G20

June 29

The second film of the penultimate day of the 2025 June Swoon was on Amazon Prime and it was an action/political thriller starring Viola Davis called G20.

The G20 is is an international forum of both developing and developed countries which seeks to find solutions to global economic and financial issues. (g20.org). It stands for Group of 20.

This movie has the leaders of the G20 facing a group of terrorists who take over the G20 summit. The leaders looked to President Danielle Sutton (Viola Davis) because she had extensive military service prior to her election. Sutton helped battle the terrorists through the halls of the fictional Grand Diamont Hotel in South Africa.

There is no way around it. This movie is stupid. It is stupid in the way that what Viola Davis does would NEVER be allowed for any sitting US President to do. She is shooting weaponry, fighting hand to hand and battling the forces opposing her. Absolutely NEVER would this happen. So it is as unrealistic as any film could be. It is not unprecedented for a movie president to take on terrorists (for example Harrison Ford in Air Force One), but President Sutton does a whole lot more here.

If you can get past that and just allow the stupidity to get by you, this is not the worst movie I have seen. Silly? Yes. I do like Viola Davis and she carried herself with a swagger in this movie that made you believe that she was the most powerful person on the planet. She does a great job as action hero #1.

Our lead villain was Rutledge, played by Antony Starr. Starr is a much better villain as Homelander in the Boys. Here he feels too much like a dime store Hans Gruber from Die Hard. He had a strange plan involving the world’s currency, making him just an “exceptional thief.”

There is a fun group of ensemble cast including Anthony Anderson, Ramon Rodriguez, Marsai Martin, Elizabeth Marvel, everyone’s favorite Phil Coulson- Clark Gregg, MeeWha Alana Lee, Douglas Hodge, John Hoogenakker, Joseph Steven Yang and Theo Bongani Ndyalvane.

If you can accept this as just a dumb action movie, you might get a kick out of it. If you think of it as a political thriller that features the US president, the flaws come out pretty easily. Viola Davis is a kick ass either way.

2023 The Liz Award

The Liz Award

Previous Winners:  Frances McDormand (3 Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri), Viola Davis (Fences), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), Rosemund Pike (Gone Girl), Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Berenice Bejo (The Artist), Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn),  Yalitza Aparicio (Roma), Renee Zellweger (Judy), Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Rachel Zegler (West Side Story), Danielle Deadwyler (Till)

So this is the Liz… the Award EYG presents to the Best Actress in a movie. This year’s winner makes some history.

Top 11

#11. Storm Reid (Missing)

#10. Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me)

#9. Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla)

#8. Natalie Portman (May/December)

#7. Annette Benning (Nyad)

#6. Lily James (The Iron Claw)

#5. Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple)

#4. Carey Mulligan (Maestro)

#3. Margot Robbie (Barbie)

#2. Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon)

and the winner…

#1. Emma Stone (Poor Things)

Emma Stone gave the most amazing performance of the year. Her character Bella was one of the most bizarre characters in many years and she absolutely went for it.

Emma Stone has become the first actor to receive both The Liz and the The Hermione Granger/Furiosa/Rita Moreno Award. Of the acting awards, she joins a small group of actors who have received two acting EYG Awards. Robert Downey Jr (2 supporting), Viola Davis (2 Liz Awards), and Emma Stone are the three dual award winners.