tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45422544532061368752024-03-10T13:03:42.873-06:00A Slice of Movie ZenA daily blogspace for movie discourse, oscar prognosticating, life's little victories, and food.Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-61045708311508463782024-03-10T13:03:00.000-06:002024-03-10T13:03:10.913-06:00Final Oscar Predictions 2023: Now I Am Become Death, the Destroyer of Little Gold Men<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqgIGMt7y6HFHwdRGgfvdpNVX6TN3lJ1QVbrzF-92-cSUqCHn_n0551vvhTorxhayzQlUiLxZvYMyjt6bYrLU-MO3To1hjhyphenhyphenP0StWfLMVJpl1u5PPgYuxmN8oHYdlpg2Py0QSSLJmnVwYf2vNEe_KxTSF8rP4HFm2ciTySHxMbhRz6cPaN1k65hGEzaSA/s1223/now%20i%20am%20become%20death.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1223" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqgIGMt7y6HFHwdRGgfvdpNVX6TN3lJ1QVbrzF-92-cSUqCHn_n0551vvhTorxhayzQlUiLxZvYMyjt6bYrLU-MO3To1hjhyphenhyphenP0StWfLMVJpl1u5PPgYuxmN8oHYdlpg2Py0QSSLJmnVwYf2vNEe_KxTSF8rP4HFm2ciTySHxMbhRz6cPaN1k65hGEzaSA/w400-h210/now%20i%20am%20become%20death.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> Well, I'm afraid the inevitable is going to keep occurring, wherein 'the inevitable' is one of at least three things: a) my schedule and general procrastination means that I'm going to rush through another movie post this year, b) <i>Oppenheimer</i> is going to cruise to a truly unholy number of Oscar wins, and/or c) the sun is going to explode (but hopefully not before we find out if <i>Godzilla</i> is going to win an Oscar tonight). And I can speak with some confidence in saying that yes, this post will be rushed, yes, <i>Oppenheimer</i> will win enough Oscars to either stop or start another World War, and yes, the sun will explode (but not for a few minutes, at least). Beyond those three things? It's anybody's game (though what kind of game you want to play that doesn't involve my blogging, prestigious Oscar movies, or the sun, I'll never know). </p><p>Eagle-eyed readers (or actual eagles of any nature) might have noticed that I posted on Thursday saying that I'd be traveling and as such needed to finish all posts before the end of the day. Even sharper readers might notice that today is Sunday and here I am; I'll leave you to deduce how meeting the Thursday deadline went. As such, I'll just launch into things--the Oscars, after all, are only about six hours away (don't forget, they're starting at 5 pm Mountain for the first time ever, assumably because the network is punishing them for their sins). Which means that this post has about six hours of already dubious relevance--is there anything worse than reading Oscar predictions after the ceremony? </p><p>But regardless of how things go, and how rushed they have to be, I'm still pleased as punch to be ranting about them. The Oscars have played a constant role in my life from 1997 on, and predicting from 2003, and they are, ridiculously, they schedule by which I set my year. Like it or not (and, given the word count, I obviously like it), they're a big part of how I keep track of a year, or the passage of time, or my own silly life. And I appreciate that you're part of it, just by being here to read this! (Go ahead and say a grateful prayer that you're not in my family, who is treated annually to a semi-mandatory barrage of movie marathons, production bonanzas, and self-catered watch parties.)</p><p>While I might not be <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s biggest fan (though I do like it), I have to be thankful for it in at least this one instance: the fact that it is going to charge like a bull through my emotional china shop, killing every little gold man it finds, will make today's post <i>much</i> easier to write quickly. But outside of <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s vast swath of predicted terror, there's still some wacky intrigue to be found on the margins. And who doesn't leave giddy intrigue? I will happily guide you through the madness, or do my best approximation of guiding you whilst muttering something unspeakable about Ryan Gosling. I haven't seen nearly as many Oscar nominees as I might have seen (I'm ashamed to admit I haven't seen literally any of the documentary nominees), but what I lack in firsthand knowledge, I make up for in whimsy and good intentions.</p><p>So let's get to it! Do note that I can lean more toward fun than accuracy at the Oscars (though I might have shied away from that a little more this year). There are lots of websites that can help you ace your Oscar pool, but I'll always use this space to encourage the Academy to release the hounds.</p><p><br /></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>American Fiction<br />Anatomy of a Fall<br />Barbie<br />The Holdovers<br />Killers of the Flower Moon<br />Maestro<br />Oppenheimer<br />Past Lives<br />Poor Things<br />The Zone of Interest</i></p><p>Well, whatever wacky intrigue was promised certainly won't begin here. Anything but <i>Oppenheimer</i> winning would constitute one of the bigger and more surprising upsets in the last 50 years of Oscar history. It's got the momentum, it's got the timely appeal, it's got the apparent and inscrutable love for Christopher Nolan that I will never understand. I suppose you could look to <i>The Holdovers</i> or <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i> (or even <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i>?) for a shocker, but I wouldn't hold my breath.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Holdovers</i><br />Should Win: <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>May December</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />Jonathan Glazer-<i>The Zone of Interest</i><br />Yorgos Lanthimos-<i>Poor Things</i><br />Christopher Nolan-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Martin Scorsese-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Justine Triet-<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i></p><p>Everything that I said above is multiplied x10 here. There's no way that any late-breaking <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i> momentum or 'let's honor Scorsese again' sentiment derails Christopher Nolan's coronation, so I hope he's brought his tiara.</p><p>Will Win: Christopher Nolan-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: Justine Triet-<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />Should Win: Martin Scorsese-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson-<i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Annette Bening-<i>Nyad<br /></i>Lily Gladstone-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Sandra Hüller-<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />Carey Mulligan-<i>Maestro</i><br />Emma Stone-<i>Poor Things</i></p><p>Some actual-ass intrigue in this category (which, you will find mostly only happens in categories where <i>Oppenheimer</i> isn't present), with Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone fighting it out to the bitter end. Stone has all the early momentum, but Gladstone recently won the Screen Actors Guild award, a possible sign that the moment has shifted. There also appears more of a desire to award Gladstone: the narrative of a hardworking character actor giving a revelatory performance--for people who hadn't already seen her other work--and being the first indigenous person to win an acting Oscar seeming like a better outcome than Emma Stone, beloved as she is, getting her second Oscar before she hits 40. It'll be a nailbiter down to the moment the envelope is opened, but I can't help but wonder if <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>'s underperformance on the awards circuit and at the Oscar nominations will be enough to tank Gladstone's chances in the face of <i>Poor Things</i>'s clear popularity. And, if you want to jump for something totally off the wall, you could predict that <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i>'s momentum surge and Stone and Gladstone's tight race is enough to bring Sandra Hüller in under the radar. It's a wild thought, but wilder things have certainly happened.</p><p>Will Win: Emma Stone-<i>Poor Things</i><br />Could Win: Lily Gladstone-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Should Win: Lily Gladstone-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Greta Lee-<i>Past Lives</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Bradley Cooper-<i>Maestro</i><br />Colman Domingo-<i>Rustin</i><br />Paul Giamatti-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />Cillian Murphy-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Jeffrey Wright-<i>American Fiction</i></p><p>A similar race to best actress, but a slightly less contested one. Like Emma Stone, Paul Giamatti/<i>The Holdovers</i> consumed most of the early season air in this category, and like Lily Gladstone, Cillian Murphy won the SAG award recently, suggesting a changing of the winds. But where those two women are still neck and neck, Murphy gains the obvious advantage here for playing the titular character in a movie that could tie--or even break--the record for the most Oscars ever won by a movie. This isn't finished yet, and it wouldn't be totally shocking to see Giamatti pull out a win, but the atomic bomb is definitely in Cillian Murphy's court.</p><p>Will Win: Cillian Murphy-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: Paul Giamatti-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />Should Win: Colman Domingo-<i>Rustin</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Andrew Scott-<i>All of Us Strangers</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Emily Blunt-<i>Oppenheimer<br /></i>Danielle Brooks-<i>The Color Purple</i><br />America Ferrera-<i>Barbie</i><br />Jodie Foster-<i>Nyad</i><br />Da'Vine Joy Randolph-<i>The Holdovers</i></p><p>Probably the easiest call of the night, give or take international film. Randolph hasn't lost <i>any</i> film award in this category (outside of a couple smaller regional critics groups back in December), and certainly isn't looking to lose this one. If Emily Blunt wins here, then expect <i>Oppenheimer</i> to go for an unprecedented 13-for-13 streak.</p><p>Will Win: Da'Vine Joy Randolph-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />Could Win: Emily Blunt-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Should Win: Da'Vine Joy Randolph-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Julianne Moore-<i>May December</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />Sterling K. Brown-<i>American Fiction</i><br />Robert De Niro-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Robert Downey Jr.-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Ryan Gosling-<i>Barbie</i><br />Mark Ruffalo-<i>Poor Things</i><br /></p><p>Another easy call: Robert Downey Jr. continues his baffling (to me) march to the stage of the Dolby theater. I'm sure I won't be the only ones crossing my fingers and sending some positive Kenergy in hopes of a different outcome, but I wouldn't bet on it.</p><p>Will Win: Robert Downey Jr.-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: Ryan Gosling-<i>Barbie</i><br />Should Win: Ryan Gosling-<i>Barbie</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Charles Melton-<i>May December</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>Anatomy of a Fall<br />The Holdovers<br />Maestro<br />May December<br />Past Lives</i></p><p>Another actual-ass race! In this category, you can pit the late-season ascendancy of <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i> against the early season comforts of <i>The Holdovers</i>. They're both in approximately the same place, as far as best picture momentum is concerned, and they're both about equally well loved. <i>The Holdovers</i> gains an advantage by virtue of the fact that it's in English, where <i>Anatomy </i>isn't (non-English language films have won for writing before, but it doesn't happen frequently), and <i>Anatomy </i>gains advantage by seeming to be the more complex of the two (...which should sound like a compliment). Another category where it'll be down to the wire. Can <i>Past Lives</i> capitalize on its rival's competition? Possibly, but also no.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Holdovers</i><br />Should Win: <i>May December</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Asteroid City</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>American Fiction<br />Barbie<br />Oppenheimer<br />Poor Things<br />The Zone of Interest</i></p><p>One of the toughest categories to predict! (Almost) anyone could win! Huzzah! Now, I know what I think you're thinking: if <i>Oppenheimer</i> is some Oscars juggernaut, how could this category be tough to predict? And you're not wrong--the easy answer is to assume that <i>Oppenheimer</i> commits a whole bunch of awards murder here just like it will in many other categories. That said, if you're looking to stir up a little trouble, <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s writing is far from its most celebrated aspect (there was a question of whether it would even get a nomination here), and the category seems primed for the anti-<i>Oppenheimer</i> voters to find their voice. But to whose benefit? <i>American Fiction</i> feels like the (other) easy answer: it's a snappy and (kind of) contemporary satire that stakes its reputation on being quippy, clever, and directly engaging with the concept of language, aka the kind of movie they award here all the time. You could make similar claims about <i>Poor Things</i>--an expansive and well-loved adaptation with a very distinctive voice that focuses on concepts of language and communication. And finally, you have <i>Barbie</i>, a movie whose Oscar journey turned out rockier than expected. If voters are feeling penitent for having snubbed Gerwig in director, one easy way to show that contrition would be to give her an Oscar in screenplay. Plus, it's a strange, funny, and surprising movie that is clearly well-loved by the world, and its champions might carry the day for it here. Additionally, it's been classified as an original screenplay by all the other awards bodies, so we don't really have any data about how it will compete against these movies, since they've generally not been in the same category together. Still, if the Academy were desperate to reward <i>Barbie</i>, they would have started by, y'know, rewarding <i>Barbie </i>with nominations.<br />So there it is: pick <i>Oppenheimer</i> as the easy answer, or pick one of the other choices if you feel like a little chaos.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Barbie </i>(the heart wants what it wants, even when it's not likely)<br />Could Win: <i>American Fiction</i><br />Should Win: <i>Barbie</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>Barbie</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon<br />Napoleon<br />Oppenheimer<br />Poor Things</i></p><p>Casual deathmatch here between <i>Poor Things</i> and <i>Barbie</i>. Which film's popularity brings it the win? Which film's wacky visuals feel more compelling to voters? Will <i>Oppenheimer</i> say 'I don't care, look, I made a town in New Mexico for your enjoyment,' pushing the ladies on the way to the podium? I honestly couldn't tell you. This category's a guess, and yours is as good as mine.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Barbie</i><br />Could Win: <i>Poor Things</i><br />Should Win: <i>Barbie</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Barbie<br />Killers of the Flower Moon<br />Napoleon<br />Oppenheimer<br />Poor Things</i></p><p>Exact same arguments as the previous category, except with a little more general hand-waving. But where <i>Oppenheimer</i> has a valid chance in the previous category, you should only expect it to win here if it's going to tie or break the record number of Oscars won.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Poor Things</i><br />Could Win: <i>Barbie</i><br />Should Win: <i>Poor Things</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Saltburn</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>The Creator</i><br /><i>Godzilla Minus One<br />Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3<br />Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning: Part One<br />Napoleon</i></p><p>Anarchy! Pure Anarchy! Go burn an effigy on your lawn and hope for the best! Which is to say that <i>Oppenheimer's </i>absence has created a vacuum in which any one of these nominees <i>could</i> win, though it's a likelier path for some than for others. Your smartest bests are <i>Godzilla</i> and <i>The Creator</i>, each of which are peddling a similar narrative of a spunky visual effects department with small budget turning out stellar work in a way that didn't punish the artists like other, large (Disney-er) movies might. (Granted, <i>Godzilla</i>'s budget was about $55 million smaller than <i>The Creator</i>'s, but they're also very different movies.) <i>The Creator</i> is hindered by the fact that not many people saw it, and even fewer people liked it, but it does look gorgeous in a way that wins awards. <i>Godzilla </i>has to contend with the fact that no non-English language film has ever won this category, and that some voters will surely feel voting for a <i>Godzilla</i> movie in any category. That said, it is, weirdly, the most prestigious movie up for the award, which definitely helps.<br />Five years ago, I'd have said that this was the perfect opportunity to reward Marvel with their first Visual Effects Oscar, but a lot has changed in the last five years, most pertinently how no one seems that excited about Marvel. So <i>Guardians</i> is a threat, by maybe a minor one. I've read that people's love for the <i>Mission: Impossible</i> franchise will swell and guide it to the win, but I can't help but think that if such a swell existed among Oscar voters, they might have given the franchise a nomination before this, its seventh movie. And <i>Napoleon </i>is also here. Good for you, <i>Napoleon</i>! You go, <i>Napoleon</i>. Someone get a time machine real quick and go explain to actual Napoleon what Oscars are and why he won't win any.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Godzilla Minus One</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Creator</i><br />Should Win: <i>Godzilla Minus One</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br /><i>Golda<br />Maestro<br />Oppenheimer<br />Poor Things<br />Society of the Snow</i></p><p>Somehow, despite the constant Discourse, <i>Maestro</i> is still a threat to win this--let's chalk it up to the power of Kazu Hiro, one of the Academy's new and very favorite makeup artists. That said, the tides seem to be changing, and we might expect Emma Stone to surf into town on a board made of her own hair, winking at a clapping Bradley Cooper as <i>Poor Things</i> sneaks in for the win. At any rate, this award has paired not infrequently in the recent past with a lead acting award, so if you're predicting Emma Stone to win actress (like I am), then it seems silly not to expect a win here as well. Of course, you could just as easily use that argument to suggest that <i>Oppenheimer </i>pairs its best actor win with a makeup win, and you're not wrong.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Poor Things</i><br />Could Win: <i>Maestro</i><br />Should Win: <i>Society of the Snow*</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i></p><p>*I haven't seen <i>Golda</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>Anatomy of a Fall<br />The Holdovers<br />Killers of the Flower Moon<br />Oppenheimer<br />Poor Thing</i></p><p>Fair warning: we're now entering a whole stretch of categories that <i>Oppenheimer</i> will almost definitely win, and the only thing to do is call out what wild upset would happen if tonight got wild and upsetting. In this case, it's probably nothing. If <i>Oppenheimer</i> loses here, expect it to lose pretty much everywhere (...a phrase which in <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s case means 'only win 3-5 Oscars instead of 9-12). <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i> would probably the one to push it off its throne here, but don't count on it.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />Should Win: <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Priscilla</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>El Conde</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>Maestro</i><br /><i>Oppenheimer<br />Poor Things</i></p><p>Another <i>Oppenheimer </i>category, and one as equally unlikely for it to lose. <i>Poor Things </i>or <i>Killers</i> as upsets? Maybe, but it's just as likely that a piece of Skynet falls down onto your summer camp.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: <i>Poor Things</i><br />Should Win: <i>Killers of the Flower Moon*</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Saltburn</i></p><p>*I haven't seen <i>El Conde</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>American Fiction</i><br /><i>Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i></p><p>Another <i>Oppenheimer </i>category, this one slightly more likely to upset. While I absolutely don't think it'll happen, it's possible that the Academy will want to reward Robbie Robertson, the composer of <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i> who passed away shortly after the film was released. It's a possible narrative, and a stronger one than '<i>Poor Things </i>likes fisheye lenses and so do I.' That said, the Academy might have shown just how much it thinks about posthumously honoring people film fans think they should honor with the 2020 Chadwick Boseman kerfuffle.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Should Win: <i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Society of the Snow</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>The Creator<br />Maestro<br />Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning: Part One<br />Oppenheimer<br />The Zone of Interest</i></p><p>Another <i>Oppenheimer</i> category, this one with the most compelling anti-<i>Oppenheimer </i>argument of all! It would be devastatingly silly to bet against <i>Oppenheimer</i> here, but <i>The Zone of Interest</i> is a well respected and admired movie whose sound design is arguably its most talked about and admired element. It would be a highly atypical choice, but plenty of braver people than I am predicting it. I'm gonna end up not predicting it, but part of me wishes I would</p><p>Will Win: <i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Zone of Interest</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Zone of Interest</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"The Fire Inside"-<i>Flamin' Hot</i><br />"I'm Just Ken"-<i>Barbie</i><br />"It Never Went Away"-<i>American Symphony</i><br />"What Was I Made For"-<i>Barbie</i><br />"Whazhazhe"-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></p><p>Probably the only place where <i>Barbie</i> is more or less guaranteed an Oscar win? "What Was I Made For" probably has the edge here, spurred on by Billie Eilish's popularity (...also I kind of wonder if this will be the Academy's reaction to all the <i>Barbie </i>nomination backlash? Like, not to do anything about it but make sure that the song about Barbie wins instead of the song about Ken). Still, there is one bonkers but surprisingly plausible alternative. "It Never Went Away" and "The Fire Inside" are totally inconceivable as winners, which means that all non-<i>Barbie </i>voters might be voting for "Whazhazhe." That song has the additional perk of the 'honor the late Robbie Robertson' sentiment that might appear in original score. Granted, Robertson had nothing to do with the song and wouldn't receive an Oscar for it, but I do wonder whether the average voter will interrogate that. Anyway, this is the big upset that I'm not brave enough to predict but do think could happen. Then again, will the Academy send <i>Barbie</i> home Oscar-less? Probably not.</p><p>Will Win: "What Was I Made For"-<i>Barbie</i><br />Could Win: "I'm Just Ken"-<i>Barbie</i><br />Should Win: "What Was I Made For"-<i>Barbie*</i><br />Should Have Been Here: "Camp Isn't Home"-<i>Theater Camp</i></p><p>*I haven't seen <i>The Fire Inside </i>or <i>American Symphony</i>, but like</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br /><i>The Boy and the Heron</i><i><br />Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse<br />Elemental<br />Nimona<br />Robot Dreams<br /></i></p><p>I'm probably making this one more complicated than it needs to be--<i>Spider-Man</i> was a huge box office success, loved by critics, and part of one of the most popular mini-franchises going right now. So why does it feel like it's going to lose? Its reception didn't help--a very warm one, obviously, but one that got a little colder as the year progressed. If the Oscars had happened last June, <i>Spider-Verse</i> would have been up for picture, screenplay, and a handful of craft categories, but as the year progressed and people thought more about it, each of those possibilities fell away until only animated film was left, and even that looks tenuous. That said, is <i>The Boy and the Heron</i>, its direct competition, any less tenuous? Sure, it's Miyazaki's biggest hit ever in the US, it's well-reviewed, and he's all set to retire, which makes this the perfect time to give him one last Oscar. That said, when is Miyazaki not well reviewed? When is he not set to retire? The Academy has never seemed in that big a hurry to reward him (<i>Spirited Away</i> notwithstanding), and what would set them on that path for this, one of his stranger and more inscrutable movies? It's a toss-up. Both <i>Spider-Verse</i> and <i>Boy and the Heron </i>feel primed to fail, but none of the movies below them seem like they've even got a shot, so who's to say?</p><p>Will Win: <i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Boy and the Heron</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Boy and the Heron*</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem</i></p><p>*I haven't seen <i>Robot Dreams</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Film</u><br /><i>Io Capitano</i>-Italy<br /><i>Perfect Days</i>-Japan<br /><i>The Teacher's Lounge</i>-Germany<br /><i>Society of the Snow</i>-Spain<br /><i>The Zone of Interest</i>-The UK</p><p>Easiest call of the night. No movie nominated in both this category and best picture has ever lost, and <i>The Zone of Interest</i> has actual heat in other categories as well.