I owe an explanation. For one, this site has been dead for over two years now, but for good reason. As almost all of you already know, I'm an editor over at Collider, and many of my reviews for new movies and TV shows usually wind up there, or on sites such as The Film Yap and most recently The Movie State. There are plenty of options to get my takes on new movies, and there's always my Letterboxd. Maybe this could be the start of something new, a revival of Movie Hound. Who knows.
Two years ago, I took on one of my most ambitious personal projects to date, I made my Houndie Awards into a short film of sorts, featuring a handful of friends of mine presenting awards. I wanted to recapture that this year, but time got the best of me, and as soon as I began reaching out to people, I realized it was already too late.
Last year, I ended up posting the winners on Twitter, but to me personally, that felt cheap. Instead, I'm bringing back the awards show to the website that inspired its name. 2023, to put it bluntly, was an incredible year for movies, and it was honestly difficult to choose the winners in many of the categories.
With the Academy Awards now only mere days away, I would like to announce the winners of the fifth annual Houndie Awards.
Best Breakthrough Performer
Halle Bailey - Ariel - The Little Mermaid
Ariela Barer - Xochitl - How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Ayo Edebiri - Josie - Bottoms
Andrew Barth Feldman - Percy Becker - No Hard Feelings
Abby Ryder Fortson - Margaret Simon - Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Lily Gladstone - Mollie Burkhart - Killers of the Flower Moon
Eve Hewson - Flora - Flora and Son
Greta Lee - Nora - Past Lives
Charles Melton - Joe Yoo - May December
Dominic Sessa - Angus Tully - The Holdovers
WINNER: Dominic Sessa - Angus Tully - The Holdovers
Arguably one of the most impressive acting debuts of the past two decades, Dominic Sessa is able to act on the same level as a Hollywood icon like Paul Giamatti and the soon-to-be Oscar-winning actress Da'Vine Joy Randolph. He has the charisma, the comedic timing, and so much empathy for his character. Sessa will no doubt join the ranks of Timothée Chalamet, Barry Keoghan, and Zendaya as one of the best performers born after 1990.
Best Directorial Debut
American Fiction - Cord Jefferson
Creed III - Michael B. Jordan
Talk to Me - Danny & Michael Philippou
Reptile - Grant Singer
Past Lives - Celine Song
Winner: Past Lives - Celine Song
It came down between Cord Jefferson for American Fiction and Celine Song for Past Lives, but the latter ended up taking home the top prize. Song's debut feature feels deeply human and grounded in humanity, telling a compelling and heartbreaking story about identity, love, and friendship. The concept of a married woman reconnecting with her childhood sweetheart could come across as scandalous through the lens of another filmmaker, but the way Song handles it is full of nuance and grace.
Best Horror Film
Evil Dead Rise
M3GAN
Saw X
Talk to Me
Thanksgiving
Winner: Talk to Me
A24 has always been a bit hit or miss with their horror catalog on my end. For every Hereditary, there's a Men. However, the indie studio struck gold when it acquired Talk to Me back in January 2023. Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, who previously made short films on YouTube under the name "RackaRacka," Talk to Me carries the tradition that only the best kinds of genre films can do, it tackles real-world themes while still being absolutely terrifying. Serving as an allegory for the social media generation and drug addiction, Talk to Me is truly chilling.
Best Voice-Over/Motion-Capture Performance
Jack Black - Bowser - The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Bradley Cooper (voice-over) and Sean Gunn (motion-capture) - Rocket Raccoon - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Oscar Isaac - Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Shameik Moore - Miles Morales/Spider-Man - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Hailee Steinfeld - Gwen Stacy/Spider-Gwen - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Winner: Bradley Cooper (voice-over) and Sean Gunn (motion-capture) - Rocket Raccoon - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Bradley Cooper may have been picking up awards nominations left and right for his work in Maestro (including a Houndie nomination), but his latest voice-acting role as Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, may just have been his best performance of last year. The grumpy raccoon with a heart of gold took center stage in the third and final installment of the beloved Marvel franchise, telling his tragic backstory and Cooper pulls it off wonderfully. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Sean Gunn's physical performance as the character, via motion capture, as well, which perfectly compliments the character and Cooper's voice-acting.
