Left to my own devices

Now that the Oscars ceremony has come and again, and most folks have gotten their Monday morning quarterbacking regarding what they liked and didn't like about who won and lost out of their systems, it's now time for the main event!   Without further aideu, here are the winners of the 2026 Matt Awards...

Those of you who really like movies and follow awards season probably have your own ideas about what were the best (or at least your favorite) films of the past year.  Yours truly does, as well. Enter The 2026 Matt Awards! Like the Oscars, these nominations and awards are for movies from the year before (so the 2026 Matt Awards are honoring films from 2025). This all started in 1998. I was a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio at the time (still appreciate his work to this day).  Titanic  was released in December 1997, and I saw it 5 times at the theater. In early 1998, the Oscar nominations were announced, and Leo was nowhere to be found. Salty at the perceived snub of my  crush  favorite actor, I decided I could do better than the Oscars, and so the first Matt Awards were born. DiCaprio was nominated for  Titanic  and, of course, he won. Over the years, the Matt Awards have allowed me to recognize (if only for myself) the best in cinema of the preceding ye...

Longtime friends and followers of this blog know that every year I present what are known as The Matt Awards . These started in 1998 (for the 1997 year in film), and have continued on annually ever since. These are awards for the movies that I've watched and enjoyed. They're a sort of antidote to the often disappointing Academy Award nominees and outcomes. Typically, I would post a list of the nominees then, a few weeks later, post the winners. This year, since we're so late into awards season (and the Oscar are in just four days), I'm going to combine them into one post. I'll list the nominees, then list the winner of each category. So, without further adieu, here are the nominees and winners for the 2025 Matt Awards, honoring my favorite in cinema from 2024...

I'm a little late, but am finally getting around to announcing the winners of this year's Matt Awards , celebrating the best in cinema! No doubt you were all waiting with bated breath for the reveal. Without further aideu, here, then, are this year's winners...

Those of you who like cinema and follow awards season were probably pretty excited this week, because you knew that the most important movie nominations were about to drop. And, no, I'm not talking about the Oscars . Of course I'm referring to The Matt Awards! For the uninitiated: I've always enjoyed movies and, during the 1990s, I was a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio. Titanic was released in December 1997, and I saw it 5 times at the theater. In early 1998, the Oscar nominations were announced, and Leo was nowhere to be found. Salty at the perceived snub of my crush favorite actor, I decided I could do better than the Oscars, and so the first Matt Awards were born. DiCaprio was nominated for Titanic and, of course, he won. Over the years, the Matt Awards have allowed me to recognize (if only for myself) the best in cinema of the preceding year. Quite often -- though not always -- my nominations will bear some similarity to the Oscar nominees, though less seldom have my w...

Last month, I announced the nominees for the 26th annual  Matt Awards , where I highlight my favorites in film from the preceding year. And now, finally (we're pretty late with these this year), here are the winners for the 2022  Matt Awards ! They are... 

The first Matt Awards were dispensed in early 1998 (now a quarter-century ago). By me. On my trusty old Brother word processor. No one else really knew about them. I might have read them off to my mom, or my friend Terry, but they were really for me. They were born out of frustration for how the Oscars typically doled-out awards. Basically, I wanted to have my own opinions about movies - something I do regularly over on the Mashley at the Movies podcast . An annual occurrence since they began, I enjoy doing the Matt Awards each year. Sometimes, I do both nominations and then, a few weeks later, pick the winners. Some years, I just go straight to the winners circle. This year, I'm really late - later than I've probably ever been - on getting to these awards. Life's been a bit busy. So, here's what we're doing: This post will be the list of nominations for the 2023 Matt Awards . Then, in a few days, I'll make another blog post with the winners. Sound ok? Cool, ...

Last month, I announced the nominees for the 25th annual Matt Awards , where I highlight my favorites in film from the preceding year. And now, just a couple days ahead of the BAFTAs, and a few weeks ahead of the Oscars, here are the winners for the 2022 Matt Awards ! Here we go... 

Having been a big Leonardo DiCaprio fan since the mid-1990s, I was disappointed when he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for his role in  Titanic  (as in, I-was-about-to-riot disappointed). Thus, in early 1998, I began what was to become an annual tradition --   The Matt Awards . Perhaps one of the most egotistical things on God's green earth, every year I proceed to select the best in movie making, as a sort of consolation for the fact that very rarely do the Academy Awards align with my own yearly favorites. I used to do both nominations and then, a few weeks later, pick the winners. After awhile I just went straight to the winners circle. This year, however, with the Oscars being pushed back a bit, and having been able to see a lot of really good films, I wanted to at least acknowledge several films and filmmakers with nominations. In a few weeks (before the Oscars ceremony), I will make announce the winners of The Matt Awards . No doubt you will all be on tenterhooks wai...

