette
Best Screenplay: Eric Rohmer for Perceval
Best Cinematography: Nestor Almendros for Days Of Heaven


1979 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Fedora
Best Director: Blake Edwards for 10
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood in Escape From Alcatraz
Best Actress: Hanna Schygulla in The Marriage Of Maria Braun
Best Supporting Actor: Denholm Elliott in Cuba and Saint Jack
Best Supporting Actress: Frances Sternhagen in Fedora and Starting Over
Best Screenplay: Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond for Fedora
Best Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto for Last Embrace and Remember My Name
Best Music: Miklos Rozsa for Fedora and Last Embrace
Best Production Design: Dean Edward Mitzner for 1941


1980 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Big Red One
Best Director: Sam Fuller for The Big Red One
Best Actor: Lee Marvin for The Big Red One
Best Actress: Jodie Foster for Carny and Foxes
Best Supporting Actor: (tie) Joe Pesci in Raging Bull and Harry Dean Stanton in The Black Marble, The Long Riders, Private Benjamin and Wise Blood
Best Supporting Actress: Pamela Reed in The Long Riders and Melvin And Howard
Best Screenplay: Sam Fuller for The Big Red One
Best Cinematography: Jordan Cronenweth for Altered States
Best Music: Dana Kaproff for The Big Red One
Best Production Design: Tambi Larsen for Heaven’s Gate


1981 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Cutter’s Way
Best Director: Ivan Passer for Cutter’s Way
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges in Cutter’s Way
Best Actress: Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Nicholson in Reds
Best Supporting Actress: Mona Washbouurne in Stevie
Best Screenplay: John Guare for Atlantic City
Best Cinematography: Jordan Cronenweth for Cutter’s Way
Best Music: Georges DeLerue for The Last Metro, Rich and Famous, True Confessions and The Woman Next Door
Best Production Design: Ken Adam for Pennies From Heaven
Best Costume Design: Shirley Russell for Reds


1982 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Victor/Victoria
Best Director: Blake Edwards for Victor/Victoria
Best Actor: Jack Lemmon in Missing
Best Actress: (tie) Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria and Jessica Lange in Frances
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Preston in Victor/Victoria
Best Supporting Actress: Lesley Ann Warren in Victor/Victoria
Best Screenplay: Blake Edwards for Victor/Victoria
Best Cinematography: Xaver Schwartzenberger for Lola and Veronika Voss
Best Music: Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse for Victor/Victoria
Best Production Design: Rodger Maus for Victor/Victoria
Best Costume Design: Patricia Norris for Victor/Victoria


1983 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Berlin Alexanderplatz
Best Director: Andrzej Wajda for Danton
Best Actor: Eric Roberts for Star ’80
Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine for Terms Of Endearment
Best Supporting Actor: Jerry Lewis for The King Of Comedy
Best Supporting Actress: Jamie Lee Curtis for Trading Places
Best Screenplay: Bill Forsyth for Local Hero
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist for Star ’80
Best Music: Peer Raben for Berlin Alexanderplatz
Best Production Design: Fernando Scarfiotti for Scarface
Best Costume Design: Yvonne Sassinot DeNestle for Danton


1984 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) L’Argent and Once Upon A Time In America
Best Director: Sergio Leone for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood in Tightrope
Best Actress: Helen Mirren in Cal
Best Supporting Actor: Jean-Luc Godard in First Name: Carmen
Best Supporting Actress: Christine Lahti in Swing Shift
Best Screenplay: Franco Arcalli, Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone, Enrico Medioli for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Cinematography: Robby Müller for Paris Texas and Repo Man
Best Music: Ennio Morricone for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Production Design: James Singelis for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Costume Design: Mic Cheminal for Entre Nous