Best Animated Film
The Boy and the Heron
Elemental
Nimona
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Winner: Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a massive surprise when it arrived in late 2018, not only was it arguably the greatest Spider-Man movie to date, it was one of the best superhero movies ever made. It seemed like it would have been impossible to make a sequel that retained the same quality, but, at least in my eyes, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is even better than its predecessor. Yes, there's a massive cliffhanger at the end, but everything leading up to that moment is pure movie magic. The emotional beats hit, the returning characters are as lovable as we remembered, and the new characters are just as excellent. The first Into the Spider-Verse started a trend of more stylized animation in mainstream movies, and Across the Spider-Verse could have easily just kept the same unique style as the first. Instead, each dimension that the characters travel through feels breathtaking and fresh.
Best Stunt Ensemble
Beau Is Afraid
Extraction 2
The Iron Claw
John Wick: Chapter 4
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Winner: John Wick: Chapter 4
2023 had two new entries in two of the best action franchises in the business: John Wick and Mission: Impossible. Both have received unanimous praise for their action setpieces and stunts. It was hard to pick a winner, but ultimately John Wick: Chapter 4 prevailed, especially since it might be the last core movie in the franchise where we see Keanu Reeves in the title role (although he will reprise the role once more in next year's spin-off Ballerina). The fight sequence on the Rue Foyatier alone makes this movie more than worthy of its win.
Best Ensemble
American Fiction - Jeffrey Wright; Tracee Ellis Ross; John Ortiz; Erika Alexander; Leslie Uggams; Adam Brody; Issa Rae; Sterling K. Brown
Barbie - Margot Robbie; Ryan Gosling; America Ferrera; Will Ferrell; Ariana Greenblatt; Kate McKinnon; Issa Rae; Rhea Perlman; Michael Cera; Simu Liu; Kingsley Ben-Adir; Ncuti Gatwa; Scott Evans; Alexandra Shipp; Emma Mackey; Hari Nef; Helen Mirren; Connor Swindells
The Iron Claw - Zac Efron; Jeremy Allen White; Harris Dickinson; Maura Tierney; Stanley Simons; Holt McCallany; Lily James
Killers of the Flower Moon - Leonardo DiCaprio; Robert De Niro; Lily Gladstone; Jesse Plemons; Tantoo Cardinal; John Lithgow; Brendan Fraser; Cara Jade Myers; JaNae Collins; Jillian Dion; Jason Isbell; William Belleau; Louis Cancelmi
Oppenheimer - Cillian Murphy; Emily Blunt; Matt Damon; Robert Downey Jr.; Florence Pugh; Josh Hartnett; Casey Affleck; Rami Malek; Kenneth Branagh; Benny Safdie; Dylan Arnold; Jason Clarke; Tom Conti; Alden Ehrenreich; David Krumholtz
Winner: The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw was one of the most devastating but powerful movies of 2023, and the cast contributes to so much of the film's emotional impact. Zac Efron, Holt McCallany, and Harris Dickinson have simply never been better than they are here, while Jeremy Allen White also gives an outstanding supporting performance that will rip your heart in two. Maura Tierney and Lily James also are at the center of one of the movie's most gut-wrenching scenes as Pam Adkisson tries to get the distraught Doris Von Erich ready for her son's funeral.