</p><p>Will Win: <i>The Zone of Interest</i>-The UK<br />Could Win: <i>Society of the Snow</i>-Spain<br />Should Win: Abstain (I've only see <i>The Zone of Interest</i> and<i> Society of the Snow</i>)</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>20 Days in Mariupol<br />Bobi Wine: The People's President<br />The Eternal Memory<br />Four Daughters<br />To Kill a Tiger</i></p><p>Year in and year out, this is the category I know the most about (and, unfortunately, struggle the most to care about). This year presents a real-ass apotheosis (and/or nadir) of my own apathy, as I haven't seen any of these nominees and feel particularly poorly qualified to work on them. Such as it is, <i>20 Days </i>seems like the faraway frontrunner. I've heard whispers about <i>Four Daughters </i>but I kind of wonder if <i>To Kill a Tiger</i> would take that spot instead? Still, I'm not gonna pretend to be well-informed, so thank goodness there's an easy frontrunner for me to point at like I'm a pod person discovering someone.</p><p>Will Win: <i>20 Days in Mariupol</i><br />Could Win: <i>Four Daughters</i><br />Should Win: abstain</p><p>And that's that! Currently, I've got <i>Oppenheimer</i> as the biggest winner with a paltry 8 wins--bizarre how that both feels like I'm under-predicting but would also make <i>Oppenheimer</i> one of the 20 most Oscar-winning films of all time. I don't think it'll break the all-time record, but 9 or 10 seems doable, which would certainly be close enough. <br />Well, whatever happens, I'll still be here next year, glancing morosely at all the toys that the Academy didn't want to play with, and throwing some patented stink-eye at the ones that they did.</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-10826346465735102172024-03-07T13:35:00.000-07:002024-03-07T13:35:13.205-07:00Best of 2023, Part Three: Craft Categories<div>Well, shall we just say that a nefarious conspiracy exists to keep me from writing these at full power? And maybe rightfully so, since me writing movie lists at full power is (according to all my movie-related employers) something that no one is ready to see. </div><div><br />While I wish I could deliver on the promised thousands of words singing the praises of the robot sounds in<i> The Creator</i> or the sunburn makeup in <i>Society of the Snow</i>, enough things have gotten in the way that I'll have to truncate things a bit (though, because it's me, 'truncated' still means something along the lines of 'like 38,000 words'). Because I procrastinated starting this series and because I'll be traveling soon, I've only had a few days to write everything and have to finish today. So there we have it! If anything below feels rushed, less spirited than usual, or carrying some wild-eyed scent of panic, it's because all of those things are true! Still, wild horses couldn't keep me from waxing poetic about the crafts categories (and they keep trying, despite my many strongly worded letters to the Horse Council). None of the movies you love, and none of the movie moments that have moved you, could exist without hundreds of artists and craftspeople working to bring them into reality. So let's talk about the important stuff! Anyone can applaud Robert Downey Jr. and then reflect ruefully on what they've done, but not everyone can spend the better part of two days deciding which clip from <i>Napoleon</i> best encapsulates its sonic approach to battlefield violence. And if there's one (very dumb) reason I was put on this earth, it's to do exactly that. So let's dive in!</div><div><br /></div><div>(Note: all the pictures should enlarge if you click on them.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>5. Production Design</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Wonka</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4pY48EGS3_YcDWiV3jA8eqpgueBBeZcsQAJrhTtEZrcB1AEAh3wIXHFjwEKj1p97LTawUF7LCNJxgWwrVAlTy640mNaN3SrULoqEUI4HLc_-pxvnGk_dCztZlkjvbXV6sFUmCKp59f_Ta0ZUtEtFgJHvizBfuGQJo2pb8-gdzVZoKGhH3XpuCUGCsOG5O" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="400" data-original-width="640" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4pY48EGS3_YcDWiV3jA8eqpgueBBeZcsQAJrhTtEZrcB1AEAh3wIXHFjwEKj1p97LTawUF7LCNJxgWwrVAlTy640mNaN3SrULoqEUI4HLc_-pxvnGk_dCztZlkjvbXV6sFUmCKp59f_Ta0ZUtEtFgJHvizBfuGQJo2pb8-gdzVZoKGhH3XpuCUGCsOG5O=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://ca.movies.yahoo.com/wonka-chocolate-real-director-reveals-000000546.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGS_1Zcs8xAdZLpVGwDfi6mK9X7BAlAcCVDO-k7VYdfjzZoS63pYZxG1k0Yvu1cOT6v19rx5vPfDWb9BJpsnWvwoFLQJNLMbxpJhaFEIKHBdIWkr2Cl1E1mnTXY9WzqDYPvT_qJLr3nTvrA3nMIU91fu2RzLfBxKIBpmNJznGqio" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Frozen cities! Wonky confections! Human trafficking, but in technicolor!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRtOSsdFdK3xX3ENV7ibjCqg_HuQePaUxMWU0XhcKMKLqf0Uwxo3u377rWMUBU3emMidoMpANi24j6YKZwpHqYEm9OZ0FGGg6rOqsScpU_s7oadaZRYNlu6rFbDX0IfHKOhNIXFzjdvlMPSrfzZkps7naP0KGPbjPkl-IexPVempfrpDxhrVCeybxBiI_L" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRtOSsdFdK3xX3ENV7ibjCqg_HuQePaUxMWU0XhcKMKLqf0Uwxo3u377rWMUBU3emMidoMpANi24j6YKZwpHqYEm9OZ0FGGg6rOqsScpU_s7oadaZRYNlu6rFbDX0IfHKOhNIXFzjdvlMPSrfzZkps7naP0KGPbjPkl-IexPVempfrpDxhrVCeybxBiI_L=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://ew.com/movies/hunger-games-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes-production-design-post-war-panem/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Evil Laboratories! War-torn dystopias! Lavish sets for all your kid-killing needs!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>Asteroid City</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj0RmVEo5FrZcBa58PKGedriW9xcB9VH9h5Sz073no91t_OBnHrClyBaA9fGcy_qLhUzyCKzPpKvyPp8RU9jg8qQAIuTc7Pf1jB87sUhGtT5kNyUhWFesIFdZEgs15QpdpKZ3zd7F59JIvSodbh_9fazyz_TQYu-lNPX7TfbA90e26kpmg8AsgInazGd9F" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj0RmVEo5FrZcBa58PKGedriW9xcB9VH9h5Sz073no91t_OBnHrClyBaA9fGcy_qLhUzyCKzPpKvyPp8RU9jg8qQAIuTc7Pf1jB87sUhGtT5kNyUhWFesIFdZEgs15QpdpKZ3zd7F59JIvSodbh_9fazyz_TQYu-lNPX7TfbA90e26kpmg8AsgInazGd9F=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://awant.medium.com/meaning-of-asteroid-city-or-behind-curtains-33ae5369c9e5" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Meticulous pastel desert oases! Furious right angled wastelands for little green men to float over!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgi2OAqZKHlPVNrrnLmv6DdNI9rwepcjq5-6ME5Ly2aQQc6fZAN5J9NThA5ADYVQDsDkPehfvHuCEpCv0mM21tnG6wtEMF6-O3NJDCE_ZyYgP68Rf0Xj_bWidgPfgc_CcThHL8MONoAUxa9-K6xuY7MhelOJ9wZdVqODgf9xzmNaGU2H7MUTKn7KdtEgDnW" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="515" data-original-width="1225" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgi2OAqZKHlPVNrrnLmv6DdNI9rwepcjq5-6ME5Ly2aQQc6fZAN5J9NThA5ADYVQDsDkPehfvHuCEpCv0mM21tnG6wtEMF6-O3NJDCE_ZyYgP68Rf0Xj_bWidgPfgc_CcThHL8MONoAUxa9-K6xuY7MhelOJ9wZdVqODgf9xzmNaGU2H7MUTKn7KdtEgDnW=w400-h169" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://aranya007.medium.com/spider-man-across-the-spider-verse-is-art-6dd440f1c10a" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Exciting and distinctive world for every character, some of which are the most amazing things you've ever seen in your stupid, hollow life!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Barbie</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_HplLSwbS9CSUnSocZcYifvG0QeJJXGXhq9aG5SZvBEdHjCVegEMcELl68Jei9Yon_DJfH6iEVgiwCfjM4mOKpXabxtLQwMRHfKlkoghdQwBSgCZr_wC-aisIVvNI_4W884I0kJO3hGLFMKyUEvbRSlZiD4xiCmflNFFu5A_F0Tm_lfwvAt3chA3bmFgX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="2103" data-original-width="3738" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_HplLSwbS9CSUnSocZcYifvG0QeJJXGXhq9aG5SZvBEdHjCVegEMcELl68Jei9Yon_DJfH6iEVgiwCfjM4mOKpXabxtLQwMRHfKlkoghdQwBSgCZr_wC-aisIVvNI_4W884I0kJO3hGLFMKyUEvbRSlZiD4xiCmflNFFu5A_F0Tm_lfwvAt3chA3bmFgX=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/entertainment/a44345243/barbie-movie-sets-design-filming-locations/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Your childhood memories brought to person-sized life and ready to think about death! Aqua warned us about this!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention:<i> The Creator</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Costume Design</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Passages</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVxsg-3QZgLrLaNkksCi-O1Vcw9sogOKkQasZVQHR7zsIHMWGOVMzAKDwFSfdKLzwiEv641-u9Lw6OSBTcS9T8bjlIrDpz2ArJQwps7I7Z6hOdjHQvmThUV9f1oGFDmzP8LwF_eVOsWmK3h-CUCQww1eYJzxf-3-fSHO4wjYRh7P7A0FCcwg_zgMzhyobz" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVxsg-3QZgLrLaNkksCi-O1Vcw9sogOKkQasZVQHR7zsIHMWGOVMzAKDwFSfdKLzwiEv641-u9Lw6OSBTcS9T8bjlIrDpz2ArJQwps7I7Z6hOdjHQvmThUV9f1oGFDmzP8LwF_eVOsWmK3h-CUCQww1eYJzxf-3-fSHO4wjYRh7P7A0FCcwg_zgMzhyobz=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.autostraddle.com/iconic-clothes-from-passages/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All the see-through knitwear you need to ruin someone's life with!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>Bottoms</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbx_3SwtLxjqLi3t-yP34r3vWSxLAptwt6Y9okQELHreU12LFyHciGOdqInPhFD6YwHSN0k3p1FcR-paqyxjtDhfWZkOe1kXxP990mMIx1STNe3gLg7GHhxw42SKlMFDGO6mQFNslyaK7djwyLKdgA4AYTh_z6o74zJZLXOtDjLXDsyosmdmjha0n8tXw0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="2556" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbx_3SwtLxjqLi3t-yP34r3vWSxLAptwt6Y9okQELHreU12LFyHciGOdqInPhFD6YwHSN0k3p1FcR-paqyxjtDhfWZkOe1kXxP990mMIx1STNe3gLg7GHhxw42SKlMFDGO6mQFNslyaK7djwyLKdgA4AYTh_z6o74zJZLXOtDjLXDsyosmdmjha0n8tXw0=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/bottoms-movie-costume-design-eunice-jera-lee" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">High fashion for anyone's who's ever wondered what it'd look like to fall clothes-first into a thrift store and then beat up a football player!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>Saltburn</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKi0_pcDNyMU8-qzmIkGN4r0PT64dytU7rZ9WyKBB6lBO3UD765AjUrvCCSJaBt5GoSK83oYVI1agvXI-pXt4qDbiVn4A7yJLNSlSuaUCY1rPZG3c7OxP63Zd7WAoohgR9jvGDo_3t4swYKqDQu7AGPsr8NTkuAjlSB5PLFFeGPRt0vx6179r8_mAzHMR8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1400" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKi0_pcDNyMU8-qzmIkGN4r0PT64dytU7rZ9WyKBB6lBO3UD765AjUrvCCSJaBt5GoSK83oYVI1agvXI-pXt4qDbiVn4A7yJLNSlSuaUCY1rPZG3c7OxP63Zd7WAoohgR9jvGDo_3t4swYKqDQu7AGPsr8NTkuAjlSB5PLFFeGPRt0vx6179r8_mAzHMR8=w400-h286" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://thehoneycombers.com/singapore/saltburn-movie-review/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLBFUfLfhZmGZ15xhBJxTQdn7zBeImhKfZ22DIS1bMCqilidUh_qCG68sTOx7moEq_-lpvziRwM5yI1xntQKdfmtfZPa2lD99aeFiMqgZ8BGVijQW2cSV7xlu1ulEFKFWHQSvzGCY2LI1XGzKWd3Z0H0WbSgkXVZh8XLkKc1i6HLNufoL0PprfmZ7DWEEY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="1280" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLBFUfLfhZmGZ15xhBJxTQdn7zBeImhKfZ22DIS1bMCqilidUh_qCG68sTOx7moEq_-lpvziRwM5yI1xntQKdfmtfZPa2lD99aeFiMqgZ8BGVijQW2cSV7xlu1ulEFKFWHQSvzGCY2LI1XGzKWd3Z0H0WbSgkXVZh8XLkKc1i6HLNufoL0PprfmZ7DWEEY=w400-h349" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://k-wame.tumblr.com/post/735101876308180992/this-could-be-us-on-halloween-but-you-wanna-play" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lifestyles of the rich and famous! Clothes to consume their various fluids in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Barbie</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6-kKzPxbtYhUjLSxIjqp58MfprcmD5ptm0YOJ41HVh1vzeu9Acrza8IudYy_ARBZzEp37iPJnNjAMt1ou5V-2H8WfQkTR2nIKN2i-o5yn8TslJW7ANRcUiy58aKUhy00mnTq_fBR1-lvQkXCxQsfuP0yPC3eTV2_leWypOWt8HoZ6YLYUFULAiBPxzVTz" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6-kKzPxbtYhUjLSxIjqp58MfprcmD5ptm0YOJ41HVh1vzeu9Acrza8IudYy_ARBZzEp37iPJnNjAMt1ou5V-2H8WfQkTR2nIKN2i-o5yn8TslJW7ANRcUiy58aKUhy00mnTq_fBR1-lvQkXCxQsfuP0yPC3eTV2_leWypOWt8HoZ6YLYUFULAiBPxzVTz=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.elle.com/fashion/shopping/a44651788/best-barbie-movie-costumes/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvxpfoYsU1EYCOTgbo-iXoJRXxOLUgMM3m5N-uCrtysBgTyBZNZhCkfmguv_AFRGxCaXZlwRQxTEY4fdBbjb6a9IL0QWtBufn3dr0XKkdeQLrBNQq_cM3eHEZvsqBo4FsttThGX-JlPI7r7AEJr_0TKz95ajQEMYHFt3gtUp7qsHbt0YfHfXvtC0omM9pe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvxpfoYsU1EYCOTgbo-iXoJRXxOLUgMM3m5N-uCrtysBgTyBZNZhCkfmguv_AFRGxCaXZlwRQxTEY4fdBbjb6a9IL0QWtBufn3dr0XKkdeQLrBNQq_cM3eHEZvsqBo4FsttThGX-JlPI7r7AEJr_0TKz95ajQEMYHFt3gtUp7qsHbt0YfHfXvtC0omM9pe=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://people.com/style/barbie-movie-outfits-pictures/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More pink than you can handle, spiritually! So many different eye-popping fashions that you will eventually give up on having eyes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Poor Things</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdeQzm925ytBd7Dj1Obwfnekc2YCeZqOd9bQMiLsJyF7UXmAQKnNp85PgWL7sCu9AwoMR18eJMVW59hTwmrfOZf0uS-Y5H7oScAtAiyiA5gVCQVfqRx9cizb8eujvqKGsozU9Vrr0XUmU1fqfl0Tjbib8O3rUtARvmIsSjXqWptIgCOre1E2iENJBCcSBi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="630" data-original-width="980" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdeQzm925ytBd7Dj1Obwfnekc2YCeZqOd9bQMiLsJyF7UXmAQKnNp85PgWL7sCu9AwoMR18eJMVW59hTwmrfOZf0uS-Y5H7oScAtAiyiA5gVCQVfqRx9cizb8eujvqKGsozU9Vrr0XUmU1fqfl0Tjbib8O3rUtARvmIsSjXqWptIgCOre1E2iENJBCcSBi=w400-h258" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a46066144/poor-things-costumes-interview/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkVvopDSdmM3i44nmZ5_OzlUK6jJYHMAd8ljYh8gAyiIHqpCx_JpkwYi6IxQg3rU2SFT6dDqUx5zpsI3KX83yZE1rw4EjchHV8L4lUxdSMGTSg-m8Qd7wGPtH0E4HHQVVJyzC3aVZooLlsE20vYNeKdHf6V14ayWt51SGge7rz1VDPU_jpih-7GPjzGP81" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkVvopDSdmM3i44nmZ5_OzlUK6jJYHMAd8ljYh8gAyiIHqpCx_JpkwYi6IxQg3rU2SFT6dDqUx5zpsI3KX83yZE1rw4EjchHV8L4lUxdSMGTSg-m8Qd7wGPtH0E4HHQVVJyzC3aVZooLlsE20vYNeKdHf6V14ayWt51SGge7rz1VDPU_jpih-7GPjzGP81=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/sexualized-costume-design-poor-things-1235711242/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Architectural gowns birthed by the end of the world! Obscene power-clashing! The only wedding dress you'll ever want to wear (to the wedding you don't want to go to)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(or <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>--what stacked category this is this year)<br /><br /><b><u>Visual Effects</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Oppenheimer</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4_QVOH2vlEUDoAyD1CI9ds8sCFwQc-q2WaRRtBrt-Rnl-zydEYg0VlEkG1_m3NWlf_EhjS4aDQfXIswf96RtNGNTsQ4buXAtvdmxJpG5E79aIXM5Y3PM6ETfmz-7KdjVaV-XwsmjLmphSVA_6GgklzJ2HYJSfKvSqOHwi-4GV_U1KOKaYcCj1QJ5_L_-/s852/oppenheimer_effects.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="852" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG4_QVOH2vlEUDoAyD1CI9ds8sCFwQc-q2WaRRtBrt-Rnl-zydEYg0VlEkG1_m3NWlf_EhjS4aDQfXIswf96RtNGNTsQ4buXAtvdmxJpG5E79aIXM5Y3PM6ETfmz-7KdjVaV-XwsmjLmphSVA_6GgklzJ2HYJSfKvSqOHwi-4GV_U1KOKaYcCj1QJ5_L_-/w400-h224/oppenheimer_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://atomtickets.com/movie-news/oppenheimer-christopher-nolan-atomic-nuclear-bomb-test-scene/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">All practical effects! Atoms and explosions!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI6DSg5-qHcDGxb1auyjEmsPhd2VBVvLavnVAHB1_USGVA5OCDcT4t9yQtA6GWHlF6FaZvG4yyBO-yqJA7YBFpch1NoVtk2Lo1TzrcwVQ9o6nCwxw8qJlx0I0rCs026LxKGdcV6kx2F-GVPwR3Tf3kKZFUoGOg3ssoTMAT4qf8JshNrBS2LyqHthSlSxY/s200/dungeons%20and%20dragons_effects.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipI6DSg5-qHcDGxb1auyjEmsPhd2VBVvLavnVAHB1_USGVA5OCDcT4t9yQtA6GWHlF6FaZvG4yyBO-yqJA7YBFpch1NoVtk2Lo1TzrcwVQ9o6nCwxw8qJlx0I0rCs026LxKGdcV6kx2F-GVPwR3Tf3kKZFUoGOg3ssoTMAT4qf8JshNrBS2LyqHthSlSxY/w400-h400/dungeons%20and%20dragons_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://giphy.com/explore/sophialillas" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wacky creatures! Massive cities and underground hellscapes! All the things your dnd group could totally do, probably, if they really wanted to, but just leave it alone, ok!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>Napoleon</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHq9NHJwrU8x2Zj9E3l4m9mquWkWyT-MrocElB8ghfF09IkOzIxT3kVdGwFa1uCQ2nCHxIdq5P4XAOo1-MgzvHAZosRM6YLHAhw5772elPLUfH3Uys3XpCpRHwYg-9rdtTxO7sThIyL2FHtZmFGravpb55YgjBVA_3IVs5DacQe0ymyWuMTWNFO-nDFTlm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="545" data-original-width="1280" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHq9NHJwrU8x2Zj9E3l4m9mquWkWyT-MrocElB8ghfF09IkOzIxT3kVdGwFa1uCQ2nCHxIdq5P4XAOo1-MgzvHAZosRM6YLHAhw5772elPLUfH3Uys3XpCpRHwYg-9rdtTxO7sThIyL2FHtZmFGravpb55YgjBVA_3IVs5DacQe0ymyWuMTWNFO-nDFTlm=w400-h170" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://beforesandafters.com/2023/12/22/how-the-biggest-vfx-moments-in-ridley-scotts-napoleon-were-made/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Brutal battles! The even more brutal process of walking slowly into 19th century Russia! Lots of ways to watch horses die! An upsetting lack of gifs online that I could use here!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>The Creator</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb0viPXB-523LVs3-OL4rWc5mh4RvhhFoI-auoYnjkZQ0rlzGUCS1stTj4zvbTZuno-KWcGDGpopWq1xPo1yri5AsiQ3LYaT-0hQCXe4o4vI_GgVUiMPfSB-jGMQpOfX4r8Aco8SnEtWmHbXgqfID6XPIR4fCalaexsPqv-oXXRn-2ZIStkDcpnlmy0Vk/s540/creator_effects.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPb0viPXB-523LVs3-OL4rWc5mh4RvhhFoI-auoYnjkZQ0rlzGUCS1stTj4zvbTZuno-KWcGDGpopWq1xPo1yri5AsiQ3LYaT-0hQCXe4o4vI_GgVUiMPfSB-jGMQpOfX4r8Aco8SnEtWmHbXgqfID6XPIR4fCalaexsPqv-oXXRn-2ZIStkDcpnlmy0Vk/w400-h400/creator_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://junkfoodcinemas.tumblr.com/post/717848383390433280/the-creator-2023-dir-gareth-edwards" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Robot-human hybrids and all the various ways they can be ripped limb from limb! Evangelion-style floating death platforms! Ethical filming practices (for VFX artists, if not for the aforementioned robots)!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Godzilla Minus One</i></b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wZWtAu4Q3h0abg5aHe539phJsG8eJyiKbCaIyKnmgYRE2onOZ1pNjZiHg7xJwDH7eBBExGS9L2WIyFrdcrzQ828147nhYblBnwBctPOXwpahOp4FP642wWp049TfWhTqyGdDlI2mj39kjkP9_m3aXy1zXFhWwgLM9R9eSbqlqt-lUhRUOIFwOYAnNCG-/s480/godzilla%20minus%20one_effects.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wZWtAu4Q3h0abg5aHe539phJsG8eJyiKbCaIyKnmgYRE2onOZ1pNjZiHg7xJwDH7eBBExGS9L2WIyFrdcrzQ828147nhYblBnwBctPOXwpahOp4FP642wWp049TfWhTqyGdDlI2mj39kjkP9_m3aXy1zXFhWwgLM9R9eSbqlqt-lUhRUOIFwOYAnNCG-/w400-h225/godzilla%20minus%20one_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://makeagif.com/gif/godzilla-minus-one-trailer-2-2023-VV1vac" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The meanest Godzilla since 1954! City-sized destruction on a human scale! Spectacular images on a tiny budget!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Makeup and Hairstyling</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Barbie</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizJTLrz6OrQKnccZQTeRljmx68gTj2GWx08Dp25BL4YinuTP_b6i0rqFNgW82o9GxSGUwYotbONJJ5e5B7rlfxarBLFpV5EgNX1SMIBrX8pkbqoHn2_069EAVjRb9w95oPOZMXQ8a3LqU-E_w_0rhcmW17XnFn9jXx0nNlQpO6YuNFbtJR-9b2B5Dswo9_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizJTLrz6OrQKnccZQTeRljmx68gTj2GWx08Dp25BL4YinuTP_b6i0rqFNgW82o9GxSGUwYotbONJJ5e5B7rlfxarBLFpV5EgNX1SMIBrX8pkbqoHn2_069EAVjRb9w95oPOZMXQ8a3LqU-E_w_0rhcmW17XnFn9jXx0nNlQpO6YuNFbtJR-9b2B5Dswo9_=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/lifestyle/top-5-hair-makeup-looks-margot-robbie-sports-barbie-movie" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Did staring longingly at your Barbie's slovenly and unkempt hair inspire you to cosmetology school to prevent such an atrocity from ever happening again? If so, you might have made this movie!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>Poor Things</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2Uf_ZQmc10imDn6TeLjlvQRRxtaT17Xl6IMC1vr7_2FpON4Rc_5IZ_MxIVu_LaltF5gH7sHu4hm38jGG6mvFwnRsmIkX_R-jxXPWGTcu84xLuf-DjuQKpQ8Rb1BbTWfaknlXXMPhpAEJQ2e-gSN0jgXc_Z8osnfKTTElu1_UbEL4uXCSBOSETw_ZgwQsI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2Uf_ZQmc10imDn6TeLjlvQRRxtaT17Xl6IMC1vr7_2FpON4Rc_5IZ_MxIVu_LaltF5gH7sHu4hm38jGG6mvFwnRsmIkX_R-jxXPWGTcu84xLuf-DjuQKpQ8Rb1BbTWfaknlXXMPhpAEJQ2e-gSN0jgXc_Z8osnfKTTElu1_UbEL4uXCSBOSETw_ZgwQsI=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.btlnews.com/awards/for-your-consideration/poor-things-prosthetic-makeup-hair-designer-nadia-stacey-interview/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Long hair! Rebuilding Willem Dafoe from scratch (again)! Someone probably had to apply foundation to Mark Ruffalo's skyward ass!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjKQWlrls0cptQ1xB_lUi75Cqp944M4pwUfqXptonkYQI0V68BLTte6px6-C8uTtP_gshxCNnuTMIyZ86okmnDNL8LLNWXGxtPshWxQQYMPd_Du7mUzscM7fR_Ugd3QhbQgcBBLlkSfVGNGsKBsKNqg3xxxJLvyHd7YNwZZB61GWuGOLkbB6HAxFEVToAw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjKQWlrls0cptQ1xB_lUi75Cqp944M4pwUfqXptonkYQI0V68BLTte6px6-C8uTtP_gshxCNnuTMIyZ86okmnDNL8LLNWXGxtPshWxQQYMPd_Du7mUzscM7fR_Ugd3QhbQgcBBLlkSfVGNGsKBsKNqg3xxxJLvyHd7YNwZZB61GWuGOLkbB6HAxFEVToAw=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/guardians-galaxy-hair-makeup-interview-49172761" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Human-animal hybrids (who all perish in a world-sized apocalypse)! New aliens! Will Poulter's entire body is painted gold, for some reason, but why look a gift golden horse in the mouth!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRVqcpbGiX2TLhZ8sOj-XCifWYcJCjc2Lz9QQ0yP5lRt2afljxeHDZtWIVWD8dMWC3g7EJWsseuiUhc_Vs4jvxQ01zbpNr7ad4UB4Rysgb-e21N54eE9ijnSbnYKnqO_4w4JU4OEsN51uf9e-B7uJQV1jZUzcfjFq26w30XEJ6bLara6ZgBGXCJycCptb_" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="451" data-original-width="940" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRVqcpbGiX2TLhZ8sOj-XCifWYcJCjc2Lz9QQ0yP5lRt2afljxeHDZtWIVWD8dMWC3g7EJWsseuiUhc_Vs4jvxQ01zbpNr7ad4UB4Rysgb-e21N54eE9ijnSbnYKnqO_4w4JU4OEsN51uf9e-B7uJQV1jZUzcfjFq26w30XEJ6bLara6ZgBGXCJycCptb_=w400-h193" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/blog/practical-effects-wizardry-of-dungeons-and-dragons-honor-among-thieves-legacy-effects-behind-the-scenes" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Clever character details for all the leads! Long-dead pranksters who want to share their zombie humor! The entire zoo near you came alive, started walking on two legs, and wants you to roll initiative!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Society of the Snow</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXDi9U-e9MV1avJZdj1Yk9sPhcqHtRtvOukbh1DlAK34uWvoOC2kOf4TIKIfWg28j1hbLEQ-mean9jkhl7giLuQEW70YSlhQMklJTXRGPj1Pvpf6xHjmKb9T0zEwYKoeUBIX4p_FzSAralHXM-lApyHc4c8XAM-xDG4mu5j7cdpy8sPo5bJ-3k-rCZ3Hea" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXDi9U-e9MV1avJZdj1Yk9sPhcqHtRtvOukbh1DlAK34uWvoOC2kOf4TIKIfWg28j1hbLEQ-mean9jkhl7giLuQEW70YSlhQMklJTXRGPj1Pvpf6xHjmKb9T0zEwYKoeUBIX4p_FzSAralHXM-lApyHc4c8XAM-xDG4mu5j7cdpy8sPo5bJ-3k-rCZ3Hea=w400-h260" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0auHqsJr0fZ9dXyFh_bYQP_q-1xt3aMvilMpC2S_9GK9t528EdtYQfnqlqGwk4vilyzgVrtdV9Dcb3xIsP_7qGg3G2QvWhcCxkkrW4ZnRVopsXexWZtpBJeIoP5keLyQbK702fp_cGtxXMt9yy9TkUgjJVA_tesn8BK3RUKDyCT3wqzQ2lV2SqkXMkQw4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0auHqsJr0fZ9dXyFh_bYQP_q-1xt3aMvilMpC2S_9GK9t528EdtYQfnqlqGwk4vilyzgVrtdV9Dcb3xIsP_7qGg3G2QvWhcCxkkrW4ZnRVopsXexWZtpBJeIoP5keLyQbK702fp_cGtxXMt9yy9TkUgjJVA_tesn8BK3RUKDyCT3wqzQ2lV2SqkXMkQw4=w400-h260" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/society-of-the-snow-oscar-nominated-makeup-effects" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The very grim process of spending months on a snowy mountain! The even more grim process of dying there! I don't even have jokes, it's just really strong and upsetting work!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Cocaine Bear</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Film Editing</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">5. <i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">4. <i>Anatomy of a Fall<br /></i>3. <i>Priscilla</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2. <i>Oppenheimer</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1. <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Man, I am so bad at describing what I like about film editing. Clearly I love giving some kind of organic and fluid shape to unbelievably large projects, which applies to everything here but <i>Priscilla</i>, which also does that in its own way. Points to <i>Spider-Man</i> for stringing together more images than can be legally processed by the human eye, to <i>Anatomy </i>and <i>Priscilla</i> for fashioning their own prisons out of time and other people's glances, and to <i>Oppenheimer </i>for managing to be watchable (and intense) across the decades. But the obvious win is <i>Killers</i>, for turning hours of footage into a 3 1/2 experience that never once makes you conscious of its runtime.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Fallen Leaves</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Cinematography</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Cassandro</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmnqQxInB5b4wZ5J2uLQg1BSAa0BpIrq6gq4Q-klXJKc3cOeT2ElRhS_PEOwgOEmnpsIadHv6mhmDwSy1MGii_YMAhPFa7Uxfenhz7FExa4MlW6772yXgEmTwmWUP4OYH-U7RMUrzbbZS7d-1qQd9_XsqYqj-ts3eg72jTUaQkEHDya0szsSLp3YJ0bwmn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="210" data-original-width="375" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmnqQxInB5b4wZ5J2uLQg1BSAa0BpIrq6gq4Q-klXJKc3cOeT2ElRhS_PEOwgOEmnpsIadHv6mhmDwSy1MGii_YMAhPFa7Uxfenhz7FExa4MlW6772yXgEmTwmWUP4OYH-U7RMUrzbbZS7d-1qQd9_XsqYqj-ts3eg72jTUaQkEHDya0szsSLp3YJ0bwmn=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cassandro" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dappled sunsets! Flattering key lighting for slapping other guys around a ring! The aquamarine romance of sneaking off to your married lover at twilight!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>The Eight Mountains</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip4rHwkl9GuhM9MT6qR5cG4s3R-qPMmb8sAkBsgPZDYbPtXYP9kwh09gjnlxLzWYzZkJ42HYmJFQAYma9-Z7S8LBPGOfrpqB8ePr1YNjRNw6qWVvD46F84ehAbklMQW0u0_PE8bDGpBcWP2jGK3xCj6V6b-Mu-xbw2d8lohRlHYT_VXFTOhIL0Sv0VSmnQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEip4rHwkl9GuhM9MT6qR5cG4s3R-qPMmb8sAkBsgPZDYbPtXYP9kwh09gjnlxLzWYzZkJ42HYmJFQAYma9-Z7S8LBPGOfrpqB8ePr1YNjRNw6qWVvD46F84ehAbklMQW0u0_PE8bDGpBcWP2jGK3xCj6V6b-Mu-xbw2d8lohRlHYT_VXFTOhIL0Sv0VSmnQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/may/19/le-otto-montagne-the-eight-mountains-review-cannes-film-festival" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br />Using mountains and white light to frame your friendship (or more?), your father, and your flight from reality!