Beginning in 1998, I started my own movie awards show. I'd just turned 22, and was deep into my Leonardo DiCaprio phase. Disappointed that he wasn't even nominated for his star-level turn in Titanic , I decided to do my own alternative to the Oscars -- The Matt Awards. Initially used as a pressure valve (and kind of a joke), I've ended up doing the Matt Awards every year since. The latest edition is very, very late (I try and do it during the first half of the year), but, better late than never? Here, then, are my personal selections for the best in cinema for the preceding year:

     H aving been a big Leonardo DiCaprio fan since the mid-1990s, I was disappointed when he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for his role in Titanic . Thus, in early 1998, began what was to become an annual tradition -- The Matt Awards. Perhaps one of the most egotistical things on God's green earth, every year I proceed to select the best in movie making, as a sort of consolation for the fact that very rarely do the Academy Awards align with my own yearly favorites. I used to do both nominations and then, a few weeks, pick the winners. After awhile I just went straight to the winners circle. This year, however, I feel like there were so many good movies from 2019 that I wanted to at least acknowledge their filmmakers with nominations. In a couple of weeks (before the Oscars ceremony), I will make announce the winners. No doubt you will all be on tenterhooks waiting for who will go home with coveted Matt Prize. Here, then, are the nominees:

The Oscars are this Sunday, so of course it's time for the 22nd Annual Matt Awards! I love going to the movies. It still holds the same excitement as when I was a kid. Of course, I have opinions about the films I see (check out the podcast here ), and so, in the late 1990s, I began my own little exercise to satiate my ego by having my own awards, wherein I selected the best in film, as a sort of counter to disappointment with the Academy Awards. All told, I saw 80-plus 2018 movies, and so many of them were above average. It is therefore difficult to winnow them down to just one winner in each category, but I have done so. Here, then, are the 2019 Matt Awards , honoring what yours truly believes to be the best in film from 2018.... Best Horror Film:  Hereditary The horror genre was strong in 2018. And, in my opinion, its definition expanded a bit last year (in a good way), Films like our winner, and A Quiet Place, Bird Box, Unsane , the Suspiria remake, and even Ann...

The Oscars are one week away, so what better time for the 21st annual  Matt Awards ? I've always loved movies, and have always disagreed -- to a greater or lesser extent -- with the choices of the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. Therefore,  The Matt Awards  are here to showcase what I consider to be the best in cinema every year. 2017 was perhaps one of the best years for movies in quite some time. With so many solid films to choose from, we were really spoilt for choice. I highly recommend the following selections, everything on the Top 10 list (though, admittedly, they may not be everyone's cup of tea), and especially the Best Picture winner. So, without further adieu....

It's time for the 20th annual Matt Awards ! I've always loved movies, and have always disagreed -- to a greater or lesser extent -- with the choices of the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. Therefore, The Matt Awards are here to showcase what I consider to be the best in cinema every year. It is, of course, another list of truth from yours truly. 2016 was a very good year for movies. There was a diversity of content, tone, acting, directing, cinematography and mood. There was, truly, something for everyone. This made it very difficult for me to decide on precise favorites, but I've managed to do so. I highly recommend the following selections, even the choice for Best Picture which is, admittedly, a bit quirky and doesn't make for conventional viewing. So, without further adieu....

It's that time again. Awards for the motion picture industry are flying fast and furious, and the Oscars are just a couple weeks away. In 1998, I began what has become an annual tradition known as The Matt Awards , to showcase what I consider to be the best in film for a particular year. The first awards honored the movies released in 1997. There was a particular reason I started the awards that year.... More on that later. Now, here are the best in film for 2015, as selected by yours truly:

The Academy Awards are a little over a week away, so I thought it would be a good time for the annual Matt Awards . Begun in 1998 (for movies from 1997), the Matt Awards are my personal picks for the best in film each year. So, when I say "best movie",  I really mean my  favorite movie of the year. As many of you know, movies mean a lot to me. Quite often, I disagree with what is nominated (and wins) for the Oscars, so this is my little way of seeing things done right (because of course Matt's way is the right way). So, without further adieu, here are the Matt Awards for Best-in-Film for 2014 ….

It's been another year of movies, and so it's time for another round of The Matt Awards , the most-anticipated movie awards of the season (well, by me, anyway)! Every year I pick the best in film, in various categories. Been doing this since 1997, when my Best Picture was Titanic . There are few mediums that resonate with a person better than film, and this is my way of acknowledging and keeping track of those movies, actors, actresses, directors, etc. that have had the greatest impact on me year-by-year. 2012 was a pretty good year for movies. It seemed to have a fairly diverse line-up, with a selection of styles and subject matter that could please nearly everyone. As it stands, I've seen every film from the past year that I have an interest in, and so here are the winners of the 2012 Matt Awards . Enjoy!

      It's that time of year again!   Pretty much on schedule (and a day after the Academy Awards ), I'm rolling out the 2011 Matt Awards . These are the annual awards I dole-out for films that have impressed & impacted me most during the previous year. This also marks the 15th installment of the Matt Awards ! So, without further ado, let's see what the top choices were in film for ol' Matty-Matt this past year.....