Best Original Song
Asteroid City - “Dear Alien (Who Art in Heaven)” - Written by: Wes Anderson, Jarvis Cocker, and Richard Hawley
Flora and Son - “High Life” - Written by: Gary Clark, John Carney, and Eve Hewson
Barbie - “What Was I Made For?” - Written by: Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell
Barbie - “Dance the Night” - Written by: Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Dua Lipa, and Caroline Ailin
Barbie - “I’m Just Ken”- Written by: Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt
Winner: Barbie - "I'm Just Ken"
There was a discourse that brewed in certain sectors of the internet that proclaimed that Barbie was an "anti-man" movie. It's a head-scratcher, and I tend to think that those who claimed as such either didn't see the movie at all or left before the "I'm Just Ken" sequence. The musical number helps hit the movie's theme of identity and self-love home on top of being absolutely hilarious.
Best Original Score
Poor Things - Jerskin Fendrix
Oppenheimer - Ludwig Göransson
American Fiction - Laura Karpman
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - Daniel Pemberton
Killers of the Flower Moon
Winner: Oppenheimer - Ludwig Göransson
Ludwig Göransson cements himself as one of the best composers in the business with his magnificent Oppenheimer score. Göransson's score for Tenet (his first collaboration with Christopher Nolan) was criminally overlooked, but it's nearly impossible to deny the sheer power of his work here. He helps make Nolan's masterpiece feel all the more epic.
Best Visual Effects
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - Stephane Ceretti
The Creator - Jay Cooper
Napoleon - Charley Henley
Oppenheimer - Andrew Jackson
Godzilla Minus One - Takashi Yamazaki
Winner: Godzilla Minus One
It's hard to believe that a movie like Godzilla Minus One only cost around $10-12 million to make. Yes, the movie is a Japanese production, but that doesn't prevent it from having visual effects that look ten times better than most of the $200+ million Hollywood blockbusters that came out last year. The titular kaiju has never looked more terrifying than he does here, and the destruction he causes feels real. There is rarely a moment where you can tell that the film was made on some sort of soundstage.
Best Production Design
Beau is Afraid - Fiona Crombie
Killers of the Flower Moon - Jack Fisk
Barbie - Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer
Oppenheimer - Ruth De Jong & Claire Kaufman
Asteroid City - Adam Stockhausen
Winner: Barbie - Sarah Greenwood & Katie Spencer
Few movies had as colorful and vibrant production design as Barbie. Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer's pink-coated design of Barbieland feels instantly iconic. It's a set that has viewers wishing they could jump onto the screen and immerse themselves in Barbie's world.
Best Editing
Barbie - Nick Houy
Oppenheimer - Jennifer Lame
Killers of the Flower Moon - Thelma Schoonmaker
Anatomy of a Fall - Laurent Sénéchal
The Holdovers - Kevin Tent
Winner: Oppenheimer - Jennifer Lame
There really is only one clear winner of the Best Editing category and that's Jennifer Lame's work on Oppenheimer. Christopher Nolan has become almost synonymous with nonlinear story-telling, and his latest film is no exception. The way Lame is able to cut Oppenheimer feels natural, and the shifts between black and white photography and color are never jarring. The movie's three-hour runtime also flies by, and part of that is because Lame's editing really does help you become all the more engrossed in the film.
Best Cinematography
The Iron Claw - Mátyás Erdély
Oppenheimer - Hoyte van Hoytema
Maestro - Matthew Libatique
Killers of the Flower Moon - Rodrigo Prieto
The Zone of Interest - Łukasz Żal
Winner: Oppenheimer - Hoyte van Hoytema
Another win for Oppenheimer!
Hoyte van Hoytema's fourth collaboration with Christopher Nolan is his most stunning yet. While there is a large chunk of Oppenheimer that is dialogue-driven, Hoytema's camerawork always makes the movie feel as cinematic and engrossing as possible. There is never a dull frame that pops up on screen and Hoytema's cinematography cements him as a master at shooting on IMAX film.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. - Kelly Fremon Craig (Based on the novel by Judy Blume)
Barbie - Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach (Based on the characters by Ruth Handler)
American Fiction - Cord Jefferson (Based on the novel "Erasure" by Percival Everett)
Oppenheimer - Christopher Nolan (Based on the book "American Prometheus" by Kai Bird & Martin J. Sherwin)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Based on the book by David Grann)
Winner: Barbie - Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach
A Barbie movie had been in the works for decades, having gone through numerous iterations, writers, and actresses. Before Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach were attached, it was hard to imagine the iconic doll's first big-screen adventure could possibly even be that good. Yet, here we are. Gerwig and Baumbach's screenplay is easily one of Barbie's strongest assets, diving deep into themes of gender, sexism, and individualism, while also never feeling too preachy. Gerwig and Baumbach's screenplay feels imaginative, clever, and instantly quotable.