1985 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Prizzi’s Honor
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for After Hours
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Actress: Mia Farrow in The Purple Rose Of Cairo
Best Supporting Actor: William Hickey in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Supporting Actress: Anjelica Huston in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Screenplay: Joseph Minion for After Hours
Best Cinematography: Andrzej Bartkowiak for Prizzi’s Honor
Best Music: Brian Gascoigne and Junior Hamrich for The Emerald Forest
Best Production Design: Jeffrey Townsend for After Hours
Best Costume Design: Ann Roth for The Jagged Edge and Sweet Dreams


1986 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Eyes On The Prize
Best Director: David Lynch for Blue Velvet
Best Actor: (tie) Daniel Day-Lewis in My Beautiful Laundrette and Jeff Goldblum in The Fly
Best Actress: Laura Dern in Smooth Talk
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi in Parting Glances
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Stuart Masterson in At Close Range
Best Screenplay: Hanif Kureishi for My Beautiful Laundrette
Best Cinematography: Frederick Elmes for Blue Velvet
Best Music: (tie) George Delerue for Platoon and Herbie Hancock for Round Midnight
Best Production Design: Patricia Norris for Blue Velvet
Best Costume Design: Jenny Beaven and John Bright for A Room With A View



1987 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Housekeeping
Best Director: Bill Forsyth for Housekeeping
Best Actor: Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears
Best Actress: Christine Lahti in Housekeeping
Best Supporting Actor: John Mahoney in Moonstruck and Tin Men
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave in Prick Up Your Ears
Best Screenplay: Bill Forsyth for Housekeeping
Best Cinematography: Phillippe Rousselot for Hope And Glory
Best Music: David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su for The Last Emperor
Best Production Design: Santo Loquasto for Radio Days
Best Costume Design: Mary-Jane Reyner for Housekeeping


1988 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Dead Ringers
Best Director: David Cronenberg for Dead Ringers
Best Actor: Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers
Best Actress: Jodie Foster in The Accused
Best Supporting Actor: Divine in Hairspray
Best Supporting Actress: Claudia Karvan in High Tide
Best Screenplay: Christopher Hampton for Dangerous Liaisons
Best Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro for Tucker: The Man And His Dream
Best Music: George Fenton for Dangerous Liaisons
Best Production Design: Dean Tavoularis for Tucker: The Man And His Dream
Best Costume Design: Van Smith for Hairspray


1989 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Story Of Women
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for Story
Of Women
Best Actor: John Hurt in Scandal
Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert in Story Of Women
Best Supporting Actor: Ethan Hawke in Dad and Dead Poets Society
Best Supporting Actress: Anjelica Huston in Enemies: A Love Story
Best Screenplay: Blake Edwards for Skin Deep
Best Cinematography: Jeff Preiss for Let’s Get Lost
Best Music: Michael Kamen for The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen
Best Costume Design: Jane Robinson for Scandal


1990 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: GoodFellas
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for GoodFellas
Best Actor: Michel Blanc in Monsieur Hire
Best Actress: Anjelica Huston in The Grifters
Best Supporting Actor: Joe Pesci in GoodFellas
Best Supporting Actress: Lorraine Bracco in GoodFellas
Best Screenplay: Craig Lucas for Longtime Companion
Best Cinematography: Oliver Stapleton for The Grifters
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for The Grifters
Best Production Design: Dennis Gassner for The Grifters
Best Costume Design: Richard Bruno for The Grifters


1991 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Man In The Moon
Best Director: Robert Mulligan for The Man In The Moon
Best Actor: River Phoenix in Dogfight and My Own Private Idaho
Best Actress: Judy Davis in Barton Fink, Impromptu, and Naked Lunch
Best Supporting Actor: Harvey Keitel in Bugsy, Mortal Thoughts, and Thelma & Louise
Best Supporting Actress: Juliette Lewis in Cape Fear
Best Screenplay: Michael Tolkin for The Rapture
Best Cinematography: Freddie Francis for Cape Fear and The Man In The Moon
Best Music: Ennio Morricone for Bugsy
Best Production Design: Dennis Gassner for Barton Fink and Bugsy
Best Costume Design: Albert Wolsky for Bugsy


