Jameson Empire Film Awards - Winners!

by Cookie N Screen 

There are a lot of movie awards that bounce around the industry all touting fervently with the latest and greatest in cinema. Yet, we all know our experience with the award seasons is centred on the opinions of stuffy white men who haven’t known about good cinema since people thought a train was coming out of the screen.

But what would happen if the awards were audience based?

If film fanatics and passionate writers all gathered to laud up a year of movie highs, then I guess the award season would look something like Jameson Empire Film Awards!

And last night, the coveted ceremony, hosted by The Hobbit’s James Nesbitt took place in London. 

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Of the most excellent awards, Rosamund Pike proved that fans everywhere ridiculously wanted her to win the Best Actress awards. Like us, Pike was used to losing to Julianne Moore in Still Alice (which I’m still in contention whether it qualified for a BAFTA). However, in our thousands we gifted her with the top prize for her turn in the superb Gone Girl. Whilst, unfortunately she wasn’t there, it was a gracious win letting the whole world know that we love a good psychopath. Best Actor went to Andy Serkis whose turn in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes meshed great special effects with evocative performances and he proves yearly that his work should be noted by awarding bodies.

Taron Egerton and Jack O’Connell, the film team’s two favourite new actors, were in competition for Best Newcomer - Male with the former scooping up the prize. Egerton delighted us all in the thrilling Kingsmen: The Secret Service and will be seen in The Kray Twins and Eddie The Eagle in the next few years. Karen Gillian, an I’m With Geek favourite, won Best Newcomer - Female thanks to her transcendence into cinema, especially in Occulus and Guardians of the Galaxy.

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Chilling Australian film The Babadook won Best Horror whilst Benedict Cumberbatch’s The Imitation Game one Best Thriller (and we all know there were legions of fans voting). X-Men: Days of Future Past wrongly won Best Sci-Fi but it’s always a pleasure to see James McAvoy at all times. Best Comedy went to Paddington which stressed how amazing that bleeding film was for all the family. 

Empire Inspiration and Best Director went to Christopher Nolan and I can sense writer Sean Narborough’s pants wetting right now. On a serious note, it’s great to see him awarded when his work, from superheroes to thrillers, have been insanely good. He is the staple of our cinematic diet, the meat that keeps us going. Beautiful, eclectic and sublime, his films have given us some almighty goodness. Empire Hero went to Game of Thrones whilst Voldemort himself Ralph Fiennes scooped up Empire Legend meaning his quest for the Elder Wand pales in comparison. 

Done In 60 Seconds, which celebrated different new and upcoming new talent condensed in just a minute. Jury: Ben Wheatley, Jon S. Baird, Edith Bowman and Bauer Media UK Chief Executive Paul Keenan presented the award to Oliver Jones and Robert Kenyon for their version of Ghostbusters. 

With the night coming to a drunken end, who did you want to win? Do you agree? 

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And The Winners Are....

 EMPIRE LEGEND 
Ralph Fiennes

EMPIRE HERO
Game Of Thrones
 
EMPIRE INSPIRATION
Christopher Nolan

BEST NEWCOMER – MALE
Taron Egerton -  Kingsman: The Secret Service

BEST NEWCOMER - FEMALE (presented by Max Factor)
Karen Gillan - Guardians Of The Galaxy/Oculus

BEST SCI-FI/FANTASY (presented by MediCinema)
X-Men: Days Of Future Past

BEST HORROR
The Babadook

BEST COMEDY (presented by Absolute Radio)
Paddington

BEST THRILLER (presented by Corinthia Hotel London)
The Imitation Game

BEST BRITISH FILM (presented by The Hollywood Reporter)
Kingsman: The Secret Service

BEST ACTOR 
Andy Serkis - Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

BEST ACTRESS (presented by Max Factor)
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl

BEST DIRECTOR (presented by Air New Zealand)
Christopher Nolan- Interstellar

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