2017 IFP Gotham Awards Recap

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I was ecstatic when I discovered I didn't have to wait until January to watch a "real award show". 

During my usual Twitter feed scrolling session, I found a link for the livestream to watch the 2017 IFP Gotham Awards. This award show officially kicks things off and gives us a taste of what to expect for the rest of the season in terms of the winners for major categories such as Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Feature. The only downside to watching an award show that isn't televised is that there aren't any commercial breaks a.k.a snack refill and bathroom breaks. Also, the camera shots are very limited, so you don't see audience reactions which more times than not make these things worth talking about (shoutout to all of the times we've seen Taylor Swift dancing at music award shows and all of the times we could have avoided seeing that if they weren't televised). 

Get Out cleaned up and my prediction is it's just getting started for them. Jordan Peele didn't think this film was going to be made so he was shocked every time the film won. They took home hardware for Best Screenplay, the Audience Award and Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director. When Peele accepted the award for Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director, he said, "Directing is like getting to be the captain of a pirate ship. I couldn't have made this film without this amazing new, this amazing cast". 

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The tributes were endless. Al Gore, Jason Blum, Sofia Coppola, Ed Lachman, Michael Kenneth Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman were all honoured. Here are some memorable quotes:

"This isn't part of the program, but I just want to say Big Little Lies was awesome. Oh my God. It was really great." - Al Gore to Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon

"Don't strive to be me. Be better than me... That's for all children around the world." - Michael Kenneth Williams

"Am I going too fast?" + "I should have made this font bigger." - Sofia Coppola kept it real

"Viewing films at MoMA and the New York Film Festival is my post-grad." - Ed Lachman

"What the fuck? I was supposed to be the successful one." - Ethan Hawke recalling how he felt when Jason Blum first made it big

"The last few years I've been offered roles where my characters die from heart failure as I neared 80. This one I ended up in the hospital in a coma." - Dustin Hoffman regarding The Meyerowitz Stories

"She's a magician. She's magic. She's the greatest actress I've ever known." - Reese Witherspoon paying tribute to Nicole Kidman

I took my shoes off because my feet are sore." - Nicole Kidman

"It's an amazing feeling to be so close to so many people in this industry." - Nicole Kidman

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Best Actor went to James Franco for his portrayal of Tommy Wiseau in The Disaster Artist based on the making of The Room. That led me to watching The Room for the first time (known as the best worst film ever made). It had me cringing and fascinated at how brutal the acting and writing were and I really wish I didn't watch it on my own. Also note that I watched it on YouTube with Spanish subtitles. Anywho, the highlight of James' acceptance speech was when he said, "Thank you to Tommy and Greg. Your story is my story. This my movie. This my life. Be cool."

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Best Actress went to Saoirse Ronan (my new year's resolution is to know how to spell and pronounce her name without using Google) for her role in the highly praised Lady Bird. Greta Gerwig wrote, directed and stars in it and the film recently broke a record on Rotten Tomatoes. I have a feeling that Saoirse will be winning all season long.

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Timothée Chalamet won Breakthrough Actor for Call Me By Your Name following a young man's pursuit of an older man (played by Armie Hammer). The film took home the coveted Best Feature award. My spidey senses are telling me that this too will be a big winner this season and that Timothée may be James Franco's competition at upcoming award shows. He made my night when he mentioned Cardi B, Al Pacino and Kid Cudi in his acceptance speech. I never in a million years thought I would hear those three names in the same sentence. Jordan Peele later thanked Cardi B following this.

I'd give the show overall an 8.5/10 and would like to thank IFP for ridding me of my award show withdrawals. I can't wait for the next couple of weeks as the nominations start rolling in!