Karl Delossantos

Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.
Posted on

2019 Oscars Final Predictions

Despite the mess that is the 2019 Oscars, it is refreshing to have a season that feels unpredictable. Best Picture is still up in the air as is Best Supporting Actress while there is room for upsets in nearly every category. As a lifelong Oscar fan, it's always more excited to not know who's going to win come Sunday night. 

Here are my predictions in ever category:

Best Picture

Will Win: BlacKkKlansman
Could Win: Roma or Green Book
Should Win: Roma or Black Panther

I'm taking a big swing in this category. While BlacKkKlansman hasn't won a major prize, it was nominated every where it needed to be. People love and respect Spike Lee. I think this is going to do really well on the preferential ballot. As long as Roma or Green Book don't win on a first round then I think this is your Best Picture winner. 

Best Actress

Olivia Coleman as Queen Anne in THE FAVOURITE

The nominees:

  • Glenn Close, The Wife
  • Olivia Coleman, The Favourite
  • Lady Gaga, A Star is Born
  • Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
  • Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

Will Win: Glenn Close, The Wife
Could Win: Olivia Coleman, The Favourite
Should Win: Olivia Coleman, The Favourite

Glenn Close will finally end her 37-year losing streak when she wins her first Oscar for The Wife. There is the *tiniest* chance that BAFTA winner Olivia Coleman wins for her performance Queen Ann in The Favourite. 

Best Actor

in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

The nominees:

Will win: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Could win: Christian Bale, Vice
Should win: , A Star is Born

Although Christian Bale won the Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards for his performance as Dick Cheney in Vice, I think the real challenger to clear frontrunner Rami Malek is Bradley Cooper. For better or worse, he's been in the news a lot and if voters want to award A Star is Born outside of Best Original Song, this would be the place to do it. 

Continue Reading
Posted on

‘Velvet Buzzsaw’ trailer — Jake Gyllenhaal is an art critic going mad

Jake Gyllenhaal plays an art critic that is haunted by an artist's work (literally) in the trailer for Dan Gilroy's Velvet Buzzsaw. https://youtu.be/GzxMLxO0ggk Velvet Buzzsaw reunites Jake Gyllenhaal with his Nightcrawler director Dan Gilroy and co-star Rene Russo. Here's the plot description: Velvet Buzzsaw is a thriller set in the contemporary art world scene of Los Angeles, where…
Posted on

2019 Golden Globes Predictions — Film

The Golden Globes, the first televised awards of the season, are this Sunday. Here are our predictions for every film category.

The first major awards show of the season, the Golden Globes, is this Sunday! Vice leads all films—drama and musical or comedy—with 6 nominations including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy.

Not far behind is Oscar favorites The Favourite (with nominations for all three leading actresses), Green Book, and A Star is Born (including nominations for Lady Gaga and ).

If our predictions are right, Vice and A Star is Born will lead with 3 wins apiece.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama

The nominees:

  • Glenn Close, The Wife
  • Lady Gaga, A Star is Born
  • Nicole Kidman, Destroyer
  • Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
  • Rosamund Pike, A Private War

Will Win: Lady Gaga, A Star is Born

Could Win: Glenn Close, The Wife

Should Win: Lady Gaga, A Star is Born

With her main Oscar rivals (The Favourite) and Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns) in the Comedy or Musical category, Lady Gaga (A Star is Born) has an easy path to the win.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama

The nominees:

Will Win: , Bohemian Rhapsody

Could Win: Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

Should Win: Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

The Golden Globes love a musical performance, and this category has two—the reason they're not in the comedy or musical category is because the studios opted to submit the films as dramas. This race is a toss-up between Rami Malek's energetic portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody and Bradley Cooper's southern drenched alcoholic country star in A Star is Born.

The Globes—unlike most critics—loved Bohemian Rhapsody, so I think Malek has the edge.

Best Motion Picture — Drama

The nominees:

Will Win: A Star is Born

Could Win: BlacKkKlansman

Should Win: If Beale Street Could Talk

Though it's been a bit dormant during critics season, this is A Star is Born's chance to shine. Plus, the Golden Globes always go with the Oscar frontrunner. If there is an upset, Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman—it overperformed in nominations—is the most likely to pull it off.

Continue reading “2019 Golden Globes Predictions — Film”
Posted on

10 Best Movies of 2018

2018 has been a stellar year for movies. From the return of the romantic comedy to another golden year in horror, here are the 10 best movies of 2018. After what seemed to be an unbeatable year for movies in 2017, along came 2018 to challenge it. And unlike last year, 2018 gave us great…