There has been a lot of debate over whether this screenplay is original or adapted, and there are valid points on both ends. Personally, I feel like some of the backlash has been reductive towards 'adaptations,' acting as if they're lesser. They're not. Barbie is proof that you can take something as familiar as the beloved doll that has populated toy aisles in stores all over the world and still make it feel fresh and new.
Best Original Screenplay
Air - Alex Convery
The Iron Claw - Sean Durkin
The Holdovers - David Hemingson
Past Lives - Celine Song
Anatomy of a Fall - Justine Triet & Arthur Harari
Winner: The Holdovers - David Hemingson
The set-up of The Holdovers isn’t something we haven’t seen before. Pairing a rebellious teen with an older and more jaded adult is a concept that has been done countless times before. That doesn’t stop David Hemingson’s screenplay for The Holdovers from telling one of the most human and unapologetically honest stories of 2023. Tackling themes such as grief and depression, with characters that could have easily come across as grating, but they don’t. Hemingson’s passion shines in every line of dialogue, whether tackling the drama or making the audience laugh. It’s the kind of script that anyone can see themselves in, never once feeling like it's talking down to the audience.
Best Supporting Actor
Jamie Bell - Dad - All of Us Strangers
Willem Dafoe - Godwin Baxter - Poor Things
Robert De Niro - William Hale - Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. - Lewis Strauss - Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling - Ken - Barbie
Marshawn Lynch - Mr. G - Bottoms
John Magaro - Arthur - Past Lives
Charles Melton - Joe Yoo - May December
Dominic Sessa - Angus Tully - The Holdovers
Jeremy Allen White - Kerry Von Erich - The Iron Claw
Winner: Ryan Gosling - Ken - Barbie
Sometimes you just have to choose with your heart and that’s what led me to selecting Ryan Gosling as the winner for Best Supporting Actor. Robert Downey Jr gave an equally terrific performance in Oppenheimer, but he’s already receiving his flowers (deservingly so) at every other awards show. It’s time to celebrate the Kenergy.
Gosling has delivered some remarkable comedic performances before, this isn’t his first time being funny. His work in Barbie arguably outshines every other cast member. He has the utmost commitment to the role and is willing to be self-deprecating. Ken’s arc in Barbie is one of the movie’s strongest assets, addressing the patriarchy and toxic masculinity, yet Gosling’s performance, as well as the movie’s script, still feels sympathetic to the character. Gosling doesn’t play Ken like a villain, at least not in the traditional sense, he plays the role with sincerity.
Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt - Kitty Oppenheimer - Oppenheimer
Penélope Cruz - Laura Ferrari - Ferrari
Viola Davis - Deloris Jordan - Air
Claire Foy - Mom - All of Us Strangers
Patti LuPone - Mona Wassermann - Beau is Afraid
Rachel McAdams - Barbra Simon - Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Julianne Moore - Gracie - May December
Cara Jade Myers - Anna - Killers of the Flower Moon
Rosamund Pike - Elspeth Catton - Saltburn
Da'Vine Joy Randolph - Mary Lamb - The Holdovers
Winner: Da'Vine Joy Randolph - Mary Lamb - The Holdovers
Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Mary Lamb is the heart and soul of The Holdovers. After scene-stealing roles in movies and shows like Dolemite is My Name! and High Fidelity, Randolph is finally getting the credit she deserves. Randolph allows herself to be emotionally vulnerable on-screen, as her character grieves over the loss of her son. Still, there’s a lot more to her character than just playing a grieving mother, showing magnetic chemistry with both Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa while also being able to deliver some good laughs as well.