<br /><br /><b>3. <i>Fallen Leaves</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib2qt8RoKNyYFz9D1sNqe9QoIzzlzijlR24Udqj9VkhCmsSONj8oUF-55y_tjYmiSwMY8Z8pAVei194IbuvAaLD2r_jRSJ6oLcZpUvZu3-SXOavjhtMeOQd9lxC31G4o_Dq52o40dyRsWSVHKFqBga_A6XRi-J32HYwiug4YLxaVjlSNidW8hu5g5KKGxo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib2qt8RoKNyYFz9D1sNqe9QoIzzlzijlR24Udqj9VkhCmsSONj8oUF-55y_tjYmiSwMY8Z8pAVei194IbuvAaLD2r_jRSJ6oLcZpUvZu3-SXOavjhtMeOQd9lxC31G4o_Dq52o40dyRsWSVHKFqBga_A6XRi-J32HYwiug4YLxaVjlSNidW8hu5g5KKGxo=w400-h268" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/12/20/arts/falling-fallen-leaves/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Colors and shadows for everyone who ever wondered whether purgatory would share colors with the Easter aisle at CVS!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Saltburn</i></b><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgub6DcGvMHi0meunxTCevIvdgxqgoEVmpjNpgogOi-EDieXfGuzsPpm-bdMk9APwl9GumZBJUA8u0fAWlX_5CW3W6ATUMx-CvcNyUm9S797PqSiQ-e4m6V85aZ76q5LP3PGsTFhcWMeLrlz15Voq7SZ25KlI-aXJMjoUVNf2SZju8wMYQqrJE_L9yrncXf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="640" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgub6DcGvMHi0meunxTCevIvdgxqgoEVmpjNpgogOi-EDieXfGuzsPpm-bdMk9APwl9GumZBJUA8u0fAWlX_5CW3W6ATUMx-CvcNyUm9S797PqSiQ-e4m6V85aZ76q5LP3PGsTFhcWMeLrlz15Voq7SZ25KlI-aXJMjoUVNf2SZju8wMYQqrJE_L9yrncXf" width="320" /></a></div>(<a href="https://battleshippretension.com/saltburn-now-lets-have-some-fun-by-scott-nye/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sparkling facades! Divine decadence! Framing and lighting Jacob Elordi like a sunbathing-based demigod, because why not!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></b></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguav7K8zuYEtdAImc2t2TRY1c92oHemLCL9dvEIiMDrCbjmSg5L94lRVnQCR_941KN2j869QtxKNLXeEl_ceJ6D1xePfNQAA9Z3SBAsex9jghCr-VX0qKYHwtx0_Z-D4vQ__XEgdgLV69ObbYpoFpCC_J5yF6TuC-ewTgb3Hvq5AzFY4ACnN35nZ1OA9pl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguav7K8zuYEtdAImc2t2TRY1c92oHemLCL9dvEIiMDrCbjmSg5L94lRVnQCR_941KN2j869QtxKNLXeEl_ceJ6D1xePfNQAA9Z3SBAsex9jghCr-VX0qKYHwtx0_Z-D4vQ__XEgdgLV69ObbYpoFpCC_J5yF6TuC-ewTgb3Hvq5AzFY4ACnN35nZ1OA9pl=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://davidpoland.substack.com/p/thb-395-killers-of-the-flower-moon" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Worlds turning from welcome to ugly in a heartbeat! Characters isolated in their own heads! Flights of nature and fancy that never feel quite how they might!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Oppenheimer</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Original Score</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. </b><i><b>The Boy and the Heron</b>-</i>feels cheap to just say "it's Joe Hisiashi," but that's kind of the case? Hisiashi doing what he does best, which in this case is cinematic excellence.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8pTSstdbQs&list=PLuD5cA8cy6uYvsWxPaUUnKGaV_SGRuEUS&index=7" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8pTSstdbQs&list=PLuD5cA8cy6uYvsWxPaUUnKGaV_SGRuEUS&index=7</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i>-like the movie itself, the score is moments of stillness punctuated by total, skin-peeling chaos. Very few moments in the movies this year got me more turnt than when the linked track below suddenly switches between those registers.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIl_VaWGyGE&list=PLRW80bBvVD3XsSk0eXKIQW_kZMMsQtlz-&index=2" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIl_VaWGyGE&list=PLRW80bBvVD3XsSk0eXKIQW_kZMMsQtlz-&index=2</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Poor Things</i>-puts the 'grand' in grand guignol, going for broke in the most expected-but-right ways (like the organ/voice fanfare below) and some not so expected ones (the rest of the movie, which is largely atonal burbling).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDeGyYvyNqs&list=PLRW80bBvVD3Vygrzj1ey-NUrY_3AhPDXC&index=22" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDeGyYvyNqs&list=PLRW80bBvVD3Vygrzj1ey-NUrY_3AhPDXC&index=22</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Society of the Snow</i>-does any movie this year owe more to its score than <i>Society of the Snow</i>? Giacchino's work builds an entire world (or, uh, society) in the wilderness, toggling between stomach-churning harmonic violence and sculptural melodies carving space into the air.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP4y7DTLn1Y&list=PLLv3qeuV3YDpCb0FS_pAg8LSBVpqLPNCm&index=25" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP4y7DTLn1Y&list=PLLv3qeuV3YDpCb0FS_pAg8LSBVpqLPNCm&index=25</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Oppenheimer</i>-the obvious choice, but sometimes that's the right one. Ludwig Goransson's proved time and again that he can hollow out a unique space in which a movie can live, and here's no exception. Would any of <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s (many) montages work without his sweeping rhythms, or could the Trinity test even exist without him hiring a whole roomful of people to scrape their fingers against a chalkboard? I'm not sure that they would or could.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JZ-o3iAJv4" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JZ-o3iAJv4</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(note: for first time I'm linking clips that demonstrate what I dig about the movie in question's sound, because how have I been doing this for 15 years and it's only just now occurred to me to do that?)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Godzilla Minus One</i>-the holy repulsiveness of an entire city coming apart at once, the whisper-thin tension of a monster casually swimming behind your boat, and sheer horror of everything that's covered in silence.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU4yhbBWdqM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU4yhbBWdqM</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(the clip has an awful watermark all over it, but hey, it's supposed to be showcasing sound anyway)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Society of the Snow</i>-lotta horrors this year! This one, specifically, in which the movie uses every trick in the book to create something immersive so that the audience can be like oh, hey, it turns out I am fine not being immersed in snow-related disasters.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CiTXgXyyTc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CiTXgXyyTc</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i>-like with so many elements in this movie--the design, the editing, the score--the sound mix takes an unimaginable number of moving parts and cajoles it into something resembling comprehensibility.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE3vJaXGtUU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE3vJaXGtUU</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Oppenheimer</i>-I'm sure we'll all get tired of praising <i>Oppenheimer</i> eventually, but it deserves a spot on this list just for that *one* moment (linked below), where, instead of doing the expected, the whole world disappears except the sounds of disbelieving breaths. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeY0ve9j8nw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeY0ve9j8nw</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Zone of Interest</i>-difficult to explain or display (or make a joke about) what qualifies this movie for this spot, but it's the right choice. Two hours of something dying somewhere inside your inner ear while everyone smiles at you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-QLGDIxvnQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-QLGDIxvnQ</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(it's a tiny clip, but it gives you a tiny idea)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>The Boy and the Heron</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Sound Editing</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem</i>-is it possible that I'm just easily impressed by the soundscapes of citywide destruction? Maybe, but like I also think weird mutant sounds are fun too.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUgCpF33epE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUgCpF33epE</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(some spoilers here)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Napoleon</i>-hard to convey this in one clip rather than by watching a three hour movie but <i>Napoleon</i> deserves credit for crafting a sound environment that we're pretty used to by now (battle scenes) and making them sound wetter, punchier, more chaotic. When was the last time a movie cannon made your diaphragm resonate?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW_Fb-fkrCk" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW_Fb-fkrCk</a><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">(theoretically spoilers here too, if whether or not Napoleon conquered the known world hasn't been spoiled for you yet)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Godzilla Minus One</i>-look, I'm a simple person: if someone--anyone--releases a kaiji movie, my eyes turn into little hearts and I spend the next three years thinking about getting to make sound effects.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u_WZ7Mq8hw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u_WZ7Mq8hw</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Creator</i>-maybe it's easy to see my genre biases here (at least for sound/sound editing) but listen to it! Click that link and listen to that scene and tell me this movie doesn't desire a pile of awards for giving all those elements such unique and expressive voices.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNtSJZIE5qQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNtSJZIE5qQ</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i>-a glorious exercise in maximalism. The sheer amount of work alone (just watch that clip below knowing that every character or object you see on screen needed a sound, and literally <i>every</i> sound needed to be created by a hard working sound team) would put this in the running, but the quality carried along in this massive avalanche just helps it grab the top spot.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_vFeAxFamw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_vFeAxFamw</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(some spoilers here as well)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Society of the Snow</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Original Song</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5. "Spinning Globe"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Boy and the Heron</i>-I'm sorry, did you say weepy bagpipes backing a power ballad playing at the end of a Ghibli movie? I'm not made of stone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUsURj_OYdA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUsURj_OYdA</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>4. "Wings of Time"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i>-in a very similar vein, did you say a Blue Öyster Cult-esque jam session full of good vibes and power chords playing at the end of a DnD movie? However strong you thought I was, subtract this from that amount and find your new total.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSj9CwEfNIQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSj9CwEfNIQ</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3. "Camp Isn't Home"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Theater Camp</i>-ok look, I will try and find some strength somewhere, but did you say a big-hearted summary broadway-style closing number that unites all the main characters in their love for their art and each other and also has a key change into the final chorus? Hope my fainting couch was made in Australia, because I am going down under.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xazOwtORsf0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xazOwtORsf0</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2. "I'm Just Ken"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Barbie</i>-ok so I may be knocked out on my fainting couch, but did someone say a power ballad parody that for some reason plays during a bizarro-world restaging of D-Day sung by Ryan Gosling that includes a dance-off with Simu Liu? Hope someone has a flexible life insurance policy out on me, because I have been dead for several days.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwux9KiBMjE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwux9KiBMjE</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>1. "What Was I Made For"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Barbie</i>-ok I may be dead, but did someone say a teary-eyed, piano-heavy Billie Eilish number whose primary purpose is to give us a chance to look at the people in the audience and silently mouth "I love you" while we gently clasp hands, finding for one moment a common resonance on which our constituent molecules can vibrate? Reader, I may already dead, but my body is has now totally liquified and is melting into the earth to nourish the worms and gnomes and whatever.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW8VLC9nnTo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW8VLC9nnTo</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Honorable mention: "Can't Catch Me Now"-The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And that's it for this years lists, vaguely truncated and lackluster as they might have been! I'm running a hot streak of doing this in a way/energy level that doesn't totally thrill me, but I am on an even hotter streak of being glad that I did them, and feeling grateful for everyone who stopped by to join me in some movie-related suffering. Thanks for your support, your time, and your mildly interested eyeballs! I'll be back today or tomorrow (or Saturday? no idea) with final Oscar predictions, but that's it for the big lists.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">For those playing along at home, these were the movies that showed up the most on my lists:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Barbie</i>-10</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>-8<br /><i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i>-7</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Saltburn</i>-6</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Godzilla Minus One</i>-6</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As for wins, <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i> dominated, taking Picture, Director, Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, and Cinematography, with only <i>Barbie</i> being able to claim more than one award (Supporting Actor, Production Design, and Original Song).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And that's it! As always, thanks much for reading!</div>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-33092827039914701032024-03-05T17:39:00.001-07:002024-03-05T17:41:00.532-07:00Best of 2023, Part Two: Acting, Directing, Screenplays<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Qob-5_3pscTXMbICajyzUEHFac5Yv8v0OdshbDsp4qP1HQLw5Mma8IPWmumzQPrrbEUoAR7cCnURq9IQAGTF3LESQSuIL_icI6BZZ2KIzRmonnblbe2fR5rcLlsCc0alTyU4_hRairM8_luOFfa4sjBLbJrcDDKhTKQYxGcN5DQ19XD7bomRmh5TBLN/s1305/acting%20birds.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="1305" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7Qob-5_3pscTXMbICajyzUEHFac5Yv8v0OdshbDsp4qP1HQLw5Mma8IPWmumzQPrrbEUoAR7cCnURq9IQAGTF3LESQSuIL_icI6BZZ2KIzRmonnblbe2fR5rcLlsCc0alTyU4_hRairM8_luOFfa4sjBLbJrcDDKhTKQYxGcN5DQ19XD7bomRmh5TBLN/w400-h215/acting%20birds.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>If we're being real, the hardest thing I've ever had to experience--and, by proxy, surely one of the hardest things you'll ever have to experience--is that I'm just no good at being fun and compelling while writing about all the big, flashy movie categories--acting, directing, and writing. Now I've won a Pulitzer (and expect a Nobel, as well as some modest property on Mars) for the wild epiphanies I've had about, say, what the fish sounds in <i>Avatar </i>mean for human civilization or why the big collars on the costumes Eiko Ishioka designs are the most important invention known to humanity (yeah, vaccines are cool, I guess, but have you ever seen a bird wearing a hat designed by Eiko Ishioka? It'd rearrange your priorities too). And if you want to be here to watch me collect my Nobel/deed for my tract of land on Mars, to which I am only inviting Eiko Ishioka's birds, then feel free to pop in tomorrow where I'll be writing all about the movies crafts I dug during the 2023 cinematic year.</p><p>But alas, we find ourselves stuck in today, which means I am gonna continue my newfound love of (sort of) streamlining. I'll do quick writeups for the best of the year in acting, directing, and writing, and with any luck, both you and I will get some kind of respite from the hours-long punishment of yesterday's best of the year post. Hooray! Looks like that double hand transplant I was planning on will have to wait for another day (...probably Thursday).</p><p>So without further ado (I ran out of ado days ago and honestly don't know where to get more), let's dive in!</p><p>Note: I'll include some clips for the acting categories, but there won't be any rhyme or reason to who gets them or why--just whatever I feel like, whatever can be found on youtube, whenever I feel like it.</p><p><br /></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Actress</u><br />5. Margot Robbie-<i>Barbie</i><br />4. Greta Lee-<i>Past Lives</i><br />3. Carey Mulligan-<i>Maestro</i><br />2. Sandra Hüller-<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />1. Lily Gladstone-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Emma Stone-<i>Poor Things</i></p><p>Strong lineup, totally defined by balance: Margot Robbie <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHZZ9BOqoZc" target="_blank">embodying an ideal and a real person</a> in <i>Barbie</i>, Greta Lee wanting the past and not wanting it at the same time in <i>Past Lives, </i>or Sandra Hüller keeping her thoughts to herself, until she doesn't in <i>Anatomy</i>. I don't have any love in my heart for <i>Maestro</i>, but who am I to deny the perfect 50/50 split of enthusiasm and weariness that Carey Mulligan brings to it, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeJhXas_yJM" target="_blank">every moment in that movie</a> worth watching belonging to her? It was tempting to give Hüller the top spot for any one of her broken silences, frustrated stares, or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhxaZlDMhCw" target="_blank">quiet (and loud) defenses</a>, but this year has to belong to Lily Gladstone, who can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTha2f-1Ivk" target="_blank">say more with the slightest movement</a> in her face or hands than most performers could shout.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />5. Barry Keoghan-<i>Saltburn</i><br />4. Colman Domingo-<i>Rustin</i><br />3. Leonardo Dicaprio-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />2. Gael Garcia Bernal-<i>Cassandro</i><br />1. Andrew Scott-<i>All of Us Strangers</i></p><p>Honorable Mention: Cillian Murphy-<i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p>Came <i>this</i> close to having Murphy in the top five, but what can I say? I can never turn down whatever wacky goblin antics Barry Keoghan has cooked up for us. Domingo <a href="https://youtu.be/pZHMN630xVs?si=idTGWU6Y0RehY8zb&t=68" target="_blank">carries his entire movie </a>in his fast and fluid hands, elevating a pretty paint-by-numbers biopic, and Dicaprio gives arguably the best performance of his career as a particularly stupid and violent bulldog who can't quite wrap his head around <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyAmO-aItA0" target="_blank">his own ugliness</a>. It was extremely tempting award the top spot to Bernal for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRXbziC1l3o" target="_blank">career-defining joy, energy</a>, and blank-screen hurt of his eyes in <i>Casssandro</i>. Still, the right choice is Andrew Scott's (literally) haunted work in <i>All of Us Strangers</i>, a man (and performer) constantly <a href="https://twitter.com/oneperfectscene/status/1751679442035110139" target="_blank">thrown into impossible situations</a> and doing his best to pretend that they don't matter that much.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />5. Da'Vine Joy Randolph-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />4. Taraji P. Henson-<i>The Color Purple</i><br />3. Rosamund Pike-<i>Saltburn</i><br />2. Rachel McAdams-<i>Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.</i><br />1. Julianne Moore-<i>May December</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Jodie Foster-<i>Nyad</i></p><p>Absolute treasure trove of a category, with Foster or Catalina Saavedra in <i>Rotting in the Sun</i> or Hong Chau in <i>Showing Up</i> or Scarlett Johansson in <i>Asteroid City</i> all worthy contenders that could have easily cracked the top five in a weaker year. But I'm pleased with these choices, from Randolph's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmOIM_SO3Jo" target="_blank">too strong</a> and too brittle by half work in <i>The Holdovers</i>, Henson's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1JiSLkVrns" target="_blank">brass and verve</a>, as though ported in from a different universe, in <i>The Color Purple, </i>to Pike committing to the bit way harder than anyone else in <i>Saltburn</i>, to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPxZrF6CeaI" target="_blank">absolutely ridiculous results</a>. McAdams is stellar, exuding this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToVYefr6MMY" target="_blank">lived-in warmth</a> and a tinge of regret that's head and shoulders above anything else in her(already great) career. But the top performance here (and probably my performance of the year) has to be Julianne Moore--a totally impossible, upsetting, infantilized and infantilizing chimaera of a woman, hiding behind a pastry <a href="https://youtu.be/ccwYjaOA4O4?si=7Gq-w-i9HEIqb3bY&t=90" target="_blank">or a pair of sunglasses.</a></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />5. Jacob Elordi-<i>Saltburn</i><br />4. Jamie Bell-<i>All of Us Strangers</i><br />3. Charles Melton-<i>May December</i><br />2. Robert De Niro-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /></p><p>Honorable mention: Josiah Cross-<i>A Thousand and One</i></p><p>Weirdly hunky category this year. I love Elordi's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkNPbbLGCg8" target="_blank">gormless and brutal </a>niceness in <i>Saltburn</i>, and the fact that I'm arguably the biggest Jamie Bell fan in the world (hopefully) doesn't change the fact that the tenderness he brings to <i>All of Us Strangers</i> <a href="https://twitter.com/oneperfectscene/status/1751679442035110139" target="_blank">transforms every scene he's in</a>. It's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li-wEtaJTb4" target="_blank">deeply stupid</a> that Charles Melton--former Riverdale hunk, current star on the apparent rise--was left off the Oscars shortlist, but I'm not gonna make that mistake. De Niro is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5JG1xtD3ro" target="_blank">great</a> (something he has rediscovered how to do in the past few years, which is neat), but come on, is any of that (k)enough to take #1 from Ryan Gosling? One of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8Y57NWv5m0" target="_blank">funniest and most</a> creative performances we've all seen in a hot minute.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />5. Andrew Haigh-<i>All of Us Strangers<br /></i>4. Greta Gerwig-<i>Barbie<br /></i>3. Takashi Yamazaki-<i>Godzilla Minus One</i><i><br /></i>2. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson-<i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i><i><br /></i>1. Martin Scorsese-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Justine Triet-<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i></p><p>Lots to love and admire here: Andrew Scott making the simultaneously loveliest and queasiest family reunion movie you've ever seen, Greta Gerwig marshalling actual armies, finding a way to make a <i>Barbie </i>movie tonally plausible while still intentionally ridiculous, and Takashi Yamazaki conjuring the scariest Godzilla (and the most effective cast) in 70 years. It would have been make me-related awards history by giving this award to an animated movie for the first time--and the <i>Spider-Verse </i>crew would have deserved it for bringing a movie of that scale and ambition over the finish line at all, much less with as much pep and panache as they managed. But Scorsese crafted a real work for the ages--a three and a half hour long movie that never makes the audience feel its weight, a movie about deeply evil men that never lets the audience tire of them or misunderstand them, an immaculately crafted epic that never forgets its own sense of scale.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>Rotting in the Sun</i><br />4. <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />3. <i>Barbie</i><br />2. <i>May December</i><br />1. <i>Asteroid City</i></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>The Holdovers</i></p><p>Totally bizarre and unique array of movies here, being rewarded for their camp and their hideousness (<i>May December, Rotting in the Sun</i>), their high-concept buffoonery and wirework world-building (<i>Barbie</i>), or the labyrinths they build out of tension and suspicion (<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i>). But hey, why not give it to <i>Asteroid City</i>, a movie that does camp, high-concept buffoonery, world-building, labyrinths, and some real beauty to go along with it?</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem</i><br />4. <i>All of Us Strangers</i><br />3. <i>A Knock at the Cabin</i><br />2. <i>Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.