1992 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Raise The Red Lantern
Best Director: Robert Altman for The Player
Best Actor: Tim Robbins in Bob Roberts and The Player
Best Actress: Emma Thompson in Howards End
Best Supporting Actor: Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game
Best Supporting Actress: Judy Davis in Husbands And Wives
Best Screenplay: Michael Tolkin for The Player
Best Cinematography: Zhao Fei and Lun Yang for Raise The Red Lantern
Best Music: Lenny Niehaus for Unforgiven
Best Production Design: Marc Caro for Delicatessen
Best Costume Design: Alexander Julien for The Player
Sominex Award: A Few Good Men
Dramamine Award: Basic Instinct
Mechanical Actor: Michael Douglas in Basic Instinct
Mechanical Actress: ****


1993 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Six Degrees Of Separation
Best Director: Nancy Savoca for Household Saints
Best Actor: Dennis Quaid in Flesh And Bone
Best Actress: Stockard Channing in Six Degrees Of Separation
Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio in A Boy’s Life and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Best Supporting Actress: Regina Tourney in Like Water For Chocolate
Best Screenplay: Mike Leigh for Naked
Best Cinematography: Michael Balhaus for The Age Of Innocence
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for The Age Of Innocence and The Cemetery Club
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Age Of Innocence
Best Costume Design: Gabriella Pescucci for The Age Of Innocence
Sominex Award: Heaven And Earth
Dramamine Award: Falling Down
Mechanical Actor: Richard Gere in Sommersby
Mechanical Actress: Madonna in Body Of Evidence


1994 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Red
Best Director: Krzyzstof Kieslowski for Red and White
Best Actor: Terence Stamp in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Best Actress: Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale in Little Women
Best Supporting Actress: Kristin Scott Thomas in Four Weddings and a Funeral
Best Screenplay: Steve Baranczek for The Last Seduction
Best Cinematography: Stephen Czapsky for Ed Wood
Best Music: Zbigniew Preissner for Red and White
Best Production Design: Dennis Gastner for The Hudsucker Proxy
Best Costume Design: Lizzie Gardiner and Tim Chappel for Priscilla, Queen of The Desert
Sominex Award: Wyatt Earp


1995 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Exotica
Best Director: Terry Zwigoff for Crumb
Best Actor: John Travolta in Get Shorty
Best Actress: (A three-way tie) Mia Kershner in Exotica; Alicia Silverstone in Clueless; Nicole Kidman in To Die For
Best Supporting Actor: Tim Roth in Rob Roy
Best Supporting Actress: Mare Winningham in Georgia
Best Screenplay: (tie) Atom Egoyan for Exotica and Buck Henry for To Die For
Best Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel for The Usual Suspects
Best Music: John Ottman for The Usual Suspects
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for Casino
Best Costumes: Mona May for Clueless
Sominex Award: The Brothers McMullen
Dramamine Award: Braveheart
Mechanical Actor: Dennis Miller in The Net and the cast of The Brothers McMullen
Mechanical Actress: Annette Bening in The American President


1996 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: La Ceremonie
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for La Ceremonie
Best Actor: Ewen McGregor in Trainspotting
Best Actress: (tie) Kristin Scott Thomas in The English Patient and Emily Watson in Breaking The Waves
Best Supporting Actor: Ian Holm in Big Night
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Kay Place in Citizen Ruth and Manny & Lo
Best Screenplay: John Sayles for Lone Star
Best Cinematography: (tie) Darius Khondji for Stealing Beauty and Oliver Stapleton for Kansas City
Best Music: Tiffany Anders, Burt Bacharach, David Baerwald, Carole Bayer Sager, Ed Berghoff, Elvis Costello, Gerry Goffin, Louise Goffin, Tonio K, Larry Klein, J. Mascis, Joni Mitchell, Boyd Rice, David A. Stewart, and J. Mayo Williams for Grace Of My Heart
Best Production Design: Harley Jessup for James And The Giant Peach
Best Costume Design: Dona Granata for Kansas City
Sominex Award: The English Patient
Dramamine Award: A Time To Kill
Mechanical Actor: All the men in She’s The One
Mechanical Actress: Maxine Bahns in She’s The One