Best Director
Kelly Fremon Craig - Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
Sean Durkin - The Iron Claw
Greta Gerwig - Barbie
Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer
Alexander Payne - The Holdovers
Martin Scorsese - Killers of the Flower Moon
Celine Song - Past Lives
Chad Stahelski - John Wick: Chapter 4
Justine Triet - Anatomy of a Fall
Takashi Yamazaki - Godzilla Minus One
Winner: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer
It goes without saying that Christopher Nolan is one of the finest filmmakers working today. He’s directed incredible movies before, from The Dark Knight, Memento, and Inception, but Oppenheimer is his ultimate crowning achievement. Nolan has always been ambitious in his direction, but here, he feels like he is in full control.
On a technical level, Oppenheimer is as close to perfect as a movie can possibly get. He assembled the perfect team to help him craft a movie that could have come across as boring or unremarkable in the hands of another filmmaker. Yet Oppenheimer feels epic in its scope and execution. It was about time (get it?) that Nolan finally got his due.
Best Actor
Bradley Cooper - Leonard Bernstein - Maestro
Leonardo DiCaprio - Ernest Burkhart - Killers of the Flower Moon
Adam Driver - Enzo Ferrari - Ferrari
Zac Efron - Kevin Von Erich - The Iron Claw
Michael Fassbender - The Killer - The Killer
Paul Giamatti - Paul Hunham - The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy - J. Robert Oppenheimer - Oppenheimer
Joaquin Phoenix - Beau Wassermann - Beau Is Afraid
Andrew Scott - Adam - All of Us Strangers
Jeffrey Wright - Thelonious 'Monk' Ellison - American Fiction
Winner: Cillian Murphy - J. Robert Oppenheimer - Oppenheimer
At first glance, Cillian Murphy’s role as J. Robert Oppenheimer might not seem as showy as some of his fellow nominees, but that feels intentional. Murphy has a clear understanding of both the real-life man at the center of the film and what Nolan is trying to do as a filmmaker. After having played supporting roles in several of Nolan’s other movies, he finally gets to be the headliner and he makes the most of it.
Murphy plays Oppenheimer with a quiet versatility, proving the character’s brilliance and commitment, but also displaying his insecurities and guilt. It is hard to imagine Oppenheimer being as effective as it is without Murphy playing the leading role.
Best Actress
Abby Ryder Fortson - Margaret Simon - Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Lily Gladstone - Molly Burkhart - Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Hüller - Sandra Voyter - Anatomy of a Fall
Jennifer Lawrence - Maddie Barker - No Hard Feelings
Greta Lee - Nora - Past Lives
Carey Mulligan - Felicia Montealegre - Maestro
Natalie Portman - Elizabeth - May December
Margot Robbie - Barbie - Barbie
Cailee Spaeny - Priscilla Presley - Priscilla
Emma Stone - Bella Baxter - Poor Things
Winner: Sandra Hüller - Sandra Voyter - Anatomy of a Fall
Sandra Hüller gives about as perfect of a performance as you can get as Sandra Voyter in Anatomy of a Fall. Her character is flawed and does some morally reprehensible things, yet Hüller never plays the character like she’s a sociopath or a cold-blooded killer.
Anytime that we believe the character’s innocence in her husband’s death, is because of Hüller’s compassion for the character. She doesn’t play her role as some generic jaded housewife, instead, she basks in the moral gray area. She feels like a real person and Hüller allows the audience to see all of her layers.
Best Picture
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Barbie
The Holdovers
The Iron Claw
John Wick: Chapter 4
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Winner: Oppenheimer
This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. 2023 was an incredible year for film, with new movies from some of the best filmmakers working today. Oppenheimer is the perfect embodiment of cinema in 2023. Seeing the movie felt like an event, but it also had true artistry at play. There’s not a single movie that better represents the future of the industry than this.