</i><br />1. <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i></p><p>The Turtles return! Cannot tell if my awards have gone a little wonky this year because I missed most of the indie/international fare, and as such am filling the lists with what I readily get online, or if the big mainstream stuff this year just hit all the right marks. Either way, I'm happy to see <i>Turtles</i>, <i>Knock</i>, and <i>Margaret</i> represent the kind of adventurous and interesting studio fare that <i>should</i> still be getting shot out of Hollywood like cheap merchandise out of a t-shirt cannon. And I suppose <i>Killers</i> qualifies as well, in some regard, if only because a not-studio (Apple) shelled out an incredible amount of money to support something as thoughtful, quiet, and inquisitive as this.</p><p><br /></p><p>And that's that! Once again, my promises of brevity were horrible, horrible lies. Honestly, I've been doing this for about 15 years now--at this point, if I tell you that I'm going to write something quick and streamlined and you believe me, that's as much on you as it is on me. Next year, one of us should probably hire someone to sit on top of my computer until I've cried myself to sleep and the possibility of posting movie lists is long gone. But in the mean time, what are your thoughts? I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the best of lists with the crafts categories, and then again on Thursday to run through my Osar predictions.</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-51914135912721032152024-03-04T17:18:00.005-07:002024-03-04T21:51:15.895-07:00Best of 2023, Part One: The Top 20<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEXHQeKe_Rs51b2UubQNjGBP0qBuBoiUja2IE-kgDrrILp56qvW70u69Wk6mEXaWWRr6CZM8iMCha7ZRwie1PMpj6-tZgcoPafFD1haniiqO_N5g2CpTxQ9O-ovHXqDtmu1AhdlNjRI_-P1GZ72wGrtQurPb-wwa3fY5cCanCkkrWRydzSibjLfVejw3Ux" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1950" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEXHQeKe_Rs51b2UubQNjGBP0qBuBoiUja2IE-kgDrrILp56qvW70u69Wk6mEXaWWRr6CZM8iMCha7ZRwie1PMpj6-tZgcoPafFD1haniiqO_N5g2CpTxQ9O-ovHXqDtmu1AhdlNjRI_-P1GZ72wGrtQurPb-wwa3fY5cCanCkkrWRydzSibjLfVejw3Ux=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span></span>(<a href="https://twitter.com/kyraaortiz" target="_blank">source</a>)<p></p><p>Is it Kenough to say that if you're curious where I am, mentally and emotionally, you can catch me openly weeping at the ninja turtle movie?</p><p>Long-time readers and eagle-eyed fans will notice that I've been starting every one of these for a few years alluding to some kind of general malaise, either covid-caused or connected to life, the movies, and everything. And every year I hope and/or promise that this will be the year wherein that malaise will have been replaced with something big and new in my life. Well, dear reader, I regret to inform you that the ill-formed and hovering aforementioned malaise continues to malaise all over me, and I find myself largely in the same place as last year. Rejoice! </p><p>That same stage of in-the-middle wobbliness that I can't quite seem to shake from the general scaffolding of my life has been compounded by what has probably been my most movie-isolated year since, like, middle school, maybe? Since the start of 2023, I (deep breath) 1) injured myself in a way that kept me from going to movie theaters for a couple months, 2) sold my car and moved to a little town two or more hours from a good theater--and one that frequently experiences the kind of weather that keeps you from traveling at all, 3) took a summer job at an even smaller and more remote location where going to the movies at all was entirely impossible, and 4) had computer issues for the past month or two that I haven't had the funds or wherewithal to resolve which have more or less kept me off the internet for longer than five minute bursts, which has made catching up on movies online frustrating at best and impossible at worst (heck, even writing and publishing this is gonna be a whole-ass effort).</p><p>And where does all that leave us? I can't speak to how my minor inconveniences have affected your life (gravely, I'm sure), but it leaves me with a pretty paltry 74 movies from the 2023 calendar year and a slightly less than standard level of enthusiasm for writing these annual text-and-movie-marathons (as evidenced by my leaving things to the last possible second before the Oscars). Probably also not a boon to my productivity or enthusiasm that I'm pretty off-consensus this year. I keep reading that 2023 produced a real bumper crop of stellar movies, one of the best Best Picture lineups in Academy history, etc. There's a lot of passion out there for 2023 releases. And I'm sure it doesn't help that I just didn't see very many, but I can't say I find myself in the same boat--hell, I am not sure if I can scrape together unmitigated passion for every movie in my top 20 (a number that is itself maybe silly to do when you've only seen 74 movies, but silliness is both my nature and my profession, and nothing will stop me).</p><p>So all of that is to say that I am gonna be re-embracing my streamlined format from last year. While last year I at least had the solid-enough excuse that typing was hard because my fingers weren't totally working yet (a choice quote from that intro: "it doesn't even hurt to do a thumbs up anymore!"), this year my (poor) excuse is that I'll streamline because I want to, and hope/promise/assume that next year will be a return to wild-eyed and glorious form. In practice, this means shorter blurbs and more pictures (which, honestly, is probably better for us all to begin with?). It also means that I'm going to just reproduce my letterboxd review for this list, if I have one and it says what I want it to say. This is a major bummer for all of you who spend time on letterboxd (and a still a minor bummer for all those who read and respect the English language), but I'll use it instead as my yearly advertisement to come join the rest of us monsters on letterboxd, aka the only good social media site left on the internet. It's just movies and pictures and bad jokes! And really, if you enjoy reading these posts (and god help you if you do, but you may be lurking out there), then know that you could read me doing this sort of thing year-round and in a much more deranged way than on here. So <a href="https://letterboxd.com/jkuster/" target="_blank">find me here</a> if that's the sort of thing that interests you!</p><p>So here's the deal: 74 movies seen (feel free to ask me what I have and haven't seen, if you're curious!), the 20 best movies of the year, the 5 worst ones, the 10 best scenes of the year, and a truly punishing number of words, bad jokes, feelings, and typos between now and the end. What's not to like? I'm excited--and I'm sure you're either excited or glancing nervously at your clock--so let's jump into it!</p><p><br /></p><p>Honorable mentions: though they didn't make my top 20, I'm still grateful for the astounding visuals and energy of <i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i>, the museum-glass dreaminess of <i>Priscilla</i>, and wondrous stupidity of <i>Theater Camp.</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj5fyhDnNQPvfWQvk5U97QFOxrXWn2Q0dZSLugiX_aLUra1aDdxgytTP9XWa686ambKg4zHkiV5QjhwEaT5WnA-OmcPbjPvRBpjVlPnhIbeWxIDgtI75no2FWJctTXWL7LEsl4JKD0_UmThS9IRT-eFoT9agOZmmrzAx-mZJ-JHlOIcbH2GTsagHeezjKU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj5fyhDnNQPvfWQvk5U97QFOxrXWn2Q0dZSLugiX_aLUra1aDdxgytTP9XWa686ambKg4zHkiV5QjhwEaT5WnA-OmcPbjPvRBpjVlPnhIbeWxIDgtI75no2FWJctTXWL7LEsl4JKD0_UmThS9IRT-eFoT9agOZmmrzAx-mZJ-JHlOIcbH2GTsagHeezjKU=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17527468/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>20. <i>Bottoms </i>(dir. Emma Seligman)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'll never get enough of movies that sprinkle little baffling details around the edges (like the out of focus caged football player in the background) and then let them stay there. Also here for any movie claiming that all teenagers are inherently feral. Triply here for anything that embraces pure nonsense and the occasional sword gag. Ayo Edebiri fireman-carrying Nicholas Galitizine through a slow-motion tableau of horrendous violence really is the energy we all needed this year. <br />(on Amazon Prime, rentable)</div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxBKBYdt4ZMS4NlliUfOusH7CZkjSFv-61Nzv39ZJxz61Xb2PtJElFSEQuursnWA2YZ0uQXOYc2jiWV-AU5pU0incDWjVOzUlmCknn1T3KMCY9szP0qoY08am_lxTvatD-kjXpGlF8PFN2BCpqRRmvJgZ5TYnzrc0Pd3uSKvCjzmQC0NYxlBwT1hAukPm7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxBKBYdt4ZMS4NlliUfOusH7CZkjSFv-61Nzv39ZJxz61Xb2PtJElFSEQuursnWA2YZ0uQXOYc2jiWV-AU5pU0incDWjVOzUlmCknn1T3KMCY9szP0qoY08am_lxTvatD-kjXpGlF8PFN2BCpqRRmvJgZ5TYnzrc0Pd3uSKvCjzmQC0NYxlBwT1hAukPm7=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-mutant-mayhem-review/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>19. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem</i><b> (dir. Jeff Rowe)</b><br />Look, I told you in the first sentence that this movie made me tear up--what did you expect? Absolutely thrilled that the dominance of the Spider-Verse is inspiring a rush of lookalikes and hoping that still feel like their own thing. 2023 was absolutely the year of movies that had no business being good (or existing at all) that turned out spectacular. Silly, fun, gleefully gross, with real chemistry between the four leads (helped by the fact that they actually hired teenagers to be the leads in a movie with 'teenage' in its title) and a strong enough emotional core to make me wipe dainty tears into my pillow.<br />(on Amazon Prime, Paramount+, rentable)</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQhr_YBVLSGhW7rOlD5_8NXkf13wJDaQtYAWuZZeT8hsRIcOGrC53IEgKFyXBR1TTLeh7GqJ7SuKkmNsN_lJiCOwYqq_Uc1p6rf8XhxJ06ngwwM9yE1Yn3K-kapP84RFDHJJAmklzXv8lQlxrO6U9uRMA1vtGNt-QgzmJ7yk67Nxrkbhoej9Tuj1_3kzzk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="575" data-original-width="862" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQhr_YBVLSGhW7rOlD5_8NXkf13wJDaQtYAWuZZeT8hsRIcOGrC53IEgKFyXBR1TTLeh7GqJ7SuKkmNsN_lJiCOwYqq_Uc1p6rf8XhxJ06ngwwM9yE1Yn3K-kapP84RFDHJJAmklzXv8lQlxrO6U9uRMA1vtGNt-QgzmJ7yk67Nxrkbhoej9Tuj1_3kzzk=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-07/the-boy-and-the-heron-review/103191608" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>18.<i> The Boy and the Heron </i>(dir. Hayao Miyazaki)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beautiful and inscrutable in equal measure--and maybe it can only be one because it's also the other. Feels like I'd need three or four more viewings and some cliff notes to really grab everything I can or should from this movie, but then again I feel like I could spend another four or five rewatches not wanting to force my way into the tower. Maybe some things are better left baffling?<br />(not currently available online)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfAUdj0yYg2A9toA_Vu_bj2LQRsersYNVoD9DlJKKLTrbsymxPIlsCq0IJbltAAplsOL_fzx3W5eEe6RQZxxgEav7ut-_IRpdWbXPfNJFn8FAhvG8BgzB1M4SI1bfln9-wQRxI-7Ke-q6QwFn8pZmqqjrsksR5gX3oPeThYJ7LHMmLjW4tdbGgymXhfUMX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfAUdj0yYg2A9toA_Vu_bj2LQRsersYNVoD9DlJKKLTrbsymxPIlsCq0IJbltAAplsOL_fzx3W5eEe6RQZxxgEav7ut-_IRpdWbXPfNJFn8FAhvG8BgzB1M4SI1bfln9-wQRxI-7Ke-q6QwFn8pZmqqjrsksR5gX3oPeThYJ7LHMmLjW4tdbGgymXhfUMX=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://ucrarts.ucr.edu/films/showing-up/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>17. <i>Showing Up</i> (dir. Kelly Reichardt)</b><br />I love how committed Kelly Reichardt is to showing how no one is always wonderful, neither in their best nor worst moments, in a medium that tends to make suffering look noble and joy look easy, and I love how committed she is to staging smallness without trying to make it Something Bigger. This is a minor film in the most complimentary sense--a few days pass, some very small lessons are learned (but maybe not applied), and then there's nothing to do but put your hands in your pockets or see if your hot water works.</div>(on Showtime, rentable)<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6zkqr8Pm7WFt-Nd_z4jKjNglVnkhAs0GbxrJ--HU09ICtBb1d65wXAzWE3qNtUBei0OSMj25NrxATUspDo5ymaXnkyfo3db9SGk11vdDKnBokZw0Pcs8qYvUCR6BBPwahWel2xQYU5Jdgo489SkqXakmgpLdvRxXR9sgWucxp58BvTL1CspgBMcI3S44T" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1200" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6zkqr8Pm7WFt-Nd_z4jKjNglVnkhAs0GbxrJ--HU09ICtBb1d65wXAzWE3qNtUBei0OSMj25NrxATUspDo5ymaXnkyfo3db9SGk11vdDKnBokZw0Pcs8qYvUCR6BBPwahWel2xQYU5Jdgo489SkqXakmgpLdvRxXR9sgWucxp58BvTL1CspgBMcI3S44T=w400-h268" width="400" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>(<a href="https://fotografia.folha.uol.com.br/galerias/1777043649077114-confira-cenas-do-filme-rotting-in-the-sun" target="_blank">source</a>)<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>16. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Rotting in the Sun</i><b> (dir. Sebastián Silva)<br /></b>God, the giddy absurdity and walls-caving-in horror of almost drowning an then waking up to a forest of disinterested dicks while Jordan Firstman pitches you his show about Instagram without even pausing to cough up the seawater in his lungs. Bits of Psycho plus Apocalypse Now plus the kind of hell that Mike Huckabee fantasizes about and the kind of queer hedonia that social media promises us all rolled in to one, and all for the wrong (or right) reasons.</p><p style="text-align: center;">(on Mubi, rentable)</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKOUlQLaB_ADK1-GU-bHKchshPoU-_wEKsKj1iKAYEp5tzC6ekZO6wVrxc8zTpF2ZGNFW8w3Xv2c6GggWxucKPsaUjd8yWntwXA4WlDV3eRPFT3xHsVe4XIX7C4xpV2HJKi4Sfxpu8Jl36e_0yP5haVkL4JcKT935i5-HVIEgySA8OhenP1EBTxsim8JRb" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKOUlQLaB_ADK1-GU-bHKchshPoU-_wEKsKj1iKAYEp5tzC6ekZO6wVrxc8zTpF2ZGNFW8w3Xv2c6GggWxucKPsaUjd8yWntwXA4WlDV3eRPFT3xHsVe4XIX7C4xpV2HJKi4Sfxpu8Jl36e_0yP5haVkL4JcKT935i5-HVIEgySA8OhenP1EBTxsim8JRb=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span>(<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/may/19/le-otto-montagne-the-eight-mountains-review-cannes-film-festival" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>15. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Eight Mountains</i><b> (dir. Felix van Groeningen, Charlotte Vandermeersch)<br /></b>There are so many people, places, and things to love that it's sometimes easier to opt out of loving any of them at all--and who's to say if that's better or worse than loving too many of them at once, or too much. Maybe it's simpler to embrace things only in the past tense, like writing a novel, as though the only way to hold onto the things that want to disappear is to make sure that they do. <br />Really lovely movie, full of sections so gentle and grand that they ache. Sent me scurrying to Youtube as soon as it was over to look up Daniel Norgren's whole discography.<br />(on Criterion, rentable)</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiLBOWDKgURkvVSJjTj-1CF1egBewn4dhkK59xwSXbncDZl1UCbJyTwPitftCkIgI6TQjOCdxTh1bLkv7P28vzaKYbjwIAzmOI-JHWysn9FgkkLRxBR2OzO9QMJObz1TDHN8vKTdLbR8jWyr-GOObVcd4szKqq6eMdMAmFT8dFuK1tJpjV6iPdnOGSHAXM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1200" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiLBOWDKgURkvVSJjTj-1CF1egBewn4dhkK59xwSXbncDZl1UCbJyTwPitftCkIgI6TQjOCdxTh1bLkv7P28vzaKYbjwIAzmOI-JHWysn9FgkkLRxBR2OzO9QMJObz1TDHN8vKTdLbR8jWyr-GOObVcd4szKqq6eMdMAmFT8dFuK1tJpjV6iPdnOGSHAXM=w400-h268" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-11-22/fallen-leaves-review-aki-kaurismaki" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>14. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Fallen Leaves</i><b> (dir. Aki Kaurismäki)</b><br />Kaurismäki movies are like if Bresson were a sarcastic little shit who spent a *lot* of time in front of a wall of paint swatches, dreaming about the possibilities, and this one's no exception. Funny in a brutal way (or brutal in a funny way?), a one-dry and transient attempt at romance in the proverbial desert, like watching plants grown in the cracks of the sidewalk outside a karaoke bar.<br />(on Mubi, rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiN--MhSaq9GFNZAQeLq7-3xqfcyxnZFwUcr5apCUBB0tzF5comupxEr07s42YtdHEagyyYEOyNC8LH5TZVqeIAj1l9vpRVC3bIkGxik9orq-fe136rWadakXEoZxrl37zlCo84-QMaX-98kyLvOvXzadR364ZCUyRDnWMC4bf-lKJFV2EKhIXOZYhAw3dJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiN--MhSaq9GFNZAQeLq7-3xqfcyxnZFwUcr5apCUBB0tzF5comupxEr07s42YtdHEagyyYEOyNC8LH5TZVqeIAj1l9vpRVC3bIkGxik9orq-fe136rWadakXEoZxrl37zlCo84-QMaX-98kyLvOvXzadR364ZCUyRDnWMC4bf-lKJFV2EKhIXOZYhAw3dJ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-12-14/the-zone-of-interest-review-jonathan-glazer-drama-auschwitz-holocaust-wwii" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>13. <i>The Zone of Interest</i> (dir. Jonathan Glazer)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Zone of Interest wants nothing but your boredom and your illness. We watch insipid people having the same dull conversations while listening to something unimaginable and unavoidable happening until finally we get to go home having felt nothing much beyond a dull pounding horror. There's nothing else to feel or imagine, because the only people who can communicate the fullness of that experience can't speak. We can talk about the banality of evil, but it's worth (in this context, at least) talking about the banality of Holocaust films as well. What can be dramatized, seen, or heard, that isn't an empty imagining or a crass attempt to turn unimaginable horror into entertainment? How can anyone walk into a movie about genocide hoping for a nice enjoyable cry without throwing up in the back of their mouth? This movie is a dull and empty shell because it has to be--because any effort to fabricate the world on the other side of the wall--to make it exciting, compelling, cathartic--is something of an aberration.<br />(in theaters, rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbITHcn5OciHeea7iT87wWozn3ADKcY2NTjpau-OGJs2G4E2TKjkj7MU_4CVaeK0XHFG-w7so4HTzR0aXtF2Don3Gzoeik1Gc3E5o9ZI2icO-R3HmEvgHI8gqJmQa52KBXoXM6MI3W9Q860YZQfn6K1AXmzIlE5rcLnq_hqXT6-lp_fHqQmlfToLhG1H-E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="3776" data-original-width="5400" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbITHcn5OciHeea7iT87wWozn3ADKcY2NTjpau-OGJs2G4E2TKjkj7MU_4CVaeK0XHFG-w7so4HTzR0aXtF2Don3Gzoeik1Gc3E5o9ZI2icO-R3HmEvgHI8gqJmQa52KBXoXM6MI3W9Q860YZQfn6K1AXmzIlE5rcLnq_hqXT6-lp_fHqQmlfToLhG1H-E=w400-h280" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://news.vt.edu/articles/2023/07/science-pitts-oppenheimer-film-facts.html" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>12. <i>Oppenheimer</i> (dir. Christopher Nolan)</b></div>Probably the most I will ever be able to like a Christopher Nolan movie? And all it took was him fulfilling cinema's true promise (filming Josh Hartnett being vaguely annoyed about math). I'm afraid this one's already in danger of becoming wildly overpraised, but hey, if it's a Christopher Nolan movie that even <i>I</i> like, then it must be something. And there's plenty to like (Robert Downey Jr.'s performance notwithstanding) in this three hour breakneck scream into whatever the opposite of the abyss is.<br />(rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXZyUtHPkmb6RO5KmH46tqwGGWLoKenE5RUP7ZnrrnHAHZDAOwB5IpE231jKQc6VZ4S1QvhgtzjgF3pjQQ5g33OobEq3Wln0LE5dB20iW8dI-uE7MhOPy0yQhCtl6LE4Jde-yJX3JWdZXYrcKjsZvgitF_Vr3kGXE2I5GMMTZ0vlGBBEVMGubnlocchvKs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="653" data-original-width="980" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXZyUtHPkmb6RO5KmH46tqwGGWLoKenE5RUP7ZnrrnHAHZDAOwB5IpE231jKQc6VZ4S1QvhgtzjgF3pjQQ5g33OobEq3Wln0LE5dB20iW8dI-uE7MhOPy0yQhCtl6LE4Jde-yJX3JWdZXYrcKjsZvgitF_Vr3kGXE2I5GMMTZ0vlGBBEVMGubnlocchvKs=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a44774870/red-white-royal-blue-book-movie-differences/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>11. <i>Red, White, and Royal Blue </i>(dir. Matthew López)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ok look--don't go watch this movie. It's absolutely not one of the best movies of the year, and you will be burned if go in looking for it to fit in with its present company. But I, uh, had a bit of a moment with this movie this year (and may have watched it 12 times in two weeks), and I'd be remiss--and dishonest--if I didn't include it on my list. And it's charming as hell--the kind of movie that Bros wanted to be, but Bros spent too much time congratulating itself on being revolutionary to figure out that the real revolution is being unabashed and winsome basic trash. And for better or (mostly) worse, this is probably the movie that I've felt the most of myself in some time; it finds me where I am, holds my hand, and walks me through the process of creating myself from scratch, climbing out, falling in love, and then repeating those motions as many times as I need to. An endless series of firsts that feel like a kind of superheated bubble located somewhere between my heart and my throat. Actually yeah, why not, go watch this instead of <i>Oppenheimer</i>, you'll be better off.<br />(on Amazon Prime)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHe5bfuRP-1TmumRxeJMpUfn0JBHRTwEXjWNd7o47_XclrhPsDSkYwi2uFytS5Pnot48yAM7i-XuJ370Fy9LrvrOHVfRwNLkmaewxYsuaC-N4VI92azOwsSx6ruJhVSxO-TVPZ2w433yqHA81lWHZgsJrvlcJZ3j_5RH7Ya4UqJhXZkInmY3fDaTk5a-dP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="467" data-original-width="864" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHe5bfuRP-1TmumRxeJMpUfn0JBHRTwEXjWNd7o47_XclrhPsDSkYwi2uFytS5Pnot48yAM7i-XuJ370Fy9LrvrOHVfRwNLkmaewxYsuaC-N4VI92azOwsSx6ruJhVSxO-TVPZ2w433yqHA81lWHZgsJrvlcJZ3j_5RH7Ya4UqJhXZkInmY3fDaTk5a-dP=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://wickedhorror.com/horror-news/knock-at-the-cabin-extras-shine-with-technical-insights-blu-ray-review/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b>10. <i>Knock at the Cabin</i> (dir. M. Night Shyamalan)<br /></b>Surprised by how taken and moved I was by this small-scale spin on what it feels like to have the world breathing down your neck. I'm frequently not a fan of Shyamalan's deeply weird and arch dialogue--written and delivered like aliens above need to both understand it and be able to hear it from where they are--but sometimes, when paired with his increasingly (and aggressively) out there camera placement and image creating, it coalesces into a kind of dreamy sub-reality with its own quiet logic, and I can't help but give in. It doesn't all work, but it all works anyway, and the ending scene feels exactly right.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(on Amazon Prime, rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjassns4rG4Jfo51SoA6fZlMrd8UOw3HwopDdTUBsEBQD0FMIIK1RPANp0sjMCVV1cnkG6c4teb4Id7cbH1kQHtZRB_eqbSanVOTZnAgzwk0cbW-l1coX-i7T6MJalZ8QFeXsvmexzkpQFGq7kJEwPN14kcfM1NBq0zViohqGcjofW9DGhDnLbvnGt3F9rm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjassns4rG4Jfo51SoA6fZlMrd8UOw3HwopDdTUBsEBQD0FMIIK1RPANp0sjMCVV1cnkG6c4teb4Id7cbH1kQHtZRB_eqbSanVOTZnAgzwk0cbW-l1coX-i7T6MJalZ8QFeXsvmexzkpQFGq7kJEwPN14kcfM1NBq0zViohqGcjofW9DGhDnLbvnGt3F9rm=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://wfuogb.com/22841/arts-and-culture/seeing-beyond-saltburns-sex-scenes/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>9. <i>Saltburn</i> (dir. Emerald Fennell)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm aware this is a deeply uncool choice, but really leaning hard into embracing the uncool choices this year (see above, re: me objectively proclaiming that <i>Red White, and Royal Blue</i> and <i>Knock at the Cabin</i> are better than <i>The Zone of Interest</i> and <i>Oppenheimer</i>). Some of the criticisms I struggle to see, and some of them I don't but end up not caring. I'm a sucker for spectacle empty facades and hollow rage and even hollower joy, and especially for a good session of gargling runny jizz out of an antique bathtub drain. Sure, it's throwing plenty at the wall, but the desired reaction looks to me like laughter. I don't think this movie wants to show us its lurid belly and then look directly into the camera, shaking its head at the depravity of the world. I think it wants us to laugh at how embarrassing all these people are, and how embarrassing it is to deeply want anything at all. Everyone in this movie is a riot and an embarrassment, but only a couple of them are anywhere near being aware of that--and those are the ones who (for a little while, at least) can make a play for the house (and the people in it), while everyone else fails to imagine, again and again, that anything could ever be wrong with anything around them, or anything they've done. What can I say--you can't make an omelet without fucking a few graves.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(on Amazon Prime, rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJyQ0BoM-IboU4J3d7G7ly4GpEihMCdl4F9pjJk4lqa6Wb9skZHhZZ2vkRYoxgbIbtYzzDkPeI5mvQxV-kt-eoDVpt8VCwLdvj8GnK7WpkySXEWj1jfso1KYEv2bw0NB5ZAJIlFz91MyTxJuB44TxefBOTcd2-Lrg9-_cIj0oqrMMdMa2DWUkeK2YSKvlm" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="380" data-original-width="760" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJyQ0BoM-IboU4J3d7G7ly4GpEihMCdl4F9pjJk4lqa6Wb9skZHhZZ2vkRYoxgbIbtYzzDkPeI5mvQxV-kt-eoDVpt8VCwLdvj8GnK7WpkySXEWj1jfso1KYEv2bw0NB5ZAJIlFz91MyTxJuB44TxefBOTcd2-Lrg9-_cIj0oqrMMdMa2DWUkeK2YSKvlm=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.draiocht.ie/whats-on/are-you-there-god" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>8. <i>Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.</i> (dir. Kelly Fremon Craig)<br /></b>So thoughtful, deliberately paced and emotionally balanced, with time to spare to try and meet every character where they live. Rachel McAdams luminous, obviously. This was an especially wonderful film to see with my mom, who kept leaning over throughout the movie to tell me about the dresses she had that looked like Margaret's, or the ways her junior high was just the same, or the parts that made her remember her own childhood. Absolutely stellar 4D experience for an absolutely stellar (and overlooked) movie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaeOlS6AUeReZUPsPY8mEo1LULo0zYwUPbPzGZP0erzoSfXrGCBHmV6BrdW4QDZgC3VqNTEFCp6IYZ_Cxc7b7hxvOeBh7d0nijOWoGQpttgN5-jA_ycpH-j8gpgJFwxgBlTQsv_rAI3Da-VRJVqSVm_7LL8dfiNUs7kMfr8BvUuaK07nd952z6UcE1ZbJF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3996" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaeOlS6AUeReZUPsPY8mEo1LULo0zYwUPbPzGZP0erzoSfXrGCBHmV6BrdW4QDZgC3VqNTEFCp6IYZ_Cxc7b7hxvOeBh7d0nijOWoGQpttgN5-jA_ycpH-j8gpgJFwxgBlTQsv_rAI3Da-VRJVqSVm_7LL8dfiNUs7kMfr8BvUuaK07nd952z6UcE1ZbJF=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://neonrated.com/films/anatomy-of-a-fall" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>7. <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i> (dir. Justin Triet)</b><br />A real bag of hammers kind of movie--quiet, brutal, and tough to pick up and run with but you're going to try to do it more than once. And it's certainly a bag of hammers that rewards on rewatch, facets and faces folding and re-folding to fit whatever concept of you reality you decide to adopt this time around. A long and lonely trek to an end where the only thing to do, as the characters say, is to make up your mind and then go home. Fantastic work on all counts, plus the added semiannual bonus of getting to rubberneck at the French judicial system.