1997 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Crash and Grosse Pointe Blank
Best Director: David Cronenberg for Crash
Best Actor: John Cusack for Grosse Pointe Blank
Best Actress: Julie Christie in Afterglow
Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Spacey in L. A. Confidential
Best Supporting Actress: Christina Ricci in The Ice Storm
Best Screenplay: Neil LaBute for In The Company Of Men
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins for Kundun
Best Music: (tie) Eleni Karaindrou for Ulysses’ Gaze and Michael Nyman for Gattaca
Best Production Design: (tie) Dan Weil for The Fifth Element and Jan Roelfs for Gattaca
Best Costume Design: Denise Cronenberg for Crash
Sominex Award: The Pillow Book
Dramamine Award: Con Air
Mechanical Actor: Billy Zane in Titanic
Mechanical Actress: Elisabeth Shue in Deconstructing Harry and The Saint


1998 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Gods And Monsters
Best Director: (tie) Bill Condon for Gods And Monsters and Todd Solondz for Happiness
Best Actor: Ian McKellen in Gods And Monsters
Best Actress: Christina Ricci in The Opposite Of Sex
Best Supporting Actor: Dylan Baker in Happiness
Best Supporting Actress: Lisa Kudrow in The Opposite Of Sex
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Gods And Monsters
Best Cinematography: Maryse Alberti for Happiness and Velvet Goldmine
Best Music: Carter Burwell for Gods And Monsters
Best Production Design: Thérèse DePrez for Happiness
Best Costume Design: Bruce Finlayson for Gods And Monsters
Sominex Award: Dangerous Beauty
Dramamine Award: Stepmom
Mechanical Actor: Bruce Willis in Armageddon, The Siege and Mercury Rising
Mechanical Actress: Jena Malone in Stepmom


1999 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Fight Club
Best Director: (tie) David Fincher for Fight Club and Spike Jonze for Being John Malkovich
Best Actor: Terence Stamp in The Limey
Best Actress: (tie) Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut and Hillary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry
Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman in Magnolia and The Talented Mr. Ripley
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener in Being John Malkovich
Best Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor for Election
Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson for Bringing Out The Dead and Snow Falling On Cedars
Best Music: Trey Parker and Marc Shaiman for South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Best Production Design: Owen Paterson for The Matrix
Best Costume Design: Michael Kaplan for Fight Club
Sominex Award: The World Is Not Enough
Dramamine Award: The Green Mile
Mechanical Actor: Kevin Spacey in American Beauty
Mechanical Actress: Annette Bening in American Beauty


2000 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: L’ Humanite
Best Director: (tie) Terence Davies for The House Of Mirth and Jim Jarmusch for Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Actor: Forrest Whitaker in Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Actress: (tie) Severine Caneele in L’ Humanite and Michelle Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Black in High Fidelity and Jesus’s Son
Best Supporting Actress: Lupe Ontiveros in Chuck And Buck
Best Screenplay: Kenneth Lonnergan for You Can Count On Me
Best Cinematography: Remi Adefarasin for The House Of Mirth
Best Music: RZA for Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Production Design: Gideon Ponte for American Psycho and Hamlet
Best Costume Design: Monica Howe for The House Of Mirth
Sominex Award: Mission Impossible 2
Dramamine Award: The Replacements (aka The Scabs)
Mechanical Actor: Ian Holm in Joe Gould’s Secret
Mechanical Actress: Charlize Theron in Reindeer Games


