The Isaac Awards 2022: Showbiz Cheat Sheet Announces the Winners
You’ve heard of the Oscars, but have you heard of the Isaacs? The Isaac Awards, in honor of the great Oscar Isaac, are Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s unique spin on the Academy Awards. However, the Isaac Awards are different from the Oscars in that they celebrate the best movies of 2021 that deserve recognition but will not receive that recognition through Oscar nods. The 2022 Isaac Awards feature five categories: Best Performance, Best Scene-Stealer, Best Crowd-Pleasing Moment, Best Action Sequence, and Fan-Favorite Movie.
Each year, the Academy Awards gives Hollywood the chance to recognize achievements in movies. But even the Oscars miss out on some of the very best cinema has to offer. That’s why Showbiz Cheat Sheet introduced the Isaac Awards — named after Moon Knight star Oscar Isaac — in 2022. And now after weeks of tabulating your votes, it’s finally time to announce the winners. Without further delay, here are the winners of the 2022 Isaac Awards.
Best Performance: Jodie Comer, ‘The Last Duel’
Jodie Comer — star of TV’s Killing Eve — had a breakout year in 2021. She starred opposite Ryan Reynolds in the blockbuster hit Free Guy in what amounts to a dual role. And Comer delivered an Isaac Award-winning performance as Marguerite de Carrouges in Ridley Scott’s historical epic The Last Duel.
The film co-stars Matt Damon, Adam Driver, and Ben Affleck. And yet, Comer outshines them all in one of the most critically acclaimed performances of the year. Unfortunately, Oscar failed to take notice of her work in The Last Duel. But Isaac Award voters took this opportunity to give Comer the credit she deserves.
Best Scene-Stealer: Florence Pugh, ‘Black Widow’
With as crowded as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is, it’s difficult to stand out among dozens of larger-than-life heroes and villains. But Florence Pugh manages to do just that as Yelena Belova in Black Widow. The character’s poignant relationship with sister Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is arguably the heart of the movie.
But there’s more than a sweet sisterly bond to Pugh’s performance. Her wry sense of humor and formidable fighting skills help the character leap off the screen much the same way Johansson did in 2010’s Iron Man 2. Presumably, Pugh will continue to play a key role in the MCU. And Isaac Award voters clearly can’t wait to see what she’ll do next.
Best Crowd-Pleasing Moment: The Originals Return in ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’
Nostalgic entertainment is everywhere these days. However, even in that context, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is something special. The film tackles themes of loss, legacy, and self-discovery through the eyes of young Phoebe (McKenna Grace). But during its climax, Ghostbusters fans got a moment they’d been waiting 30 years for.
For the first time since 1989, the surviving original Ghostbusters — Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson — united on screen with proton packs at the ready. Through movie magic, the scene even includes the late Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler one last time. And Isaac Awards voters couldn’t imagine a more crowd-pleasing moment.
Best Action Sequence: The Bus Fight in ‘Nobody’
In a thrilling turn of events worthy of a Hollywood action film, the Best Action Sequence race remained a tight one until the very last second. But the bus fight from director Ilya Naishuller’s Nobody took the win with 32.4 percent of the vote. Hot on its heels was the motorcycle chase from The Matrix Resurrections, with 31.1 percent.
In the end, audiences — and Isaac Award voters — loved how Nobody transformed Bob Odenkirk into an unlikely action hero. The Better Call Saul star underwent months of training to do much of his own stuntwork. And the effort shows throughout. With a Nobody sequel already in the works, fans should brace themselves for more fun like this.
Best Fan-Favorite Movie: ‘A Quiet Place Part II’
Horror sequels carry with them decades of stigma. Too often they come across as cash-grabs or pale imitators of what came before. That’s certainly not the case with A Quiet Place Part II. Although the 2018 original wasn’t intended to start a franchise, director John Krasinski found a way to make a sequel feel like a natural progression.
The Abbott family continues to survive in a world besieged by sound-sensitive monsters. And although Emily Blunt anchors the film as the one surviving parent, it’s Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe as her children who take center stage by the end. A thrilling, satisfying sequel, A Quiet Place Part II earns the inaugural Fan-Favorite Movie award.
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the 2022 Isaac Awards!