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz6lkupi7jsIHnMFizgCM9eUNlrvilHXN9eqirVvmEWMhRTChxYbyZ2bpC2YTs4DPOB3Xu8_snmXKnP-THuMWMQdzWkutTC6TI_tsMKSLsrVBgKC-4zOgpmharosWJc6SRJedxNERyhIhKyVyG-SsxPa2n4-fTPHakfDIPbaJ4ASFiJ3By6FTv-2cK6fdu" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz6lkupi7jsIHnMFizgCM9eUNlrvilHXN9eqirVvmEWMhRTChxYbyZ2bpC2YTs4DPOB3Xu8_snmXKnP-THuMWMQdzWkutTC6TI_tsMKSLsrVBgKC-4zOgpmharosWJc6SRJedxNERyhIhKyVyG-SsxPa2n4-fTPHakfDIPbaJ4ASFiJ3By6FTv-2cK6fdu=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2023/12/06/dont-miss-godzilla-minus-one-the-best-godzilla-movie-ever-made/?sh=26b66510164f" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>6. <i>Godzilla Minus One</i> (dir. Takeshi Yamazaki)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beginning to sound like a broken record, but chalk up another 2023 release has no business being what it turned out to be. Nothing quite as visceral as the kind of survivor's guilt that follows you home and swallows your city whole. Some legitimately intense and upsetting moments, and a stellar sound design that allows silence to weigh as much as the monster waiting outside it. Feels corny to throw around a phrase like life-affirming, but sometimes corny is the right choice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(not currently available online)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFdxrK5rkZUb8t3JzwCm8Q-vohralOoJhF1PolzWelabcRGXxXYmSRbW856iYko9vn17rt-zkpw-4CFfs0LExQieWHJ88O1Dl_S07_5-CRmTYl2G50bJRhuUZPKILXpPTiwfK_PBnuNIYlZxIqugt3BRoasqqM-8C4t3GVjixX2F01UwSTsy0mZJzXj-xE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="366" data-original-width="700" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFdxrK5rkZUb8t3JzwCm8Q-vohralOoJhF1PolzWelabcRGXxXYmSRbW856iYko9vn17rt-zkpw-4CFfs0LExQieWHJ88O1Dl_S07_5-CRmTYl2G50bJRhuUZPKILXpPTiwfK_PBnuNIYlZxIqugt3BRoasqqM-8C4t3GVjixX2F01UwSTsy0mZJzXj-xE=w400-h209" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/everything-we-know-about-barbie/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>5. <i>Barbie </i>(dir. Greta Gerwig)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">A totally ludicrous movie from every angle. Glorious and monstrously dopey (in the best possible way); the banner child for 2023 movies with no business being any good at all turning out better than everything else around them. Had not expected to tear up through multiple doll epiphanies, but that's where we are. I hope that Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu have the courage to fulfill their one true path after this (playing feuding dancers/lovers in an off-broadway production of Shrek the Musical).<br />(on HBO Max, rentable)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXhOycVfjrS9RhdeCwytTjRFPfPmSy8SVrkxcANIjOxrEtDYZcQXpjTfLCWSAtME-n0wj5dw_M6pzK0Yl9s8oA8qO2grtfWkj29eBwqS7V8HdPX7BXNi9IzpF4f2d9TpNuKiWSLNtgb1oDkq34C8aW7cyK5pYIOq5XhslAkux4z8S6Zka2ucdexDAkBFux" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="560" data-original-width="840" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXhOycVfjrS9RhdeCwytTjRFPfPmSy8SVrkxcANIjOxrEtDYZcQXpjTfLCWSAtME-n0wj5dw_M6pzK0Yl9s8oA8qO2grtfWkj29eBwqS7V8HdPX7BXNi9IzpF4f2d9TpNuKiWSLNtgb1oDkq34C8aW7cyK5pYIOq5XhslAkux4z8S6Zka2ucdexDAkBFux=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/movies-and-tv/2024/1/4/24023800/all-of-us-strangers-review-andrew-scott-movie-paul-mescal-jamie-bell-claire-foy" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>All of Us Strangers</i> (dir. Andrew Haigh)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Understands, deeply and profoundly, that pieces of your life can be warm because they are a little poisonous, or are a little poisonous because they are still warm. All the pieces that fit together to define and enrich you while simultaneously shedding some light on why you might choose to spend the rest of your life in an empty tower. Really beautiful and painful work. The tears I expected, but I went in unready for how ugly and unsettled parts of this movie would be--though, in retrospect, I suppose the ugliness shouldn't have surprised me at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">(As an aside, this movie is an fucking oasis for Jamie Bell lovers who've been side-eying his recent filmography and praying for something better)</div>(on Hulu, rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiflQ1aGw6oIdppjyf7HwucBKfVcWkDiwSBpB9xpIUhlX3iURn2OaSlhQKVcw4uq_QivABVpZwFD6z_0KmzwBI65CPPlXZrkTBeBD1yc2Z86HDKpbd42_5-2UOG58iauhb1M62pqUWcgfPtHap2HJliBuyHkb5eMqhk0T52ZLLASufg3XbWoaUPgWtzW0SK" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiflQ1aGw6oIdppjyf7HwucBKfVcWkDiwSBpB9xpIUhlX3iURn2OaSlhQKVcw4uq_QivABVpZwFD6z_0KmzwBI65CPPlXZrkTBeBD1yc2Z86HDKpbd42_5-2UOG58iauhb1M62pqUWcgfPtHap2HJliBuyHkb5eMqhk0T52ZLLASufg3XbWoaUPgWtzW0SK=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/asteroid-city-review" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>Asteroid City</i> (dir. Wes Anderson)<br /></b>The kind of movie that made me wish I'd written it, a big jumble of nonsense opacities pointed upwards so you can try to look at something impossible without burning it into your eyes forever. The sudden chaos near the end, followed by a balcony scene that cuts through all the garbage without ever saying anything at all is a quiet stunner. Bless Wes Anderson for putting things like the the unfinished on-ramp into this movie and then never mentioning them again.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(on Amazon Prime, rentable)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTFMvl1cZDE0Prb_EUQrJoc1x5HmfW0H_ZBDzXiiVUWsRwbfuNtZ3O-YKNveJ6wp25W7hjVIomB-unfnNxSsKmE_ss-EO7XlsTl0R0NHt9cLi9IYrbXl30ScZGgl2PsmFagF2IZOj3K0qpMcG7PsYXIaWICN6afj-GQzvsC3FLYlzKgY9iwHYgvVd-_lxX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1560" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTFMvl1cZDE0Prb_EUQrJoc1x5HmfW0H_ZBDzXiiVUWsRwbfuNtZ3O-YKNveJ6wp25W7hjVIomB-unfnNxSsKmE_ss-EO7XlsTl0R0NHt9cLi9IYrbXl30ScZGgl2PsmFagF2IZOj3K0qpMcG7PsYXIaWICN6afj-GQzvsC3FLYlzKgY9iwHYgvVd-_lxX=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13651794/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>May December </i>(dir. Todd Haynes)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Walks a perfect tightrope, all the while clutching a box of tissues with one hand and flipping off that box of tissues with the other. If you're not sure whether to laugh or cry, the answer's both, or maybe neither. A perfectly constructed and contrived house of carnival horrors from the get-go. Everyone's great, obviously, but for me, Julianne Moore's the whole show.<br />(on Netflix)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgciLUNFrq-0Ew2oFCidEzFEvpnMFT-XXRuFmcPM2RaFon-GzIHHjwSI1p3NlYqaz_t3yGChvuk1R1_dcAInI0upmVXMkLHbAVwuDnrrRSALuv3xRmsRQsqh8RDMsW1IbhV64Jdu7P_fL-V_exlT8GQApZw_ppStH94sTeTMlN1xWH_KcH6Xr2fAfvwnCOs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="400" data-original-width="900" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgciLUNFrq-0Ew2oFCidEzFEvpnMFT-XXRuFmcPM2RaFon-GzIHHjwSI1p3NlYqaz_t3yGChvuk1R1_dcAInI0upmVXMkLHbAVwuDnrrRSALuv3xRmsRQsqh8RDMsW1IbhV64Jdu7P_fL-V_exlT8GQApZw_ppStH94sTeTMlN1xWH_KcH6Xr2fAfvwnCOs=w400-h178" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.paramountmovies.com/movies/killers-of-the-flower-moon" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Killers of the Flower Moon </i>(dir. Martin Scorsese)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I think what sticks with me the most is how mundane the violence in this movie is--how utterly unimportant it is to all the people committing it. Deeply hideous movie about the annihilating power of stupidity and confidence, and how much room is made for both in systems that benefit from letting stupid, confident men do exactly what they want. Dicaprio, Gladstone, and De Niro doing career-best work, as are Schoonmaker, Prieto, and Robertson--a pretty mind-boggling statement considering all those careers. Astonishing and upsetting, with a perfect ending; this one's going to live in my head for a while.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And there's that! ('There's that,' he says, like 'that' didn't just take roughly two hours of your day.) I'm just going to keep trucking along (mainly because I need to have this done within the next 80 minutes and am starting to panic), so let's dive right into the best scenes of the year!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note: I'll try to link to a clip where possible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Note note: I generally avoid choosing endings for this category, but I'll mention which scenes might contain spoilers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Best Scenes of the Year</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>10. First Demo Session-<i>M3gan</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I should probably have this movie show up more in my lists, shouldn't I? This scene is a perfect summation of the movie's intelligence and meanness, any real emotion undermined by the chance to make a buck, and by the movie's own camp theatricality.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98bbGJgWVfU" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98bbGJgWVfU</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>9. Escaping the Castle-<i>Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Turns out all you need for a great chase scene is a shapeshifter, a castle, and a convincingly stitched together long take.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EVRaNF4XnY" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EVRaNF4XnY</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>8. On the Balcony-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Asteroid City</i><br />Spoilers for <i>Asteroid City</i>, I guess? Though I'm not sure I know what spoiling this movie would even look like. A moment of fourth wall-breaking introspection becomes a seemingly throwaway conversation between the main character and someone we've never met, and it somehow ties the whole movie together while also making us all teary-eyed at dialogue that mostly isn't important to hear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://youtu.be/CTQIbFtAnDI?si=y3Lctf0Wai8e3ThJ&t=110" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/CTQIbFtAnDI?si=y3Lctf0Wai8e3ThJ&t=110</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>7. Phone Montage-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Red, White, and Royal Blue</i><br />Probably the best representation of becoming friends over the phone that I've ever seen in a movie, the way someone goes from a string of words on a screen to someone that shares space in your life. (Also, I really need to rewatch this movie, because I didn't have every second of it memorized like I did in August, what is the world coming to)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCHG_SursqY" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCHG_SursqY</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>6. Avalanche-<i>Society of the Snow</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The most harrowing scene of the year, maybe? Disaster/survival at its best/worst.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(This clip is only like the middle third of the scene, but you'll get the idea)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CiTXgXyyTc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CiTXgXyyTc</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>5. I'm Just Ken-<i>Barbie</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Who am I to turn down a massive theatrical power ballad featuring Ryan Gosling and Simu Liu in a dance-off and also a recreation of D-Day, for some reason?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDCnJHyMuyU" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDCnJHyMuyU</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. Austerlitz-<i>Napoleon</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ridley Scott is pretty hit or miss these days, but every now and again he hits like a train, and this battle/massacre/lesson in winter safety was one of those times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(The clip is like 10 minutes long, but I'll link to the part that got everyone talking)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://youtu.be/A3Cg5_NxsIU?si=6PF_QlPq9ZQl-Fal&t=420" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/A3Cg5_NxsIU?si=6PF_QlPq9ZQl-Fal&t=420</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. Boat Attack-<i>Godzilla Minus One</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A nigh-unbearable exercise in tension and Godzilla-sized minimalism: just four characters, one small boat, two mines, and one very large and very upset lizard intent on swallowing all of those other things whole.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(only 40 seconds worth of the scene, sadly, but here you go)<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmbQmQ17X3E" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmbQmQ17X3E</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>2. Trinity Test-<i>Oppenheimer</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know, everyone and their nuclear explosion enthusiast parents are talking about this scene, but rightfully so: the kind of swirling combination of editing, score, and sound to both heighten reality and take a stab at actually conveying the emotion of one very real moment, something that cinema does better than any other medium.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(How is <i>this</i> scene the one without any version on Youtube whatsoever? I'd have thought that that Nolan bros would be all over that.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. The Radio Show-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Significant spoilers for <i>Killers</i> here, as this is the ending scene, but how could I choose anything else? A sudden cut to a future that contextualizes and retextualizes the events, provides knowledge without closure, refutes (again) any hope for anything that looks like justice, and implicates both the audience and the filmmakers in their desire (or attempt) to make any of this entertaining. A staggering ending--one of the best endings I've seen in quite a while--and one that'll stick with me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(it's a poor quality version of the scene, but)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao8LyF-4Bbw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao8LyF-4Bbw</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And finally, the worst movies of the year! While I don't want to dwell on negativity or end on a down note, there's some catharsis to be found in pushing the things that wasted your time right off directly into the fiery pits of Hades. So let's push away! Note that I generally avoid movies that are supposed to be awful, so this can just as easily be seen as a list of most disappointing movies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Maestro</i>-Almost comforting, in its own way--here I was thinking that I was going to go an entire awards season without deeply disliking one of the very successful movies, and then <i>Maestro</i> swooped in at the last possible second to save me from my own contentment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. <i>The Creator-</i></b><span style="text-align: center;">largely thoughtless and uninterested in its trotting out of or creating piles of bodies, except to generate spectacle. And the spectacle certainly works--it's a spectacular watch in every aspect of its design. Just a shame that the work of such obviously talented artists and craftspeople was in service of such a trash fire of a movie.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Super Mario Bros. Movie</i>-</span><span style="text-align: center;">Spent most of the movie thinking about how they didn't show Diddy Kong, the most beloved video game protagonist of all time, and then they did, so that's egg on my face.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Next Goal Wins</i>-</span><span style="text-align: center;">Saw this because it was the only thing playing between two movies I wanted to see</span><span style="text-align: center;">, and I couldn't move my car. Would have been better served by aimlessly wandering the streets for two hours.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania</i>-</span><span style="text-align: center;">Everybody talks about how the MCU's allergic to stakes and emotions and how every serious moment is undercut by a one-liner, but fewer people tend to mention that the rest of the runtime has a body count in the millions, and half your experience of watching any of these movies lately will be passively enjoying stock characters and digital extras screaming, imploding, being ripped into atoms, having their heads explode while their loved ones look on in horror, or generally having every kind of agony casually visited upon them while a blurry CG Paul Rudd wiggles in the background, I mean who even remembers when the climax of a Marvel movie didn't inevitably look like b-roll for a children's primer on crimes against humanity.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">And that's it for today! I'll be back every day this week (hooray and/or horror of horrors) to wrap up my best of the year lists and then toss off some Oscar predictions, and then I'll recede quietly into the swamp to sleep under the mud until next year's late winter blogging onslaught. So check back for the next couple days if that sounds like something you're into! In the meantime, which of my (terrible) choices did you agree with? Where did I go wrong? How wildly did you clap when you saw that I ranked <i>Saltburn, Red, White, and Royal Blue, </i>and the <i>Ninja Turtles</i> movie over almost every best picture nominee this year? </span></div></div></div><p></p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-23297358307818345662024-01-23T10:44:00.002-07:002024-01-23T10:44:35.212-07:00Oscar Nominations 2023: Who Were These Made For?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h1f0J-68xmHDI17jSYAYjBL1uQNHiTS6oM6M8IcaSPYr04bbjzDzrhpwTNgohUWyH1YLd8xAHdvvRT-dOXk2uTKAtSqtN7UEXgP0CAajACq6Agn8zPiIO1YqyUP5erIhqf1R0SFHXeQEVuHljbyqwY1jfV0Lr1mndyFPlgk_3fNCfihpHfOg2d_jr047/s1062/who%20were%20these%20made%20for.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="1062" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6h1f0J-68xmHDI17jSYAYjBL1uQNHiTS6oM6M8IcaSPYr04bbjzDzrhpwTNgohUWyH1YLd8xAHdvvRT-dOXk2uTKAtSqtN7UEXgP0CAajACq6Agn8zPiIO1YqyUP5erIhqf1R0SFHXeQEVuHljbyqwY1jfV0Lr1mndyFPlgk_3fNCfihpHfOg2d_jr047/w400-h240/who%20were%20these%20made%20for.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Ok, that's maybe a little uncharitable. </p><p>This year's Oscar nominations are out, and despite me coming in hot with the melodrama, they're a pretty solid bunch. The Academy's been working pretty hard to change their memberships in terms of diversity and artistic adventurousness, and it's yielded some great crops in the past years, particularly in terms of getting the Academy to reconsider what it means to be a 'best' picture. Can you even imagine movies like <i>Barbie</i>, <i>Past Lives</i>, and <i>The Zone of Interest</i> making the list even 10 years ago? And now here we are. So things aren't that bad--no particularly exciting surprises and some pretty egregious snubs, but overall a strong bunch of movies. Hey, they didn't even nominate one of my five least favorite films of the year for best picture like usual! (...though this is subject to change. I'm looking at you, <i>Maestro</i>. God, watching <i>Maestro</i> is like getting punched by every member of a symphony in quick succession but every member of that symphony is so pleased with themselves that they pass out from the sheer weight of their own artistic brilliance.)</p><p>One of the big stories this year might be the (re-)commercialization of Oscar fare, or maybe the Oscarification of commercial fare. Last year's ceremony saw the top 2 highest grossing movies of the year (<i>Avatar, Top Gun</i>) both nominated for best picture for the first time, plus plenty of other big hits, and this year we get <i>Barbenheimer</i> plus a solid mix of high-performing movies (<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>) and less commercially successful fare (<i>The Zone of Interest, Past Lives</i>). Whether people are spending more money on seeing prestige fare than they did 10 years ago or because the Academy's slowly widened its concept of prestige to include mainstream popcorn work, people are seeing Oscar movies again--and hey, guess what, it probably still won't change the telecast's ratings.</p><p>Another major narrative has to be about total precursor lockstep, each awards body uniting around the same 10 movies and never looking back. I don't know if this is due to an overabundance of awards before the Oscars (as of today, IMDB currently lists <i>Oppenheimer</i> as having an absolutely ridiculous 227 award wins and 352 nominations beyond that--how are those numbers even real?) or if it's due to the flattening of opinion that has to come with larger voting bodies (the Academy has almost doubled in size in the past 10-ish years) or that comes with every conversation taking place between the same people on social media. Either way, a the number of individual films being nominated each year is consistently down, with nominations in almost any category becoming more and more difficult to secure without a best picture nomination. There's only one category this year without a best picture nominee (visual effects), and only three more (makeup, sound, original song) that have more than one nominee that isn't also a best picture nominee. I'm not sure how to fix that, but I definitely think it's a problem. Are the 10 best picture nominees strong movies? Mostly! Are they undoubtedly the best of the year in every single aspect of filmmaking? Absolutely not! </p><p>But enough of all that--let's look at the nominations! I'll put an asterisk next to the nominations I predicted correctly, of which aren't terribly many. I predicted lots of surprises, and got very few surprises in return.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>American Fiction*<br />Anatomy of a Fall*<br />Barbie*<br />The Holdovers*<br />Killers of the Flower Moon*<br />Maestro*<br />Oppenheimer*<br />Past Lives*<br />Poor Things*<br />The Zone of Interest</i></p><p>The big story here is that there is no big story--these ten movies have dominated the awards circuit and will surely continue through the Oscars. The only category likely not to be won by these movies is Visual Effects, and that's only because none of them are nominated (and we surely narrowly avoided a <i>Poor Things</i> win there). Luckily for us, the worst thing I can say about almost all of these movies is that they're just good or fine (other than <i>Maestro</i>, which is a felony that Bradley Cooper has committed against us all). Worth pointing out that this is the first time that three films directed by women (<i>Barbie, Anatomy of a Fall, Past Lives</i>) have been nominated for best picture in the same year, as well as the first year in which two non-English language movies (<i>Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest</i>) were nominated in best picture. My wacky <i>Saltburn</i> pick didn't come to fruition, and maybe that isn't a bad thing. I know I'm in the minority in liking it, but boy is that a movie that was made to struggle under the mantle of a best picture nominee. One assumes this is <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s to lose, but I can still hold out for something weird like <i>Killers </i>or <i>Barbie</i> or even <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i> giving it a run for its money.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />Jonathan Glazer-<i>The Zone of Interest</i><br />Yorgos Lanthimos-<i>Poor Things</i>*<br />Christopher Nolan-<i>Oppenheimer*</i><br />Martin Scorsese-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon*</i><br />Justine Triet-<i>Anatomy of a Fall*</i></p><p>The obvious story is Greta Gerwig missing for <i>Barbie</i>, which already feels vaguely egregious--<i>Barbie'</i>s<i> </i>a movie that seems almost impossible to make, and Gerwig made it look easy. It helps that this is a potential all-timer of a director lineup. I'm not the biggest fan of Lanthimos' work on <i>Poor Things</i>, but I know I'm in the minority there, as well as in my only average admiration for Christopher Nolan's <i>Oppenheimer</i> work. Groovy to see Glazer get recognition like this, which is a <i>long</i> time coming. Also, at 81, Martin Scorsese becomes the oldest person to be nominated for best director.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Christopher Nolan-<i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Annette Bening-<i>Nyad<br /></i>Lily Gladstone-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>*<br />Sandra Hüller-<i>Anatomy of a Fall*</i><br />Carey Mulligan-<i>Maestro</i>*<br />Emma Stone-<i>Poor Things*</i></p><p>Like with director, the big story is again the <i>Barbie</i> snub, with Margot Robbie missing out for a major best picture contender that she carries on her shoulders--real bummer. Also a shame to see Greta Lee/<i>Past Lives</i> missing, but it's fun to see Gladstone and Hüller get their first Oscar nominations (and Gladstone is the first indigenous woman to be nominated in this category). This will also be the only place that I won't quietly retch at the inclusion of <i>Maestro</i>, since Mulligan is wonderful in her role, regardless of what hoops the movie makes her jump through.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Emma Stone-<i>Poor Things</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Bradley Cooper-<i>Maestro*</i><br />Colman Domingo-<i>Rustin*</i><br />Paul Giamatti-<i>The Holdovers</i>*<br />Cillian Murphy-<i>Oppenheimer*</i><br />Jeffrey Wright-<i>American Fiction</i>*</p><p>Love to see Colman Domingo get in for his stellar performance in what could have been an easily overlooked movie--and he becomes only the second out queer man to be nominated for playing a queer character (the first being Ian McKellen for <i>Gods and Monsters</i>). My excitement is tempered somewhat but Bradley Cooper's deeply embarrassing Oscar-mugging also making the cut, especially over Andrew Scott/<i>All of Us Strangers</i> and Barry Keoghan/<i>Saltburn</i>, but that's showbiz, I guess.