2001 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Director: Bela Tarr for The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Actor: John Cameron Mitchell for Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Best Actress: Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi in Ghost World
Best Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World and The Man Who Wasn’t There
Best Screenplay: Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff for Ghost World
Best Cinematography: (tie) Peter Deming for From Hell and Mulholland Drive and Christopher Doyle and Mark Lee Ping-bin for In The Mood For Love
Best Music: Mihály Vig for The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Production Design: Edward T. McAvoy for Ghost World
Best Costume Design: Mary Zophres for Ghost World
Sominex Award:
Dramamine Award:
Mechanical Actor:
Mechanical Actress:


2002 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Far From Heaven and The Son’s Room
Best Director: (tie) Todd Haynes for Far From Heaven and Aleksandr Sokurov for Russian Ark
Best Actor: Greg Kinnear in Auto Focus
Best Actress: (tie) Emmanuelle Devos in Read My Lips and Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven and Samantha Morton in Minority Report and Morvern Callar
Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Izzard in The Cat’s Meow
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Clarkson in Far From Heaven
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Chicago
Best Cinematography: Tilman Büttner for Russian Ark
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for Far From Heaven
Best Production Design: Mark Friedberg for Far From Heaven
Best Costume Design: Sandy Powell for Far From Heaven and Gangs Of New York
Sominex Award: Naqoyqatsi
Dramamine Award: Bowling For Dollars
Mechanical Actor: Anthony Hopkins in Red Dragon
Mechanical Actress: Catherine Keener in Lovely And Amazing


2003 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Decasia
Best Director: Bill Morrison for Decasia
Best Actor: Johnny Depp in Pirates Of The Caribbean
Best Actress: Hope Davis in American Splendor and The Secret Lives Of Dentists
Best Supporting Actor: Max Pirkis in Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World
Best Supporting Actress: Ludivine Sagnier in Swimming Pool
Best Screenplay: Shari Springer Bergman and Robert Pulcini for American Splendor
Best Cinematography: Peter Suschitzky for Spider
Best Music: Michael Gordon for Decasia
Best Production Design: Andrew Laws for Down With Love
Best Costume Design: Daniel Orlandi for Down With Love
Sominex Award:
Dramamine Award: In My Skin
Mechanical Actor: Anthony Hopkins in The Human Stain
Mechanical Actress: Nicole Kidman in The Human Stain


2004 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Kinsey
Best Director: Bill Condon for Kinsey
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in Before Sunset
Best Actress: Laura Linney in Kinsey and P.S.
Best Supporting Actor: Peter Sarsgaard in Kinsey
Best Supporting Actress: Kirsten Dunst in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Kinsey
Best Cinematography: Christopher Doyle for Hero, Last Life In The Universe and Days Of Being Wild
Best Music: Alberto Iglesias for Bad Education
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Aviator
Best Costume Design: Emi Wada for Hero and House Of The Flying Daggers
Sominex Award: The Village
Dramamine Award: The Passion Of The Christ
Mechanical Actor: Cate Blanchett in The Aviator
Mechanical Actress: Anthony Hopkins in Alexander


2005 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Mysterious Skin
Best Director: Gregg Araki for Mysterious Skin
Best Actor: Joseph Gordon-Leavitt in Mysterious Skin
Best Actress: Maria Bello in A History Of Violence
Best Supporting Actor: Paddy Constantine in My Summer Of Love
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener in Capote
Best Screenplay: Gregg Araki for Mysterious Skin
Best Cinematography: Robert Elswit for Good Night And Good Luck and Syriana
Best Music: Howard Shore for A History Of Violence
Best Production Design: William Chang Suk Ping for 2046
Best Costume Design: William Chang Suk Ping for 2046
Sominex Award: Saraband
Dramamine Award: Crash
Mechanical Actor: Tom Cruise for War Of The Worlds
Mechanical Actress: Dakota Fanning for War Of The Worlds

Complete coverage of the 2005 IRAs here.

