It’s that time again! Yep, we’ve almost ticked off another year and that means it is time to celebrate the ups and downs of 2019 in the It’s A Stampede! Awards.
Who will win big in geekdom? Who deserves recognition? Will Baby Yoda sweep the board? Read on to find out!
First up…
Best Newcomer of 2019
Each year brings a selection of new shows, franchises and characters and that means new icons for the years/decades to come. But who or what is the Best Newcomer of 2019?
The nominees are…
- Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK
- Baby Yoda
- Jon Cryer as Lex Luthor in Supergirl
- The Mandalorian
- Shazam!
And the winner is…
Baby Yoda
Could it be anyone else? There were some very strong contenders in this category, but Baby Yoda is the clear winner.
Since he made his debut in November – via the very first episode of The Mandalorian – Baby Yoda has become a huge sensation/pop culture icon. Not only do Star Wars fans love him, but even non-Star Wars fans have taken a shine to the cute little character.
The Force is strong in this one.
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Best Comic Book Movie of 2019
Comic book movies continue to dominate the film industry and 2019 has seen another crop of big comic book films. But which is the best?
The nominees are…
And the winner is…
Joker
Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as Arthur Fleck in Joker is reason enough for this movie to take the prize in this category, but there really is so much more. A great soundtrack, fantastic direction, an engaging story – Joker has it all.
Some would crown Avengers: Endgame the best comic book movie of 2019, but for me it would be Joker. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, but it truly is an excellent film.
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Best Non-Comic Book Movie of the Year 2019
It’s not just comic book movies that are keeping audiences entertained, 2019 has served up a number of great, non-comic book movies.
And the nominees are…
- Us
- Toy Story 4
- Midsommar
- The Irishman
- Knives Out
And the winner is…
Midsommar
If you missed Midsommar when it arrived in cinemas earlier this year, then put aside a good couple of hours now and give it a watch. It’s completely bonkers and chances are you’ll question what you are watching, but it offers up arguably the most unique viewing experience of the year.
Directed by Ari Aster, Midsommar is a movie that stays with you long after the credits have rolled.
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And the next award is for…
Biggest Disappointment of 2019
2019 has brought some triumphs, but it has also delivered some right turkeys. Speaking of which, the nominees for Biggest Disappointment of 2019 are…
- Disney – for not launching Disney+ globally
- Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark – for not being scary (at all)
- Marvel and Sony – for falling out over Spider-Man (again)
- Men in Black: International – for being… well… just shit
- Hellboy – for being SO BAD
And the winner is…
Hellboy
What a complete disaster of a movie.
Despite constant pleas from fans for Hellboy III, the decision was made to produce a Hellboy reboot. The result? A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad film.
If you want my full thoughts on the movie, I urge you to check out my post ‘I survived Hellboy 2019…barely’ where you will get an understanding of how much I disliked this movie. Easily the worst and most disappointing film of the year.
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The Fist Pump Moment of 2019
From the bad to the simply awesome! Yep, it’s time for The Fist Pump Moment of 2019 – a moment in which fans could raise their collective fists into the air and yell, “Hell yeah!”
And the nominees are…
- The Avengers vs. Thanos fight scene in Avengers: Endgame
- Love, Simon winning an Outstanding Film award
- Heartbreak High being added to Amazon Prime Video
- The Batman Anthology returning to cinemas
- The Dungeons & Dragons cartoon being turned into a commercial
And the winner is…
The Avengers vs. Thanos fight scene
After more than a decade of world-building, Marvel Studios delivered Avengers: Endgame – the most anticipated movie of 2019 and in the process created one of the best moments in cinema: The Avengers vs Thanos. Say what you like about Endgame, but the final battle was one of the greatest moments to grace the big screen and demonstrated what can be achieved if you play the long game.
As a life-long Marvel fan, watching the final battle in Endgame, signalled by Captain America’s immortal line “Avengers… Assemble”, was like watching a dream come true. It also made up for all those years of having to sit through poorly made Marvel movies during the ‘80s & ‘90s.
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The ‘Well Done You’ Award 2019
This award is being presented to Davina De Campo, who earlier this year took part in Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK. Davina wasn’t crowned the winner of the show, but she is still a winner in many peoples’ eyes thanks to her comments about Section 28 and its impact on the lives of people growing up in the 1980s and 1990s.
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And the next category is…
The Stop the World I Need to Get Off Moment of 2019
*Takes deep breath*
I’m resisting the desire to get political on this one. So, the nominees are…
- The original Sonic the Hedgehog trailer
Yep, just Sonic.
And the winner is…
Sonic the Hedgehog
Earlier in the year, Paramount Pictures released the first official trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog. The fanbase (and pretty much every sane person) took one look at the trailer and decided it was one of the worst things they had ever seen.
And it was.
The design of Sonic was nightmarish – lacking warmth, heart, and soul. Seriously, who signed off on that original design?
WHO?!
Due to the overwhelmingly negative reaction to the trailer, Sonic was given a makeover which proved to be a vast improvement, but for a brief moment in 2019 it seemed as if the world had gone completely mad.
But seriously, who did sign off that design?!
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The It’s A Stampede! Legacy Award 2019
This year’s It’s A Stampede! Legacy Award is being awarded to Noelle Stevenson – the She-Ra and the Princesses of Power showrunner. Over the past year, Stevenson has continued to highlight inclusivity in various episodes of She-Ra, ensuring it is currently one of the best animated shows around.
Well done, Noelle. Well done. In an age where voices are often silenced, it is good to see that LGBTQ+ voices are being heard.
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The Special Mention Award
A Special Mention Award goes to Dora and The Lost City of Gold. No, seriously.
I haven’t previously discussed this on It’s A Stampede!, as it slipped through a busy period in my year when I was setting up my new blogs, I’ll Get Drive-Thru and Don’t Tell Harry, but over the summer I caught Dora and The Lost City of Gold at the cinema, and it was surprisingly fun.
If you have children who love Dora the Explorer, or even children who are bored over the Christmas holidays, give Dora and The Lost City of Gold a whirl. I promise the whole family will enjoy what is on offer.
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And finally…
The It’s A Stampede! Special Achievement Award 2019
And the It’s A Stampede! Special Achievement Award goes to Marvel Studios. Who else?
The company has changed the face of cinema over the past 11 years by demonstrating a new approach to sequels and franchises. Endgame was a fantastic achievement, bagging over $2.7 billion and countless awards, but the billion dollar-earning Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home make it clear this studio is still going strong after all this time.
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And that’s your lot for the It’s A Stampede! Awards 2019.
Congratulations to all the winners. A no-frills, no-physical-award is hurtling its way to you now… via your imagination.
You should all feel proud of your achievements. Unless you are Hellboy. You are a terrible movie.
Read more:
- How many The Santa Clause movies are there?
- The It’s A Stampede! Awards 2018
- What is The Mandalorian? …and other questions
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