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Paul Giamatti-<i>The Holdovers</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Emily Blunt-<i>Oppenheimer</i>*<br />Danielle Brooks-<i>The Color Purple*</i><br />America Ferrera-<i>Barbie</i><br />Jodie Foster-<i>Nyad*</i><br />Da'Vine Joy Randolph-<i>The Holdovers*</i></p><p>Boy, that somewhat surprising Ferrera nod--by no means a sure thing going into the morning--really gave us all unrealistic expectations for how high <i>Barbie</i>'s Oscar dreams could soar, huh? I do love the phrase 'Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt' but am less enthused that it came as a result of this performance, an Oscar-baity supportive wife role in a prestige drama, instead of the genre work she's committed herself to over the past almost 20 years. Thrilled for Randolph and Brooks, though. Fun to note that Jodie Foster's nomination makes this the first time in history that two out queer people were nominated for playing queer characters in the same year.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Da'Vine Joy Randolph-<i>The Holdovers</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />Sterling K. Brown-<i>American Fiction<br /></i>Robert Downey Jr.-<i>Oppenheimer*</i><br />Robert De Niro-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon*</i><br />Ryan Gosling-<i>Barbie*</i><br />Mark Ruffalo-<i>Poor Things</i></p><p>I'm going to have to sit quietly while everyone cheers Robert Downey Jr. on to an Oscar, aren't I? Truly, no one has a harder life than I do. As always, this is one of the duller categories of the morning. Just imagined if we'd gotten Charles Melton claiming Riverdale's first Oscar nomination, or getting some real chaos with a Jacob Elordi/<i>Saltburn</i> nomination. Instead we've got a passel of mostly fine performances (with, to be fair, a couple great ones).</p><p>Earl winner prediction: Robert Downey Jr.-<i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>Anatomy of a Fall*<br />The Holdovers*<br />Maestro<br />May December*<br />Past Lives*</i></p><p>Arguably both my favorite and least favorite nominations can be found here. Thrilled that <i>May December</i> got at least one nomination, particularly for its impossibly tricky screenplay, and gutted that <i>Maestro</i>, a movie that fails in its characterization, narrative, and dialogue, somehow fell ass-backwards into recognition here. Still, sans <i>Maestro</i>, this is a gorgeous category. Unfortunately, that is a massive and comic sans, so I've got to downgrade from 'gorgeous' to 'pretty neat.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>American Fiction*<br />Barbie*<br />Oppenheimer*<br />Poor Things*<br />The Zone of Interest</i></p><p><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i> missing a nomination here is <i>absolutely insane </i>to me, and I hope it is to you. Still, the arguable frontrunner missing at the last moment allows for an absolute bloodbath between the top four contenders. I can't help but wonder if Greta Gerwig missing out in director gives her an advantage here? There's sure to be some blowback for not nominating her in director, and giving her an Oscar anyway to make up for it feels plausible.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Barbie</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>Barbie*<br />Killers of the Flower Moon*<br />Napoleon<br />Oppenheimer*<br />Poor Things*</i></p><p>Get ready for a long below the line gamut of the same four or five movies dominating every category. Did you not love <i>Poor Things</i>? Too bad! Think <i>Oppenheimer </i>is overrated? Time to rate in seven more times! This isn't a bad list, but it lacks imagination.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Barbie</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Barbie*<br />Killers of the Flower Moon*<br />Napoleon*<br />Oppenheimer<br />Poor Things*</i></p><p>Same nominees as the last category with the same category. Worth pointing out that <i>Napoleon</i> had a bigger run than most anticipated. It's the most nominated non best picture nominee of the year with three, which isn't a huge tally but seems to have been hard-won.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Barbie</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>The Creator*<br />Godzilla Minus One*<br />Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3*<br />Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One<br />Napoleon*</i></p><p>Maybe my favorite category, not least of which is because the branch clearly put an effort to look beyond the front of the precursor pack and choose things they might not normally have chosen. So we have a movie that heavily emphasizes practical effects (<i>Mission Impossible</i>), a movie whose production put tons of work and effort into doing effects in a way that respects visual effects artists' time and mental health (<i>The Creator</i>), supporting effects in a big-budget epic (<i>Napoleon</i>), a small budget movie making the most of its resources (<i>Godzilla</i>), and Marvel's one lonely nod for the year. Fun fact: both the <i>Godzilla </i>and <i>Mission: Impossible</i> franchises got their first ever Oscar nominations this year, even though they've been around for 70 (!) and 30 years, respectively. </p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Creator</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup</u><br /><i>Golda<br />Maestro*<br />Oppenheimer*<br />Poor Things*<br />Society of the Snow*</i></p><p>I said yesterday that I wanted to bet on hope--to act recklessly on the assumption that the Academy did not want to personally victimize me this year. And look where it got me: watching <i>Golda </i>after I finish this post. I will never believe in hope again. And speaking of meaningless melodrama, I need to start assuming that any makeup work I hate is destined for Oscar glory, because <i>Maestro</i>'s here and it's barreling toward the win. Still, groovy that <i>Society of the Snow</i>'s work got in, and, to a lesser extent, that <i>Oppenheimer </i>got a nomination for subtle aging effects that still left its actors looking like human beings by the end (man <i>Maestro</i> sucks).</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Maestro</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>Anatomy of a Fall*<br />The Holdovers*<br />Killers of the Flower Moon*<br />Oppenheimer*<br />Poor Things</i></p><p>Statistics indicate that your future best picture winner probably can be found on this list. It's not impossible to win best picture without being nominated for editing, but it certainly helps. And as such, this isn't a bad list of finalists, though I'd much prefer <i>Poor Things</i> to have made way for something else.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>El Conde*<br />Killers of the Flower Moon*<br />Maestro*<br />Oppenheimer*<br />Poor Things*</i></p><p>Sure, why not? So many of these crafts categories are <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s to lose that the other nominees begin to feel like afterthoughts. Is this where we might most expect to see <i>Killers</i> upset that narrative?</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>American Fiction*<br />Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny*<br />Killers of the Flower Moon*<br />Oppenheimer*<br />Poor Things*</i></p><p>Feeling good about predicting this category correctly, if not for the fact that it actually happened. I've got a sixth sense for finding the right flavor of mild and/or atrocious music that the Academy music branch must surely love (imagine me, Cassandra-like, sitting in the theater saying 'I hate every note of this, it will definitely be present at the Oscars), and <i>American Fiction</i> sure fit that bill. John Williams (<i>Indiana Jones</i>) again helps to prove that the music branch will always happily vote on name recognition alone, but <i>Poor Things</i> helps to refute that a little bit--a first-time conductor nominated for a deeply strange and atypical (for this branch, anyway) score. </p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>The Creator<br />Maestro*<br />Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One<br />Oppenheimer*<br />The Zone of Interest*</i></p><p>One of the more surprising categories of the morning--who knew that <i>The Creator </i>and <i>Mission: Impossible</i> were beloved enough to beat higher-profile contenders like <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i> and <i>Barbie</i>? Still, this is clearly <i>Oppenheimer</i>'s to lose--or is it? Is it too much to hope for a last-minute <i>Zone of Interest </i>push?</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Zone of Interest </i>(why not, dream big)</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"The Fire Inside"-<i>Flamin' Hot*</i><br />"I'm Just Ken"-<i>Barbie*</i><br />"It Never Went Away"-<i>American Symphony</i>*<br />"Wahzhazhe (Song for My People)"-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />"What Was I Made For"-<i>Barbie*</i></p><p>In many ways this category continues to be the bane of my existence. Once again, Diane Warren latches a wizened claw onto our hearts and drags us into the direst depths of Hades (which this year takes the form of having to watch a movie about the goddamn invention of Flaming-ass Cheetos just to listen to the credits song). What has she done to attain this level of love? They had to pause the nomination announcement because people wouldn't stop cheering Diane Warren's name. What blood pact has she signed? What rituals of atonement must we one day undertake for allowing this? I was also <i>super</i> pumped that I didn't have to watch <i>American Symphony </i>(a surprise snub; see below), and then this happened to me and now here we are. It's pretty fun that "Wahzhazhe" got in, making for one of the most atypical entries in this category in some time. Also fun that, whatever happens, we're going to get at least one <i>Barbie</i> Oscar.</p><p>Early winner prediction: "I'm Just Ken"-<i>Barbie</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br /><i>The Boy and the Heron*<br />Elemental*<br />Nimona<br />Robot Dreams<br />Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse*</i></p><p>What a shame that my beloved-ish Turtle movie didn't make it here, but I can't feel too churlish about a weird queer fantasy getting in instead. I'll have to watch <i>Robot Dreams</i> before I decide how annoyed or giddy I'd like to be.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Boy and the Heron</i> (once again, dream big)</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Film</u><br /><i>Io Capitano</i>-Italy<br /><i>Perfect Days</i>-Japan<br /><i>Society of the Snow</i>-Spain*<br /><i>The Teacher's Lounge</i>-Germany*<br /><i>The Zone of Interest</i>-The United Kingdom*</p><p>Haven't seen the majority of these, so I can't opine too much, other than to say that <i>The Zone of Interest </i>will win this in a walk. Kind of a bummer for non-European countries (Mexico, Tunisia, Morocco, and Bhutan) left on the shortlist that couldn't make it to the end.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Zone of Interest</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>20 Days in Mariupol*<br />Bobi Wine: The People's President<br />The Eternal Memory*<br />Four Daughters*<br />To Kill a Tiger<br /></i></p><p>As always, my first major work after the Oscar nominations is to try and catch up on documentaries--and I've seen none of these, so I've got a ways to go. Surprising in a not surprising way to see <i>American Symphony</i> miss here. This category has a habit of cold shouldering the big frontrunner in favor of lesser known titles; I even went on a whole tirade yesterday about how I <i>almost</i> predicted this happening and then didn't. So I'm happy to pretend that I did--wow, look at his powers of documentary prognostication, he's everyone's favorite X-Man!</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>20 Days in Mariupol</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>Of the non-specialized categories (i.e. not animated, international, or documentary), I've seen most of the nominees already, missing only <i>Mission: Impossible</i>, <i>Golda</i>, <i>El Conde</i>, <i>Flamin' Hot</i>, and <i>American Symphony</i>. None of these on there own should be an obstacle to seeing all the nominees, since they're all streaming and/or rentable. The other categories, however, are going to make it difficult. All three of the international film nominees I haven't seen aren't available in any way, and might not come to theaters near me, and one of the documentaries is also totally MIA (and the other is only streaming on Disney+, which is a hurdle in itself). So we'll see! It'll all come down to how many of these movies feel like screening in the middle of the country.</p><p>Predictions-wise, I did pretty well--if not exceptionally--across the board. I only totally nailed Actor, Cinematography, and Original Score, but I only missed at least two in Sound, Animated Film, International Film, and Documentary, and didn't totally flub any category. Not too bad, considering all the flights of fancy in which I indulged.</p><p>For those counting at home, here's a list of the most nominated movies:</p><p>1. <i>Oppenheimer</i>-13<br />2. <i>Poor Things</i>-11<br />3. <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>-10<br />4. <i>Barbie</i>-8<br />5. <i>Maestro</i>-7<br />6. <i>Anatomy of a Fall</i>-5<br />7. <i>The Zone of Interest</i>-5<br />8. <i>The Holdovers</i>-5<br />9. <i>American Fiction</i>-5<br />10. <i>Napoleon</i>-3</p><p>And here's a few movies that weren't nominated for anything: <i>Saltburn, All of Us Strangers, The Iron Claw, Origin, Ferrari, The Boys in the Boat, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., Priscilla, Asteroid City, Fallen Leaves, Wonka, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Beau is Afraid, Wish, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Knock at the Cabin, The Eight Mountains, Bottoms, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Cassandro, Theater Camp, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Amount Thieves, The Killer</i></p><p>You win some, you lose some. </p><p>And there we have it! What makes you furious, thrilled, or horrified? As Always, no matter how good or bad the nominations are, I love the Oscars and all the silly things tha tcome with them, and every year before the nominations i have trouble sleeping, like a kid before Christmas. It's silly and stupid, but something ought to be,</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-1851155772080311772024-01-22T16:12:00.002-07:002024-01-22T16:12:51.566-07:00Oscar Predictions 2022: And the Waters Receded<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3Uy9FtGnhHpenSTYjgQFQpuuk2SGHpOlI-R2R-vOzyiARrQoe2nn5yy4pmrFYhH4-iNGDky-e6ey1_g1QU2i5whFUpdsGwMecPUMMnTT8gat5kFJf8wW9cxZ9t2Fo9MoaRRQbyKqnBuFnLLPfo3CuMILfHxvZdFfrk_x3vyoBgeYPhOs9YRQ_dfClJjS/s943/and%20the%20waters%20receded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="943" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3Uy9FtGnhHpenSTYjgQFQpuuk2SGHpOlI-R2R-vOzyiARrQoe2nn5yy4pmrFYhH4-iNGDky-e6ey1_g1QU2i5whFUpdsGwMecPUMMnTT8gat5kFJf8wW9cxZ9t2Fo9MoaRRQbyKqnBuFnLLPfo3CuMILfHxvZdFfrk_x3vyoBgeYPhOs9YRQ_dfClJjS/w400-h200/and%20the%20waters%20receded.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p>So, like...did we make it? Is this what making it looks like?</p><p>Last year (and the year before) I wrote in the intro to my first Oscar post that eventually have to stop writing about being in a post-pandemic world and the meaninglessness of time and just move on with our lives. And like...is this what that looks like, at least cinematically? Barbenheimer happened! More movies started coming out again! It looks like people are finally getting sick of Marvel! Wonders abound. We're not out of the woods yet, but it's always nice to enjoy another mile or two of woods before the fires come to take all us woodland critters. And I mentioned all of this in my blog post last year, so I have to assume that I can claim direct responsibility. (I also mentioned that in 2023 Godzilla would come along and surprise us all, thus further establishing my credibility/incredible power and influence.) Things are far from perfect, and time may still feel a little meaningless, but we'll take what we get, at least until next year when things <i>really</i> hit the fan (again). </p><p>If we're moving on, then movies--and the Academy--certainly are as well. Or...maybe that's not accurate. While this year's Oscars won't be dominated by movies largely preoccupied with the death (or relevance) of the film industry and ways to exist outside its confines, they most certainly will be dominated by an dizzying number of period pieces and outright attempts to fold contemporary film techniques, pretzel-like, into shapes that let us all believe that we're not where or when we are (I see your digital-grain-ass shenanigans <i>The Holdovers</i>, you scamp). And whether it's nostalgia or horror, looking back is going to define the conversations about many of this year's Oscar nominees. So prepare your fanciest mirror or your most listless and jellied running shoes, and let's have a quick gander at everything that lurks behind our shoulders.</p><p>All of this is to say that hooray, the Oscar nominations are tomorrow! The Oscars are the one part of the year I get to take flight. Forget Oppenheimer's claim to being the modern Prometheus, that's all me, except I'm faster, haven't glued my blog together with wax (I assume), and am much less likely to unleash nuclear hellfire on an uncaring world (for now). Every awards season I get to fly directly into the sun and pass through laughing to the other side, and all of you get the absolute joy of watching me do it. Who doesn't want to read a couple thousands words about golden statues and the people who covet them? If you're here, I have to assume that you must (or, at the very least, feel compelled to give me a click or two, which is just as good), so we might as well dive in. Maybe not dive in however, as this year's pool is exceptionally shallow. The same 10-15 movies have dominated the conversation, and we can safely count on four or five of the strongest of those showing up in almost category. In fact, this year might set or tie multiple records for the number of best picture nominees category, which means that movies not in that top 10 are in for a rough morning.</p><p>But who's going to have a rough morning and who is Christopher Nolan going to invite to his annual Oscar Hunger Games (the winner gets to play a supporting role in his next movie, as long as they are a severe British man)? I'm not expecting tons of surprises, but I do love getting egg on my face, and I hope the Academy is firing up its skillet. I'll go ahead and dump all of my predictions in one massive list--because if there's one thing other than the Oscars that brings me joy, it's carving hours from your day. Bear in mind that I tend to predict a little more for fun than I do for accuracy. There are plenty of places you can go to check the odds for your Oscar pool, but this is, as Nicole Kidman probably wouldn't say, is where we come for magic, if by magic Nicole Kidman means a barrage of lists in which I ignore reality and predict some of my favorites instead.</p><p><br /></p><p>(note: all predictions are listed in order of likelihood--so the first movie is the most likely, the second is the next most likely, etc.)</p><p><br /></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>The Holdovers</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i><br /><i>Barbie</i><br /><i>Maestro</i><br /><i>American Fiction</i><br /><i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br /><i>Past Lives</i><br /><i>Saltburn</i><br />Alternate: <i>The Zone of Interest</i></p><p>There have been exactly 10 movies that have completely dominated the conversation over this category, and one of them certainly isn't <i>Saltburn</i>. So if you're a betting person, just swap in <i>The Zone of Interest</i> and count your money. But, for whatever reason, I have largely decided to ignore <i>The Zone of Interest </i>today in favor of other, less likely picks--but, again, do so at your own prognosticating peril. If we are talking spoilers for that big 10 (my top 9 picks plus <i>Interest</i>), what's on the table? I still suspect <i>The Color Purple</i> might stumble across the finish line, as the last unveiled prestige piece frequently does, or maybe <i>May December </i>or <i>All of Us Strangers</i> have enough support to sneak in. Or what about <i>Saltburn</i>? It's hated by many but has super passionate fans, and continues to sneak into rooms where it's not expected or wanted: it overperformed with Critic's Choice nominations (including a best picture nomination), got more nominations than expected at both the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, and has continued to appear on the edges of award season--particularly with the guild awards aka the people who actually vote on Oscars. It's probably dumb to bet against <i>The Zone of Interest</i>--or any other movie--not taking that tenth slot, but my guess is that <i>Saltburn</i> manages to sneak into the conversation once again.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />Christopher Nolan-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Martin Scorsese-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Yorgos Lanthimos-<i>Poor Things</i><br />Alexander Payne-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />Justine Triet-<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />Alternate: Greta Gerwig-<i>Barbie</i></p><p>Somewhat gutted to leave Greta Gerwig out of the top five, but them's the breaks. Really, though, only the top two feel truly safe, while Lanthimos, Payne, and Triet easily give up their spot for Gerwig or Jonathan Glazer for <i>The Zone of Interest</i>. I wouldn't be surprised by any configuration of those five directors, but <i>would</i> be deeply surprised by anyone else getting in. Who has the juice--Bradley Cooper/<i>Maestro</i>? Celine Song/<i>Past Lives</i>? Anything outside of the top seven feels implausible.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Emma Stone-<i>Poor Things</i><br />Lily Gladstone-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Carey Mulligan-<i>Maestro</i><br />Margot Robbie-<i>Barbie</i><br />Sandra Hüller-<i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />Alternate: Greta Lee-<i>Past Lives</i></p><p>Came so close to predicting a surprise Carey Mulligan snub--who has watched and loved <i>Maestro</i> other than the mothers of everyone involved (and even a few of them thought it was a little indulgent)? It's tempting to call Mulligan as a casualty of the Academy's seeming ambivalence to her and everyone's growing weariness with Bradley Cooper, but in the end I stuck with it. This top six feels like your roster though, give or take Annette Bening in <i>Nyad</i>, who, to be fair, is the only potential nominee who had to simulate getting a jellyfish in their mouth, which has to count for something.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Paul Giamatti-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />Cillian Murphy-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Jeffrey Wright-<i>American Fiction<br /></i>Bradley Cooper-<i>Maestro</i><br />Colman Domingo-<i>Rustin</i><br />Alternate: Barry Keoghan-<i>Saltburn</i></p><p>Came even closer to predicting a shocker Bradley Cooper snub--even went so far as to write it up that way and continue writing until the end of this post until I came back here to lose my nerve. I think it's certainly possible--the Academy might be getting a little bored of Cooper talking about his decade-long impossible and herculean struggle to pretend to be Leonard Bernstein, so we still might get to watch him shamble, weeping, out of the Dolby and into another raccoon suit. Deeply silly to imagine that Keoghan would the benefactor of Cooper's raccoon tragedies, rather than Andrew Scott/<i>All of Us Strangers</i> or Leonardo Dicaprio/<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>, but the latter has been fading and the former is both gay and a little scary. Granted, so is Barry Keoghan in <i>Saltburn</i>, but in a way that doesn't make you want to call your parents.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Da'Vine Joy Randolph-<i>The Holdovers</i><br />Emily Blunt-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Danielle Brooks-<i>The Color Purple</i><br />Jodie Foster-<i>Nyad</i><br />Rosamund Pike-<i>Saltburn</i><br />Alternate: Penelope Cruz-<i>Ferrari</i></p><p>Beyond Randolph, who has giddily smashed every statue in her path to victory, this category feels unusually open. This might be because it is the only above the line category this year in which multiple non best picture-nominated films have a shot. But, as the Academy is absolutely glued to those top 10 movies this year, that means that Blunt is probably safe, and all the others can fight for her scraps. Brooks is safe on paper, but <i>The Color Purple</i> might just be out of breath right before the finish line. That leaves it on even ground with all the other performances from films that have lost steam below it, as well as Julianne Moore/<i>May December</i> and best picture coattail hopefuls America Ferrera/<i>Barbie</i> and Sandra Hüller/<i>The Zone of Interest</i>. Hüller in particular seems like the new consensus pick, but I struggle to see it happening--though, as I said above, I have arbitrarily decided that <i>The Zone of Interest</i> is getting mostly shut out and have no good reason for thinkin so. Instead I'll pick Rosamund Pike, who would have a strong shot even if <i>Saltburn</i> didn't go on the big improbable run for which I'm predicting it.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />Robert Downey Jr.