2006 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: L’Enfant
Best Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for L’Enfant
Best Actor: Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson
Best Actress: Maggie Cheung in Clean
Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Mackie in Half Nelson
Best Supporting Actress: Carmen Maura in Volver
Best Screenplay: (tie) Guillermo Del Toro for Pan’s Labyrinth and Jean- Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for L’Enfant
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for Children Of Men
Best Production Design: Eugenio Caballero for Pan’s Labyrinth
Best Music: Philip Glass for Notes On A Scandal and The Illusionist
Best Costume Design: Sharon Davis for Dreamgirls
Sominex Award: The Da Vinci Code
Dramamine Award: Babel
Mechanical Actor: Robert Downey, Jr. in Fur and A Scanner Darkly
Mechanical Actress: Julianne Moore in Children Of Men

Complete coverage of the 2006 IRAs here.


2007 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Director: Andrew Dominik for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Actor: Casey Affleck in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and Gone Baby Gone
Best Actress: Marina Hands in Lady Chatterley
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Schneider in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and Lars And The Real Girl
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone
Best Screenplay: Corneliu Porumboiu for 12:08 East Of Bucharest
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, In The Valley Of Elah and No Country For Old Men
Best Production Design: Patricia Norris for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Music: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Costume Design: Patricia Norris for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Sominex Award: Youth Without Youth
Dramamine Award: Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead
Mechanical Actor: John Travolta in Hairspray
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep in Lions For Lambs and Rendition

Complete coverage of the 2007 IRAs here.


2008 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Edge Of Heaven
Best Director: Fatih Akin - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Actor: Michael Shannon - Shotgun Stories
Best Actress: Anamaria Marinca - 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Best Supporting Actor: Emile Hirsch - Milk
Best Supporting Actress: Hanna Schygulla - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Screenplay: Fatih Akin - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Cinematography: Jody Shapiro - My Winnipeg
Best Production Design: Rejean Labrie - My Winnipeg
Best Music: Carter Burwell for In Bruges and Burn After Reading
Best Costumes: Danny Glicker - Milk
Sominex: The Happening
Dramamine: The Reader
Mechanical Actor: Mark Wahlberg for The Happening
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep for Doubt

Complete coverage of the 2008 IRAs here.


2009 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Hunger
Best Director: Olivier Assayas - Summer Hours
Best Actor: Sharlto Copley - District 9
Best Actress: Catalina Saavedra - The Maid
Best Supporting Actor: Liam Cunningham - Hunger
Best Supporting Actress: Anna Faris - Observe And Report
Best Screenplay: Olivier Assayas - Summer Hours
Best Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt - Hunger
Best Production Design: Philip Ivey - District 9
Best Music: Marvin Hamlisch - The Informant!
Best Costumes: Janet Patterson - Bright Star
Sominex: Public Enemies
Dramamine: Anti-Christ
Mechanical Actor: Peter Sarsgaard for An Education
Mechanical Actress: Hilary Swank for Amelia

2010 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Director: Jacques Audiard - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Actor: Edgar Ramirez - Carlos
Best Actress: Tilda Swinton - I Am Love
Best Supporting Actor: Niels Arestrup - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Supporting Actress: Dale Dickey - Winter's Bone
Best Screenplay: Thomas Bidegain and Jacques Audiard - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Cinematography: Yorick Le Saux - I Am Love
Best Production Design: Francesca Balestra Di Mottola - I Am Love
Best Music: John Adams - I Am Love
Best Costumes: Antonella Cannarozzi - I Am Love
Sominex: Cairo Time
Dramamine: Black Swan
Mechanical Actor: Vincent Cassel for Black Swan
Mechanical Actress: Natalie Portman for Black Swan
The Governor Scott Walker Award For Achievement In Political Thuggery: Waiting For "Superman"

Complete coverage of the 2010 IRAs here.


