The 2019 Stars & Popcorn Movie Awards
2019 Movie Superlatives
Biggest Badass: John Wick – Keanu Reeves (John Wick: Parabellum)
John Wick is one of the biggest badasses to ever appear on the big screen. He’s an unstoppable force that owes his incredible abilities not to some sort of superpower, but to sheer force of will. The odds have been stacked against him from the beginning, but John is a force of nature that always turns the tide in his favor. In a year with Jedi, Terminators, and superheroes, John Wick made them all look like candy asses. You might not agree with me, but just don’t let John hear you say that.
Runner-Up: Sarah Conner (Terminator: Dark Fate)
Turns out geri-action does work, as long as a woman is getting the treatment. Sarah Conner returns to the big screen and proves to still be a force to be reckoned with. What’s she been up to all these years? Oh, well, you know… KILLING TERMINATORS!
Most Underrated Film of the Year – Terminator: Dark Fate
One of the most unbelievable things of 2019 was that Terminator: Dark Fate didn’t destroy the box office. It was an incredibly fun movie that revived a classic sci-fi franchise that deteriorated years ago. A lot of old faces returned, and some new ones joined the mythos as the future against the war of the machines was revealed. Dark Fate was an epic film with some of the craziest stunt sequences I’ve ever seen. It only confirmed that director Tim Miller is an up and coming director you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on.
Runner-Up – Doctor Sleep
In a year filled with more Stephen King adaptations than you can shake a stick at, Doctor Sleep was definitely the best. In fact, it might be one of the best I’ve had a chance to see in theaters. So, it was pretty weird that people weren’t talking more about it when it came out. If you haven’t seen it, you should definitely check it out.
Most Overrated Film of the Year – Joker
When I say “overrated” I don’t mean bad. Joker was actually a pretty good movie that featured a jaw-dropping performance from Joaquin Phoenix. That being said, the rest of the movie was just pretty good. Still, people went crazy for this movie. So crazy that it earned over a billion dollars at the box office. While I certainly think that Phoenix deserves a nomination for his work, he wasn’t even my favorite big-screen Crown Prince of Crime. I just don’t get why people loved it as much as they did, which is why I consider Joker to be the most overrated movie of 2019.
Runner-Up – Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
Notable smug douche Quenten Tarantino reminded us all that he loves violence against women almost as much as he loves feet. Like Joker, this wasn’t a terrible movie. However, it was an infuriating one, especially with how it portrayed the late, great Bruce Lee. The only really great thing about this movie was that it means Tarantino is only going to inflict one more flick on us.
Best Action Sequences – The Final Showdown (Avengers: Endgame)
I saw a lot of amazing action movies this year, but the only one that sent chills down my spine was that epic final showdown between Thanos and all of the Avengers. With the Mad Titan back and ready to take control of the Infinity Stones one last time, every Marvel hero was called into service to fight him and his forces. This is all the more impressive since half of them were nothing more than dust just moments beforehand. It’s easily one of the biggest moments in movie history, and nothing else this year managed to come even close.
Runner-Up – Moroccan shoot-out (John Wick: Parabellum)
John Wick films are known for their incredible action. So, how do you top what we’ve seen in John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2? Well, anyone who knows John already has a pretty good idea of what could really take the action over the top. That’s right, bring in the doggos. Halle Berry made an incredible addition to the series and brought some pretty ferocious dogs with her as she unleashed the hounds of war.