-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Ryan Gosling-<i>Barbie</i><br />Robert De Niro-<i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br />Charles Melton-<i>May December</i><br />Matt Damon-<i>Oppenheimer</i><br />Alternate: Mark Ruffalo-<i>Poor Things</i></p><p>Top three slots are probably rock solid, with a veritable avalanche of actors fighting for the last two slots. It's probably not wise to leave this category without either of the <i>Poor Things</i> boys (the other being Willem Dafoe), but Ruffalo's performance feels like the kind of thing people think they like until they're asked to commit, and Dafoe only gets in if the movie overperforms in general. Speaking of overperforming, Sterling K. Brown/<i>American Fiction</i>, Dominic Sessa/<i>The Holdovers</i>, and maybe even Jacob Elordi/<i>Saltburn</i> could all make a showing if their respective films hit harder than expected. But for my money, I'm betting on Charles Melton's early season passion being enough for him to scrape by, and for Matt Damon to benefit from the near-annual 'you were also in this movie we liked, won't you please come to our party' nomination.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>The Holdovers</i><br /><i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br /><i>Past Lives</i><br /><i>May December</i><br /><i>Saltburn</i><br />Alternate: <i>Maestro</i></p><p>Another place to ignore me as I convulse happily on a limb and put <i>Maestro </i>in the top five. Hard to see much outside those six sneaking in, however. Cannot for the life of me imagine anyone still thinking about <i>Air</i> all these months later, <i>Asteroid City</i>'s totally flopped on the awards circuit, as has <i>The Iron Claw</i>. It's the six above or nothing, I think.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i><br /><i>American Fiction</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>Barbie</i><br />Alternate: <i>All of Us Strangers</i></p><p>Well, the nice thing about the Academy being so laser-focused on the same movies is that I only ever have to type a few titles. Toss in <i>The Zone of Interest </i>and that's probably your only possible nominees. Remember when we were talking about <i>Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret</i> for this? Halcyon days.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>Barbie</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>The Zone of Interest</i><br />Alternate: <i>Asteroid City</i></p><p>Now we settle in for a long line of craft categories in which best picture nominees take most of the spots while movies not in that top group break each other's limbs for a little attention. Here, said limb-breaker is <i>Asteroid City</i>, which makes a <i>lot</i> of sense as a nominee here, but I've decided it misses in favor of <i>Interest</i>'s historical recreations. <i>Wonka </i>or <i>Saltburn</i> could land here if the Academy is feeling a little frisky, or <i>Maestro </i>or <i>Napoleon </i>if not.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Barbie</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>Napoleon</i><br /><i>The Color Purple</i><br />Alternate: <i>Oppenheimer</i></p><p>I'm basing my final slot here on two things: 1) my mom was impressed and excited by <i>The Color Purple</i>'s evolving costumes over the decades, and 2) I might like <i>Oppenheimer</i> more than most Christopher Nolan movies, but not enough that I want anyone involved with it to be able to smile <i>too </i>much. Tough category to pin down, in that nothing beyond the first two or three slots feels that likely as a nominee. <i>Wonka </i>and <i>Maestro</i> could also show up, but is there any reason they're more likely than any of the others? Hard to say. Almost predicted a left field <i>Hunger Games</i> nomination, but you can only indulge in so much whimsy before your whimsy meter runs out and you have to go recharge the whimsy elf that lives in your closet for just such a purpose.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>The Creator</i><br /><i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3</i><br /><i>Godzilla Minus One</i><br /><i>Napoleon</i><br /><i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i><br />Alternate: <i>Poor Things</i></p><p>Arguably the wackiest category of the year at this moment. I'm actively rooting against <i>Poor Things</i>, not because I don't think it'd be a worthy nominee (...though, uh), but because a best picture nominee getting in here would make the race much easier to call, and as it stands it's pure anarchy. Anything could get in! Anything could win! The old gods are dead, and the new ones are all animated or like like big lizards! In addition to the six above, <i>Indiana Jones </i>and <i>Society of the Snow </i>could just as easily get in--and win!--as any of the others. Really, no movie is safe here, and anything could happen.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup</u><br /><i>Maestro</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Society of the Snow</i><br /><i>Beau is Afraid</i><br />Alternate: <i>Golda</i></p><p>So many years, in so many categories, I'll make predictions purely under the assumption that the Academy as a monolith watches everything I do and acts solely out of spite, throwing nominations to movies designed to test and punish me in ways unknowable and unimaginable. But what if I chose to believe in dignity? What if I believed that the Academy has finally learned the boundaries of human suffering and is choosing pity this year? All of this is a long and ridiculous way to say that I'm not predicting <i>Golda</i> because I really don't have to watch it, and I'm hoping the Academy will choose kindness. Makeup is always one of the most volatile categories, so expect any of the top six to fall out and make room for <i>Napoleon</i>, <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>, <i>Ferrari</i>, or <i>The Last Voyage of the Demeter</i>.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>Barbie</i><br /><i>The Holdovers</i><br /><i>Anatomy of a Fall</i><br />Alternate: <i>Poor Things</i></p><p>This easily feels like the most straightforward category that I am most likely to get wrong. Predicting a <i>Poor Things</i> snub is probably ill-conceived, but I operate under the assumption that the film's shagginess will outweigh its best picture credentials, and I am still for no reason snubbing <i>The Zone of Interest </i>in most places, so here we are. It'd be deeply surprising to see anything but those seven movies show up in this category, unless <i>Maestro </i>or <i>American Fiction</i> is much closer to winning best picture than anyone thinks.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i><br /><i>Maestro</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i><br /><i>El Conde</i><br />Alternate: <i>Saltburn</i></p><p>I was tempted to ignore <i>Poor Things</i>' variety pack of lenses from Kroger here--and I still think that's possible--but I suppose I can only predict so many surprise <i>Poor Things</i> omissions before I start implying that it's out of the best picture race, which it certainly isn't, so I guess the Kroger lenses get to stay. <i>El Conde</i> feels like the kind of nomination that surprises people in the morning who then two days later make the argument that most black and white movies that come down the pike get picked for this category. <i>The Zone of Interest</i> could easily make this category if it's feeling robust, as could <i>Saltburn</i> or even <i>Barbie</i> if either lands in a big way.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moons</i><br /><i>Poor Things</i><br /><i>American Fiction</i><br /><i>Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</i><br />Alternate: <i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i></p><p>Feels wrong for <i>Spider-Man</i> to miss here, but I feel in my bones that the Academy will warm to <i>American Fiction</i>'s elevator music and John Williams (<i>Indiana Jones</i>) has only missed a nomination in this category for three movies in the past 20 years, so it's dangerous to bet against him. But this category's volatile, and <i>Oppenheimer </i>is the only nomination I'd really bet on. <i>Barbie, The Zone of Interest, </i>and <i>Saltburn </i>could all show up if their movie is strong enough, <i>Elemental </i>and <i>Society of the Snow</i> might show up if the Academy plays their favorite composers, and <i>The Boy and the Heron</i> could even slip in if the Academy is feeling sentimental about Miyazaki and/or enjoys watching large militarized birds attack to a snappy tune. Anything's possible, and if you're looking for a major shakeup in any category, you might look to this one.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>Oppenheimer</i><br /><i>Maestro</i><br /><i>Ferrari</i><br /><i>The Zone of Interest</i><br /><i>The Killer</i><br />Alternate: <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i></p><p>I'm going to play the hero and predict <i>The Killer</i> to shock here when no one else would--it's a tough job, but someone (other than David Fincher) has to do it. Both <i>Killers of the Flower Moon </i>and <i>Barbie</i> could swoop in to take the year's token best picture contender slot, and <i>Napoleon</i> might have wowed enough people with all its cold and watery carnage to have earned a spot here. Still, I think the narrative in this category is how many big best picture contenders push out how many non best picture nominees.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"I'm Just Ken"-<i>Barbie</i><br />"What Was I Made For"-<i>Barbie</i><br />"The Fire Inside"-<i>Flamin' Hot</i><br />"It Never Went Away"-<i>American Symphony</i><br />"Can't Catch Me Now"-<i>The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes</i><br />Alternate: "Road to Freedom"-<i>Rustin</i></p><p>Year in and year out the most difficult to predict category. Only one thing is certain: once again, Diane Warren's blood pact with Moloch the Deceiver has been fulfilled and a new wretched beast--this one about the invention of flaming hot cheetos, allegedly--stirs in the depths and shambles its slow and apparently inevitable path to the Dolby theater. At some point, there has to be some kind of orchestrated look into how Diane Warren never fails to get Oscar nominations for movies that seemingly don't exist, but until then we're all gonna just have to watch the cheeto movie to sate the little completionist goblins that live in our brains. I'm also predicting an unprecedent moment, the <i>Hunger Games</i> movies getting their first Oscar nomination five movies into the franchise, something that has never happened in the history of franchises, because...well, because I think season favorite "Road to Freedom" is a song that should make everyone involved feel a little bad about themselves, and that's my only reason. But this category is always anarchy, so who knows? It's tempting to really choose chaos and pick either of the shortlisted songs from <i>Flora and Son</i> (speaking of movies that didn't exist until someone wrote a song for them), or assume that the songs from <i>Past Lives</i> or <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i> get in on pedigree alone, but I think I'll stick with my potentially history-making Olivia Rodrigo bop from <i>The Hunger Games</i>, just for fun.</p><p><b><u>Animated Film</u><br /></b><i>Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse</i><br /><i>The Boy and the Heron</i><br /><i>Elemental</i><br /><i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem</i><br /><i>Suzume:</i><br />Alternate: <i>Nimona</i></p><p>Probably a mistake not to predict <i>Nimona</i>, a movie that's had a great precursor run, in favor of the little anime movie (especially when the category is already home to another not so little anime movie), especially given Netflix's stellar track record, but here we are. Look for <i>Robot Dreams</i> to potentially fill <i>Suzume</i>'s artsy movie slot, or for <i>Mario</i> to take the turtles' mainstream slot, or maybe something terribly shocking from a movie whose name I don't even know right now--it wouldn't be the first time it'd happened in this category.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Film</u><br /><i>The Zone of Interest</i>-The United Kingdom<br /><i>Society of the Snow</i>-Spain<br /><i>Fallen Leaves</i>-Finland<br /><i>Totem-</i>Mexico<br /><i>The Teacher's Lounge</i>-Germany<br />Alternate: <i>20 Days in Mariupol</i>-Ukraine</p><p>Nothing can stop <i>The Zone of Interest</i>'s domination in this category, but everything below it is on shaky ground--it's a strangely fluid year in this category, partially made possible by how a lot of the movies that won this category during the precursor season (<i>Anatomy of a Fall, Godzilla Minus One, Past Lives</i>) are ineligible in this category at the Oscars. I'm sure I'll be kicking myself tomorrow for not slipping <i>20 Days in Mariupol</i> into the top 5, and the same could easily be said for <i>Perfect Days</i>/Japan and <i>The Taste of Things</i>/France. Opting for a <i>Monk and the Gun</i>/Bhutan shocker is a nice thought, but it'd be awfully lucky and/or bizarre for the country--and the same director--to score two shocking nominations with two consecutive submissions.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>20 Days in Mariupol</i><br /><i>American Symphony</i><br /><i>Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie</i><br /><i>Beyond Utopia</i><br /><i>Four Daughters</i><br />Alternate: <i>The Eternal Memory</i></p><p>Perennially the category I know the least about and struggle the most to be invested in, so take these predictions with a bus-sized grain of salt. Thought about predicting a snub for the presumed frontrunner <i>American Symphony</i>, just because this category sometimes likes to throw the awards seasons' favorite darlings in the wood chipper and dance in the rain, but I couldn't justify anything below it having enough passion to unseat it. Still, if it <i>does</i> get snubbed, remember you heard it here first and I absolutely thought about predicting it, which is more or less the same as actually doing so, right?<br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And there you have it! For those playing along at home, here are the movies I'm predicting will get the most nominations:</p><p><i>Oppenheimer</i>-13<br /><i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i>-10<br /><i>Poor Things</i>-9<br /><i>Barbie</i>-9<br /><i>The Holdovers</i>-6</p><p>I might have gone a little too hard on <i>Maestro </i>and <i>Poor Things</i>, but the rest make sense to me--it feels like the kind of year where everything scurries off the landing strip to make room for one movie's big entrance, and Christopher Nolan's flying that plane.</p><p>I know it's silly for me to spend this much time talking about movies and Oscars without talking about any of my own picks--and you can all rest easy, because those are certainly coming. I'm aiming for the first week or two in February, depending on when and how I can still see a few more movies, as well as what happens in my life in the next few weeks. But for now, if I could guarantee any nominations, it'd be Julianne Moore getting in for <i>May December </i>(or maybe Andrew Scott for <i>All of Us Strangers</i>), and if I could prevent any one nomination, I would visit a plague of furious owls on all the people voting for <i>Poor Things</i> in editing and cinematography (though that's only because I know that not even furious owls will keep Robert Downey Jr. from getting his Oscar nod for <i>Oppenheimer</i>). </p><p>And that's it! In a little more than 12 hours, every one of these predictions will be absolutely meaningless, which is exactly as it should be. I'll be back in the morning to unwrap all the Oscar presents and see how happy we should be (or how many rocks we have to throw).</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-3564520034600216422023-03-10T17:30:00.000-07:002023-03-10T17:30:49.982-07:00Final Oscar Predictions 2022: The Only Way to Go is Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnusCcM9Z1q6e07LOTLTErG-kNKX5C7kFiJsXMvBYWLr-V_6xsTr-8t4gssy9m96_AaPlXZhr-I5SoNBECgzI8HA25iZMJh3do2Nlxvm2ya7w2nOimqFZPbXvq7vfmygSKYNX3tPa3iPx3xgp8ZNzFV_-OQFFvqVTG8FjxLIVTAD7S2QWT8sc-0_1U2Q/s1600/all%20quiet%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnusCcM9Z1q6e07LOTLTErG-kNKX5C7kFiJsXMvBYWLr-V_6xsTr-8t4gssy9m96_AaPlXZhr-I5SoNBECgzI8HA25iZMJh3do2Nlxvm2ya7w2nOimqFZPbXvq7vfmygSKYNX3tPa3iPx3xgp8ZNzFV_-OQFFvqVTG8FjxLIVTAD7S2QWT8sc-0_1U2Q/w400-h225/all%20quiet%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>If there 's one thing that can be said, it's this: this year's Oscars can't be worse than last year's All of the categories will be presented on TV (rather than on twitter an hour before the Oscars, thus abandoning the whole concept of celebrating filmmaking in favor of more time spent with people talking--on the Oscars stage--about how boring and meaningless the Oscars are), Shaun White won't be 10 miles of the ceremony, no last-minute "best popular" movie category has been added to throw at Zack Snyder, and no one (hopefully) will assault someone on camera and then be applauded for it ten minutes later. (Jesus, last year's Oscars really were a catastrophe.)</p><p>So if we aren't going to watch a train wreck to rival the fateful circus pile-up that launched Steven Spielberg's career, what will we be watching? As for the ceremony itself, who knows--the Academy has been remarkably tight-lipped this year, as if by hiding what they're doing, they can keep us from being horrified by the choices they've made until it's too late. (We do know that Lenny Kravitz is going to perform during the In Memoriam segment, which...sure?) But the awards promise to be some wacky combo of bizarre, volatile, wacky, and infuriating. It seems as though I say this every year, but this year <i>for real</i> seems to offer more instability and potential for surprises than most in recent memory. While that might not be true for the headliner category, keep reading to find literally a dozen categories that will be a nail-biter until the envelope is opened, and at least one potential winner that is sure to send me into the wood screaming, finally fulfilling my destiny and becoming the wild wailing woods hermit you all have known me to be all along.</p><p>However things shake up (and however they shake up will almost invariably be counter to what I imagine them to be), I'm happy to shepherd you through the gilded madness. This hasn't necessarily been the most conflict-free 12-15 months of my life, and part of wondered if this was the year that I'd stop doing these posts at all--who had the time, the mental and emotional capacity, and, uh, two functioning arms?--but the Oscars have been a constant in my life for so long, and I'm thrilled to preserve that to some extent, and that you're along for the ride. I should note that, unlike the past few years, I haven't been able to see a fair number of the nominees--an unfortunate side effect of being mostly unable to go to the theater (either for medical reasons or distance ones) for the last two months, which deflated my desire to sit through online nominees if being a completionist wasn't a motivator. But still, I've seen most of them, so I'll note what I haven't seen when it comes up, and let my heart pull me in the wrong direction everywhere else.</p><p class="MsoNormal">So let's get to it! Do note that I predict more for fun than
I do for accuracy. There are lots of sites online that can help you ace your
Oscar pool, but I'm going to use my space to encourage the Academy to release
the hounds.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />Avatar: The Way of Water<br />The Banshees of Inisherin<br />Elvis<br />Everything Everywhere All at Once<br />The Fabelmans<br />Tar<br />Top Gun: Maverick<br />Triangle of Sadness<br />Women Talking</i></p><p class="MsoNormal">The much-vaunted instability that I mentioned certainly will not start here--at this point, anything but <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i> would be a massive shock. <i>Everything Everywhere</i> won the Producers Guild, Directors Guild, and Screen Actors Guild awards--and no movie to win all three has ever lost this--in addition the Critics Choice awards, setting a record at the Indie Spirits, etc. It's become an entire phenomenon, and one of the main questions to be answered right down the line is to what extent it can break the no big sweeps for best picture winners rule of the last decade. It doesn't help that none of the other nominees aren't totally plausible as winners. <i>All Quiet </i>and <i>Elvis</i> have momentum (<i>All Quiet</i> won a record-breaking number of awards at the British equivalent of the Oscars), but both have statistics working against them. Almost no movie has won best picture without being nominated in at least three of four big categories (directing, acting, writing, editing), and both are missing two or three of those--plus, <i>All Quiet</i> isn't in English. And sure, <i>Coda</i> won missing two of those nominations last year, and <i>Parasite</i> won despite not being in English three years ago, but both were unprecedented, and I don't know if those precedents will be broken again so soon. That leaves <i>Banshees</i>,<i> Tar, Fabelmans, </i>and <i>Top Gun</i>, each of which had early momentum and each of which has faltered in their own ways. You can predict an upset, but it's a huge risk. Instead, we can take a second to appreciate how strange, wild , and unique a winner <i>Everything Everywhere </i>will be.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Will Win: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Could Win: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Fabelmans</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Aftersun</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />Todd Field-<i>Tar</i><br />Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert<i>-Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Martin McDonagh-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Ruben Östlund-<i>Triangle of Sadness</i><br />Steven Spielberg-<i>The Fabelmans</i></p><p>Copy and paste the same argument as above with just a little more wiggle room. It's true that the Academy has been prone to picture/director splits recently, but that's most frequently in the space of a particularly notable ambitious or artistic work taking director from a more commercial or conventionally made best picture. This year, the big commercial work just happens to be one of the loudest/most ambitious directorial statements, so I suspect they'll stick together. Still, look to Steven Spielberg or Todd Field to take this if <i>Everything Everywhere</i> isn't nearly as beloved as we suspect.</p><p>Will Win: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Could Win: Todd Field-<i>Tar</i><br />Should Win: Todd Field-<i>Tar</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Charlotte Wells-<i>Aftersun</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Cate Blanchett-<i>Tar</i><br />Ana de Armas-<i>Blonde</i><br />Andrea Riseborough-<i>To Leslie</i><br />Michelle Williams-<i>The Fabelmans</i><br />Michelle Yeoh-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></p><p>A very clear two-person race: Cate Blanchett had all the early momentum, steamrolling through the majority of the televised prizes, but enthusiasm for <i>Everything Everywhere</i> and Michelle Yeoh has crescendoed at exactly the right time, with her winning a maybe telling Screen Actors Guild award last weekend. It could go either way--Cate Blanchett feels like the more 'traditional' winner (as silly a word as that is to use for <i>Tar</i>) but Yeoh seems to have the momentum on her side. Flip a coin and/or cross your fingers.</p><p>Will Win: Michelle Yeoh-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Could Win: Cate Blanchett-<i>Tar</i><br />Should Win: Michelle Yeoh-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Emma Thompson-<i>Good Luck to You, Leo Grande</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Austin Butler-<i>Elvis</i><br />Colin Farrell-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Brendan Fraser-<i>The Whale</i><br />Paul Mescal-<i>Aftersun</i><br />Bill Nighy-<i>Living</i></p><p>Exact same situation above, with a close race between the early champ (Fraser) and the momentum-shifting late challenger (Butler). Fraser's moving comeback narrative might help him take the victory, but then again the Academy's obsession with giving Oscar to famous people playing other famous people greatly benefits Butler. So does <i>Elvis</i>' general across-the-board strength vs. <i>The Whale</i>'s muted Academy support. Some people have suggested that Colin Farrell has a chance to split the difference and slip through for a beloved performance in a beloved movie, but if he couldn't win the British Academy award (home turf, so to speak), what are his chances of pulling it off here?</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Angela Bassett-<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i><br />Kerry Condon-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Hong Chau-<i>The Whale</i><br />Jamie Lee Curtis-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Stephanie Hsu-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></p><p>One of the two or three most difficult categories to call, in no small part because everyone seems impossible as a winner. Bassett and Curtis are working from the same playbook--hugely respected and liked actresses with the chance to finally get their due in the kind of movie or role totally antithetical to the Academy's normal tastes (in this case, a Marvel movie or a small comedic role whose biggest moments occur whilst wearing hot dog fingers). Curtis might benefit from the <i>Everything Everywhere</i> love that seems to be cresting--as might Hsu, for that matter, whose memorable role in that movie certainly shouldn't be counted out. But if either of them wins, <i>Everything Everywhere</i> might be in danger of winning three acting Oscars: something that has only happened twice (<i>On the Waterfront </i>and <i>Network</i>). And are we ready to claim that <i>Everything Everywhere</i> is ready to join that echelon of most-beloved Oscar movies of all time? That could tip the balance in Bassett's favor, or possibly in the direction of the 'safe' choice, Kerry Condon. She has the most traditionally Oscar-y role of the bunch, and this could be the likeliest place for <i>Banshees</i> to win an Oscar--and given it has nine nominations, they clearly dig it, and might be looking to reward it. Still, You could predict anyone but Hong Chau here and have a good chance at being right.</p><p>Will Win: Kerry Condon-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Could Win: Jamie Lee Curtis-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Should Win: Hong Chau-<i>The Whale</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Nina Hoss-<i>Tar</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />Brendan Gleeson-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Brian Tyree Henry-<i>Causeway</i><br />Judd Hirsch-<i>The Fabelmans</i><br />Barry Keoghan-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Ke Huy Quan-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></p><p>In contrast to the last category, this is one of the easiest of the night to predict. Almost impossible to imagine that Ke Huy Quan loses this.