2011 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: The Tree Of Life
Best Director: Terrence Malick - The Tree Of Life
Best Actor: Peyman Moadi - A Separation
Best Actress: Leila Hatami - A Separation
Best Supporting Actor: Hunter McCracken - The Tree Of Life
Best Supporting Actress: Sareh Bayet - A Separation
Best Screenplay: Ashgar Farhadi - A Separation
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki - The Tree Of Life
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti - Hugo
Best Score: Alberto Iglesias - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Skin I Live In
Best Editing: Hank Corwin, Jay Rabinowitz, Daniel Rezende, Billy Weber, Mark Yoshikawa - The Tree Of Life
Best Costumes: Jacqueline Durran - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): Midnight In Paris
Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Help
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Mechanical Actor: Owen Wilson - Midnight In Paris

Complete coverage of the 2011 IRAs here.


2012 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Actor: Jean-Louis Trintignant - Amour

Best Actress: Rachel Weisz - The Deep Blue Sea

Best Supporting Actor: Taner Birsel - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Supporting Actress: Cecile De France - The Kid With A Bike

Best Screenplay: Ebru Ceylan and Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Ercan Kesal - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Cinematography: Gokhan Tiryaki - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Production Design: Arvinder Grewal - Cosmopolis
Best Score: Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin - Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Best Editing: Todd Woody Richman and Tyler H. Walk - How To Survive A Plague

Best Costumes: Kari Perkins - Bernie
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): (tie) Les Miserables and Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Intouchables

Mechanical Actress: Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables
Mechanical Actor: Russell Crowe - Les Miserables

Complete coverage of the 2012 IRAs here.


2013 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: Laurence Anyways

Best Director: Xavier Dolan for Laurence Anyways and I Killed My Mother

Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix for Her

Best Actress: Hadas Yaron for Fill The Void

Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Bruhl for The Fifth Estate and Rush

Best Supporting Actress: Nathalie Baye for Laurence Anyways

Best Screenplay: Sarah Polley for Stories We Tell

Best Cinematography: Asaf Sudri for Fill The Void

Best Production Design: K.K. Barrett for Her
Best Score: (tie) Alex Ebert for All Is Lost and Arcade Fire for Her

Best Editing: Mike Munn for Stories We Tell

Best Costumes: Francois Barbeau, Xavier Dolan for Laurence Anyways
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): Faust

Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Great Gatsby

Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep for August: Osage County
Mechanical Actor: Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club 

Complete coverage of the 2013 IRAs here. 


2014 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: Nightcrawler

Best Director: Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler

Best Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal for Nightcrawler

Best Actress: Essie Davis for The Babadook

Best Supporting Actor: Ethan Hawke for Boyhood

Best Supporting Actress: Agata Kulesza for Ida

Best Screenplay:  Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler

Best Cinematography: Robert Elswit for Nightcrawler and Inherent Vice

Best Production Design: Suzie Davies for Mr. Turner
Best Score: Mica Levi for Under The Skin

Best Editing: (tie) Simon Njoo for The Babadook; Jay Cassidy, Stuart Levy and Conor O'Neill for Foxcatcher

Best Costumes: (tie) Kasia Walicka-Maimone for Foxcatcher and A Most Violent Year (but not St. Vincent);       Jacqueline Durran for Mr. Turner
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): The Monuments Men

Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Imitation Game

Mechanical Actress: Lilla Crawford for Into The Woods
Mechanical Actor: The Entire Cast of The Monuments Men 


2015 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: Tangerine

Best Director: Miroslav Slaboshpytski for The Tribe

Best Actor: Jason Segel for The End Of The Tour 

Best Actress: (tie) Anne Dorval for Mommy
                   (tie) Kitana Kiki Rodriguez for Tangerine

Best Supporting Actor: Alexander Skarsgård for The Diary Of A Teenage Girl

Best Supporting Actress: Mya Taylor for Tangerine by acclamation
Best Nonfiction Film: In Jackson Heights 

Best Screenplay:  Donald Margulies for The End Of The Tour

Best Cinematography: Sean Baker and Radium Cheung for Tangerine

Best Production Design: (tie) Judy Becker for Carol
                                    (tie) Colin Gibson for Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Score: (tie) Junkie XL for Mad Max: Fury Road
                 (tie) Atticus Ross and Brian Wilson for Love And Mercy 

Best Editing: Sean Baker for Tangerine

Best Costumes: Shih-Ching Tsou for Tangerine
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): The Assassin

       Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): Chi-Raq

Mechanical Actress: Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl
Mechanical Actor: John Cusack for Chi-Raq and Love And Mercy

IRA BEST PICTURE WINNERS

Barry Lyndon (1975)
Lipstick and The Marquise Of O (tie) (1976)
Annie Hall (1977)
Days Of Heaven (1978)
Fedora (1979)

The Big Red One (1980)
Cutter’s Way (1981)
Victor/Victoria (1982)
Berlin Alexanderplatz (1983)
L’Argent and Once Upon A Time In America (tie) (1984)
Prizzi’s Honor (1985)
Eyes On The Prize (1986)
Housekeeping (1987)
Dead Ringers (1988)
Story Of Women (1989)

GoodFellas (1990)
The Man In The Moon (1991)
Raise The Red Lantern (1992)
Six Degrees Of Separation (1993)
Red (1994)
Exotica (1995)
La Ceremonie (1996)
Crash (the David Cronenberg film) and Grosse Pointe Blank (tie) (1997)
Gods And Monsters (1998)
Fight Club (1999)

L’ Humanite (2000)
The Werckmeister Harmonies (2001)
Far From Heaven and The Son’s Room (tie) (2002)
Decasia (2003)
Kinsey (2004)
Mysterious Skin (2005)
L’Enfant (2006)
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (2007)
The Edge Of Heaven (2008)
Hunger (2009)
A Prophet/Un Prophete (2010)

The Tree Of Life (2011)
Once Upon A Time In Anatolia (2012)
Laurence Anyways (2013)
Nightcrawler (2014)
Tangerine (2015)



THE IRA AWARDS: THE TOP 100 FILMS OF THE 1950s

1. The Earrings of Madame de… (Max Ophüls, 1953)
2. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)
3. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
4. Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) 
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956) 
6. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950) 
7. Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959) 
8. Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu, 1953) 
9. North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959) 
10. Pickpocket (Robert Bresson, 1959) 

See the complete list of the Top 100 Films Of The 1950s here. 



THE IRA AWARDS: THE TOP 100 FILMS OF THE 1960s

1. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
2. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)
3. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962)
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
5. Chimes At Midnight (Orson Welles, 1965)
6. Once Upon A Time In The West (Sergio Leone, 1968) 
7. The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963) 
8. Marnie (Alfred Hitchcock, 1964) 
9. When A Woman Ascends The Stairs (Mikio Naruse, 1960)
10. Contempt (Jean-Luc Godard, 1963)....

See the complete list here.

THE IRA AWARDS: THE BEST FILMS OF THE 2000s (voted in 2010)

1. The Son/Le Fils (Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne, 2002)
2. Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)
3. Yi Yi (Edward Yang, 2000)
4. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik, 2007)
5. The Edge Of Heaven (Fatih Akin, 2007) (tie)
    In The Mood For Love (Kar Wai Wong, 2000) (tie)
7. The Heart Of The World (Guy Maddin, 2001)
8. Mysterious Skin (Gregg Araki, 2004) (tie)
    Bus 174 (José Padilha and Felipe Lacerda, 2002) (tie)
10. The Death Of Mr. Lazarescu (Cristi Puiu, 2005) (tie)
      Head-On (Fatih Akin, 2004) (tie)
      Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001) (tie)


THE IRA AWARDS: THE TOP 100 FILMS OF ALL TIME

1. The Rules Of The Game (Jean Renoir, 1939)
2. The Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles, 1942)
3. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
4. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)
6. Letter From An Unknown Woman (Max Ophüls, 1948)
7. The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946)
8. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
9. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962)
10. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)

See the complete list of the Top 100 Films Of All Time here.