</p><p>Will Win: Ke Huy Quan-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Could Win: Barry Keoghan-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Should Win: Ke Huy Quan-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Paul Dano-<i>The Fabelmans</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>The Banshees of Inisherin<br />Everything Everywhere All at Once <br />The Fabelmans<br />Tar<br />Triangle of Sadness</i></p><p>Two-horse race between <i>Banshees</i> and <i>Everything Everywhere</i>. <i>Banshees</i> wins if they want to value dialogue more, and if they don't want it to go home empty-handed, and <i>Everything</i> wins if they value unique premise/originality more, and if they're caught up in the <i>Everything Everywhere </i>love. Fun trivia note: this is the first time that the director and original categories have lined up exactly, and each of the directors of these movies also wrote the screenplay.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Should Win: <i>Tar</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Petite Maman</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />Glass Onion<br />Living<br />Top Gun: Maverick<br />Women Talking</i></p><p>Reporting that <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i> has a good chance to win this is one of the worst things I've ever had to do, but that's where we are--I'm in the trenches, and I'm not even going to get a retroactive adaptation about how it was actually France's fault all along. But <i>All Quiet</i> has come out of nowhere as a big Oscar player (a narrative we'll be forced to discuss for the rest of this post), so I can't pretend that it couldn't walk to victory amid a fairly low-key field. Its biggest competition is certainly <i>Women Talking</i>, a cerebral and dialogue-heavy meditation on timely themes written by a well-respected filmmaker has gotten her due--not difficult to see that as a winning narrative here. If <i>Top Gun</i> hadn't lost all its momentum, I'd argue it would be a bigger threat here, and if I suspected that more Academy voters were wont to say 'hey, it's Nobel Prize Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro! Let's give him an Oscar!,' I'd suggest that <i>Living</i> had a stronger chance, but I really think it's between <i>All Quiet </i>and <i>Women Talking</i>.</p><p>Will Win: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i><br />Could Win: <i>Women Talking</i><br />Should Win: <i>Living</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Fire Island</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />Avatar: The Way of Water<br />Babylon<br />Elvis<br />The Fabelmans</i></p><p>Another near impossible category, with only one movie (<i>The Fabelmans</i>) truly out of it (...then again, we also said that about Spielberg's <i>Lincoln</i> in this category in 2012 and it won, so). If you're looking purely at best picture momentum, <i>All Quiet</i> and <i>Elvis</i> have the advantage. If you're looking for the big, glitzy set-pieces that this category frequently rewards, look to <i>Babylon </i>and <i>Elvis</i>. If you're looking for visual spectacles that might impress voters enough to vote for them here, consider <i>All Quiet</i> and <i>Avatar</i>. If yon want to throw your hands to the sky and wail, get in the wailing line with the rest of us.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Elvis</i><br />Could Win: <i>Babylon</i><br />Should Win: <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Mad God</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Bablyon<br />Black Panther: Wakanda Forever<br />Elvis<br />Everything Everywhere All at Once<br />Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris</i></p><p>Significantly less sky wailing here, though there's still room for a good sky whimper. <i>Elvis</i> has the advantage of 'most' costumes, <i>Black Panther</i> has the most eye-catching costumes, and <i>Everything Everywhere</i> has memorable work in a potential Oscar-sweeping movie. The first two seem your likeliest bets, though I'm awfully tempted to call this for <i>Everything Everywhere</i>. Still, I think all the recreations of famous looks in <i>Elvis</i> will be enough to carry it across the finish line.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Elvis</i><br />Could Win: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Should Win: <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Glass Onion</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />Avatar: The Way of Water<br />The Batman<br />Black Panther: Wakanda Forever<br />Top Gun: Maverick</i></p><p>Deceptively simple: <i>Avatar </i>takes it in a walk, right? Well, yes and no. <i>Avatar</i> kind of fell on its face, Academy-wise. and when that happens, no amount of decade-in-the-making effects wizardry can save you from movies with more best picture buzz. So yes, the odds are still (probably) in <i>Avatar</i>'s favor, but if you expect <i>All Quiet</i> or <i>Top Gun</i> to make a play for the top prize (or to supplant <i>Elvis</i> as the big craft sweeper), then look to this category to watch it begin.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i><br />Could Win:<i> All Quiet on the Western Front</i><br />Should Win: <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Mad God</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />The Batman<br />Black Panther: Wakanda Forever<br />Elvis<br />The Whale</i></p><p>More close races! I told you that the categories were gonna be nuts down the line. The simple logic is this: whichever movie you picked to win for best actor wins this award (unless you picked <i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i>, in which case woe betide). There's a compelling case to be made for <i>All Quiet</i> to take this category if it becomes a real craft juggernaut, but I feel (somewhat) confident that the best actor makeup transformation goes hand in hand with respect for the performance, and that the whole process will take two Oscars.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Elvis</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Whale</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Batman</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Crimes of the Future</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>The Banshees of Inisherin<br />Elvis<br />Everything Everywhere All at Once<br />Tar<br />Top Gun: Maverick</i></p><p>What was previously <i>Top Gun</i>'s category to lose has begun to look more and more like <i>Everything Everywhere</i>'s to lose. Definitely pick that one here if you're imagining (like I am) that <i>Everything Everywhere</i> come away a big winner, and pick <i>Top Gun</i> if you suspect that <i>Everything Everywhere</i> is too weird or frenetic for Oscar's tastes. There's maybe a chance for <i>Elvis</i> to upset--and look for it to do so if you think it's going for best picture--but otherwise this is fairly cut and dry.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Could Win: <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i><br />Should Win: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Aftersun</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />Bardo<br />Elvis<br />Empire of Light<br />Tar</i></p><p>Very much <i>All Quiet</i>'s to lose. Another spot for<i> Elvis </i>to push the frontrunner off its pedestal and gain momentum towards a best picture win, but I'm not sure I would count on it. Sidebar: if <i>Elvis</i> were to win, Mandy Walker would become the first woman to win in this category, the only one a woman has never won.</p><p>Will Win: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i><br />Could Win: <i>Elvis</i><br />Should Win: <i>Tar</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>EO*<br /></i></p><p><i>*</i>I haven't seen <i>Bardo</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />Babylon<br />The Banshees of Inisherin<br />Everything Everywhere All at Once<br />The Fabelmans</i></p><p>An absolutely maddening category--arguably hardest to predict, give or take supporting actress? Any one of these nominees has a near-equal chance of taking it, by my estimation. <i>Babylon </i>and <i>All Quiet</i> two most non-traditional but attention calling scores here. <i>Babylon</i> cannot function without the energy and chaos the score brings, and Justin Hurwitz is a two-time winner, so clearly they like him--but can any of those factors overcome the fact that people neither saw nor liked the movie? <i>All Quiet</i>'s score was derided to some extent for being anachronistic and sticking out, but those very elements mean that everyone who saw the movie probably remembers its music, and if they want an easy place to reward a movie they clearly love, this is it. Ditto for <i>Banshees of Inisherin</i>, a 'traditional' film score in a popular movie written by a well-loved composer who has never won before, which has all the makings for a win. You could argue that <i>The Fabelmans</i> benefits from those same elements (well-liked movie with a traditionally pretty score and only one easy place to give it an Oscar), plus the inherent draw of giving John Williams one final Oscar. And then there's <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i>, which probably has the least compelling winning argument here, but is also part of a movie that might win an absolute clown-load of Oscars, which in the right year is a winning argument in and of itself.<br />Basically I have no idea, and now I'm going to weep into my pillow a while.</p><p>Will Win: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i><br />Should Win: <i>Babylon</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Nope</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front<br />Avatar: The Way of Water<br />The Batman<br />Elvis<br />Top Gun: Maverick</i></p><p>Remember when <i>Top Gun</i> was going to be a multi-Oscar winning massive best picture threat? Now it's barely holding its head above water, scrabbling to win an Oscar or two while bigger competitors walk towards it with a flamethrower. I think <i>Top Gun</i> could still pull it out here (and not go home empty-handed), but <i>All Quiet </i>is breathing reeeeaaaallly heavily down its neck, and <i>Elvis</i> is definitely creeping somewhere in the wings.</p><p>Will Win: <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i><br />Could Win: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Batman</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Nope</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"Applause"-<i>Tell It Like a Woman</i><br />"Hold My Hand"-<i>Top Gun: Maverick</i><br />"Lift Me Up"-<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i><br />"Naatu Naatu"-<i>RRR</i><br />"This is a Life"-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></p><p>Somehow, "Naatu Naatu" has gone from a 'wouldn't it be fun if it were nominated' pipe dream to a seemingly unstoppable competitor in this category. Some people have argued that Chadwick Boseman sentiment (as well as the thrill of having Rihanna return to music just to the Superbowl and the Oscars, in that order) will lead to <i>Black Panther</i>'s song triumphing, but I'm...skeptical? If Chadwick Boseman sentiment were as strong in the Academy as it were online, then they probably would have given him the Oscar in 2020 rather than giving it to Anthony Hopkins before the ceremony slinked off ignominiously into the night. Still, it's an upset waiting in the wings.</p><p>Will Win: "Naatu Naatu"-<i>RRR</i><br />Could Win: "Lift Me Up"-<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i><br />Should Win: "Naatu Naatu"-<i>RRR</i><br />Should Have Been Here: "The Whale"-<i>Inu-Oh*</i></p><p><i>*</i>I haven't seen <i>Tell It Like a Woman</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br /><i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i><br /><i>Marcel the Shell with Shoes On<br />Puss in Boots: The Last Wish<br />The Sea Beast<br />Turning Red</i></p><p>Probably a no-brainer--<i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinicchio</i> crawls like a horrible wooden crab puppet up to the stage to shriek in its posh little voice about how no one is safe. But the fact that it was widely expected to show up in a number of categories (score, sound, screenplay, maybe even picture) and then fell on its face suggests that there is some (small) upset potential. <i>Marcel the Shell</i> seems like the likeliest candidate, but I wouldn't count out <i>Puss in Boots, </i>which had an absolutely astounding theater run based on word of mouth and is more loved than we might expect. </p><p>Will Win: <i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i><br />Could Win:<i> Puss in Boots: The Last Wish</i><br />Should Win: <i>Turning Red</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Mad God</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Film</u><br /><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>-Germany<br /><i>Argentina, 1985</i>-Argentina<br /><i>Close</i>-Belgium<br /><i>EO</i>-Poland<br /><i>The Quiet Girl</i>-Ireland</p><p>Easiest call of the night. No movie ever nominated in both this category and best picture has ever lost this category, and if we're talking about <i>All Quiet</i> as a legitimate threat to win best picture, there's no way it can lose here.</p><p>Will Win: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>-Germany<br />Could Win: <i>Argentina, 1985</i>-Argentina<br />Should Win: <i>Close</i>-Belgium*<br />Should Have Been Here: <i>RRR</i>-India</p><p>*I haven't seen <i>Argentina, 1985</i> or <i>The Quiet Girl</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>All That Breathes<br />All the Beauty and the Bloodshed<br />Fire of Love<br />A House Made of Splinters<br />Navalny</i></p><p><i>Navalny</i> has emerged as the one to beat in the last couple weeks, displacing previous frontrunner <i>All the Beauty and the Bloodshed</i>. My months-long hunch that <i>All That Breathes</i> would be the stealth winner is seemingly coming to not, as is <i>Fire of Love</i>'s popularity and support. Still, my instinct suggests that <i>Navalny</i> is not as ironclad a frontrunner as we're supposed to believe. So if you have a hunch, maybe now is the time to play it.</p><p>Will Win: <i>All That Breathes</i><br />Could Win: <i>Navalny</i><br />Should Win: <i>Fire of Love*</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Riotsville, USA</i></p><p>*I haven't seen <i>All the Beauty and the Bloodshed</i> or <i>A House Made of Splinters</i></p><p><br /></p><p>And that's that! Currently, I've got <i>Everything Everywhere all at Once</i> as the biggest winner with six Oscars, but so many categories are still wide open; it's anyone's guess what happens. (Watch, now <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i> will sweep all nine of its nominations and my heart will explode from rage.)<br />Well, whatever happens, it can't be worse than last year....I hope.</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-35172913509143932602023-03-07T16:30:00.001-07:002023-03-08T08:48:21.968-07:00Best of 2022, Part 2: Everything Else<p> After yesterday and this morning's exertions (a phrase which here means 'I had to move around a little, for a not very significant amount of time'), I've come to a couple conclusions about today's big list, namely that things are going to get pared down even more. It's a bummer, but that's the way this year is, and there's nothing to do but grit your teeth, bludgeon your way through it, and then cry for a long time afterward. So that's what we can all do together! In a normal year I'd have two more separate posts, each with plenty of write-ups, discussion, and attempts at silliness, but given the now legendary mauling of my brittle body, we're just gonna dump everything at once, throw up our hands (or hand, in my case), and promise to do better next year.</p><p>So what does that look like in practice? I'll still do some write-ups, but they'll be very brief--and, in the case of categories like directing, acting and screenplay, which I've always struggled to do, they might not exist at all. I'll still include images and videos where appropriate, but I'll freely admit that I'm in full 'just finish this so you can not move for few hours' mode. But here we are! Maybe next year I'll do a twice-as-long listing extravaganza, just to set the planets back on their proper paths.</p><p><br /></p><p>I'll start with acting, directing, screenplays, then I'll segue to the craft categories, where you're most likely to find pictures and/or more words than 'ooh wow, that was good, big happy face for sure.' I'll link to some clips for the acting awards, but there'll be no rhyme or reason to who gets a link--just whoever I feel like in the moment!</p><p><br /></p><p><u><b>Best Actress<br /></b></u>5. Tang Wei-<i>Decision to Leave<br /></i>4. Mia Goth-<i>Pearl<br /></i>3. Emma Thompson-<i>Good Luck to You, Leo Grande<br /></i>2. Cate Blanchett-<i>Tar<br /></i>1. Michelle Yeoh-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Guslagie Malanda-<i>Saint Omer</i></p><p>Lot of my choices this year dictated by physicality, Mia Goth being unhinged and storky in <i>Pearl</i>, Emma Thompson finding a million layers of security in insecurity <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdn8UOh1-Yw" target="_blank">in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande</a>, Cate Blanchette being <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL9kLh0elog">a self-possessed terror</a>, or Michelle doing everything (everywhere) with her face and body, carrying entire character arcs in her face and posture <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAd2TkQXT6I" target="_blank">while beating the shit out of people</a></p><p><u><b>Actor<br /></b></u>5. Gabrielle LaBelle-<i>The Fabelmans<br /></i>4. Paul Mescal-<i>Aftersun<br /></i>3. Jack Lowden-<i>Benediction<br /></i>2. Franz Rogowski-<i>Great Freedom<br /></i>1. Colin Farrell-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Austin Butler-<i>Elvis</i></p><p>Great category--I'm in love with the goofy, jangly i<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAPb1DKNcPM" target="_blank">nsecurity and earnestness</a> that Gabrielle Labelle brings, as well as the shifting faces of Paul Mescal's inscrutable work. Lowden is great, and Rogowski's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPs9rlZfjJw" target="_blank">hangdog hunger </a> could win in another year, but 2022 was all about Colin Farrell <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0RBIOxpco8" target="_blank">who topped </a> an already stellar career.</p><p><u><b>Supporting Actress<br /></b></u>5. Hong Chau-<i>The Whale<br /></i>4. Noomi Rapace-<i>You Won't Be Alone<br /></i>3. Dolly De Leon-<i>Triangle of Sadness<br /></i>2. Nicole Kidman-<i>The Northman<br /></i>1. Nina Hoss-<i>Tar</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Dakota Johnson-<i>Cha Cha Real Smooth</i></p><p>Hate to say anything nice about <i>The Whale</i>, but Hong Chau <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnWWHBa09ks" target="_blank">earned her spot</a>. Somehow ended up banging the drum for a number of nominees forgotten by awards season, including Rapace learning how to be a person in <i>You Won't Be Alone</i>, Nicole Kidman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w02eC_3j2k" target="_blank">having a spoiler-heavy meltdown</a> in <i>The Northman</i>, and Nina Hoss's perfect and glacial changes of mood that slide across her face, just as good or better than her (justly) celebrated co-star Cate Blanchett.</p><p><u><b>Supporting Actor<br /></b></u>5. Paul Dano-<i>The Fabelmans<br /></i>4. Brian Tyree Henry-<i>Causeway<br /></i>3. Judd Hirsch-<i>The Fabelmans<br /></i>2. Barry Keoghan-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin<br /></i>1. Ke Huy Quan-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Brendan Gleeson-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></p><p>Bless <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZqd6aBr4_o" target="_blank">Paul Dano</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNFEO7YqfO8" target="_blank">Brian Tyree Henry's</a> respective silences, and Judd Hirsch's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l259MH0RyuY" target="_blank">exact opposite of that</a>, but this category belongs to the top two. I almost went with wacky goblin Barry Keoghan who continues to challenge <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdMq7vAcv5o" target="_blank">while being weird as shit,</a> but I'll stick a toe out for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV-YkkeGqyI" target="_blank">empathy, humor, </a>and doing all your own stunts and fight choreography.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director<br /></u>5. Jordan Peele-<i>Nope</i><br />4. Steven Spielberg-<i>The Fabelmans</i><br />3. S.S. Rajamouli-<i>RRR</i><br />2. Todd Field-<i>Tar</i><br />1. Charlotte Wells-<i>Aftersun</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Jerzy Skilimowski-<i>EO</i></p><p>Peele pushes his visual style way beyond his previous work and makes his scariest movie, Spielberg returns to his roots and then films them, Rajamouli makes one of the pound-for-pound wildest action extravaganzas ever made, and Field makes an impeccably crafted contradiction--and all of them beat by the hazy memories and delicate contours of Wells' debut.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>Saint Omer</i><br />4. <i>Nope</i><br />3. <i>Aftersun</i><br />2. <i>Petite Maman</i><br />1. <i>Tar</i></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>Decision to Leave</i></p><p>Lots of labyrinths here (<i>Saint Omer, Decision to Leave, Tar</i>) accompanied by movies wherein people tend to not have much to say (...the other three). </p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>The Wonder</i><br />4. <i>Catherine Called Birdy</i><br />3. <i>Glass Onion</i><br />2. <i>Living</i><br />1. <i>Fire Island</i></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>Bones and All</i></p><p>A mostly silly selection in a somewhat sparse year, though <i>The Wonder</i> gives us enough dense existential doubt to get us across the finish line. Admired <i>Catherine Called Birdy</i> and <i>Glass Onion</i>'s commitment to their own heightened styles, but let me live in <i>Fire Island</i>'s horny and aloof rendition of Jane Austen.</p><p><b><u>Production Design</u></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUMesxuMtqXDTYnQxzIZ3kzjTTnoJbfunxpSc4bFehVsyZk2Q8npIBv-EdesdU5QmsDcOgcdEOVMp2dEY6xe98hjbEo3imsjGj29v2cjDZcwflzjg6EUZU_iSVSsHIAfSBMPz3Ax_8ivGT9sfhJCF8qMOlB2SHlcmUjFHTU_mSbb8Wf4qDEZoTVBh1Pg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1920" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUMesxuMtqXDTYnQxzIZ3kzjTTnoJbfunxpSc4bFehVsyZk2Q8npIBv-EdesdU5QmsDcOgcdEOVMp2dEY6xe98hjbEo3imsjGj29v2cjDZcwflzjg6EUZU_iSVSsHIAfSBMPz3Ax_8ivGT9sfhJCF8qMOlB2SHlcmUjFHTU_mSbb8Wf4qDEZoTVBh1Pg=w400-h211" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/StableDiffusion/comments/101jfiy/avatar_2_underwater_scenes/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wacky fluorescent underwater fish tanks! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>Benediction</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEines22TfyFY4MQiSmOZfY5ShI2VhEL2gQ_xHLVxkF7qod0znG9_ERbNRrJQzAjNH-o0Lm9ba7EcsBax3ImwghJil_9q7a2ZTYFpaz5g1s1YwtWY1B_nK6siu8njXek-V1-B0QIDE0tyZ8bhsjf83ktth4_7wcF11UbJVLpMs_wLuXR9nqnpT7MAJGoMA/s1918/benediction_design.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1918" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEines22TfyFY4MQiSmOZfY5ShI2VhEL2gQ_xHLVxkF7qod0znG9_ERbNRrJQzAjNH-o0Lm9ba7EcsBax3ImwghJil_9q7a2ZTYFpaz5g1s1YwtWY1B_nK6siu8njXek-V1-B0QIDE0tyZ8bhsjf83ktth4_7wcF11UbJVLpMs_wLuXR9nqnpT7MAJGoMA/w400-h168/benediction_design.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Gilded queer cages with spectacular wallpaper!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>After Yang</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjChWKMZYYLOSkjPPSfuS7koLa19VMrtPnkewNa60VVkgxbLQ4RLz3KUeKyfZOoAIDQSGn5wB5_naUVSSo3tshhwnpjFZdw2BlAtrMoTy7JOPuqbgCNoF17W0EpZeUQ8T972bh1fRz3Kr5urid0znApnaopgMoZIISRa1dXGWT1rEPrsYiRgQgem-5dwA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="750" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjChWKMZYYLOSkjPPSfuS7koLa19VMrtPnkewNa60VVkgxbLQ4RLz3KUeKyfZOoAIDQSGn5wB5_naUVSSo3tshhwnpjFZdw2BlAtrMoTy7JOPuqbgCNoF17W0EpZeUQ8T972bh1fRz3Kr5urid0znApnaopgMoZIISRa1dXGWT1rEPrsYiRgQgem-5dwA=w400-h166" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.archdaily.com/993650/the-science-fiction-of-after-yang-and-the-future-of-architecture" target="_blank">source</a>)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The future! It's full of earth tones and plants!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>The Northman</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWTl6fqX9DFmp1SFgdynM6iDc54Q0FJHEaaUCXSdnYpGixftgttlmfy8D2Ri_I-ICaNDIjio2xXpEOnggdm8nouWSjU4FlSTgSsViPRCAQ8JKAAl-GhIjGBABu661H_ejot0iG7VNrKDVF1-9eWOoYNIYG8OTSKXMhgqpAz_q5yATsDzQPejAHgs4DKQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1536" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWTl6fqX9DFmp1SFgdynM6iDc54Q0FJHEaaUCXSdnYpGixftgttlmfy8D2Ri_I-ICaNDIjio2xXpEOnggdm8nouWSjU4FlSTgSsViPRCAQ8JKAAl-GhIjGBABu661H_ejot0iG7VNrKDVF1-9eWOoYNIYG8OTSKXMhgqpAz_q5yATsDzQPejAHgs4DKQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.newtimesslo.com/sanluisobispo/the-northman/Content?oid=12446260" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Painstakingly recreated Viking villages for Alexander Skarsgaard to stab you to death in!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Mad God</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KNXeERXisQaBHN38OCYRJvRHFMJKn0o8dBA1s76MXncBLB0mPmXBYUJx91D3J7cNqhkE4WK2HDulKDF3yF-l7F0A_Tl4shB9K5dYAI9f3TqiKWTby0RoCNR5Emo5fMDO0saIacJ7YHKs0QWsMuuLkTALiV6ODSXRbwa7M5uH5zAXLADXS7BFVDBhEA/s1827/mad%20god_design.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1827" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KNXeERXisQaBHN38OCYRJvRHFMJKn0o8dBA1s76MXncBLB0mPmXBYUJx91D3J7cNqhkE4WK2HDulKDF3yF-l7F0A_Tl4shB9K5dYAI9f3TqiKWTby0RoCNR5Emo5fMDO0saIacJ7YHKs0QWsMuuLkTALiV6ODSXRbwa7M5uH5zAXLADXS7BFVDBhEA/w400-h204/mad%20god_design.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's just hell! Hell in every direction! A 4D experience!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Babylon</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Costume Design</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Nope</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAQPPao_HOXtrGbbzGtbDqZKrinkp2vEAL1prz-O9VQClST5hq2T9PfMVrdxeRiqyGoNzsTnjZkd3RKczvWpRoI4qoGI7FjQ8pv7kel43NVaf7R1qEIo35LZrQUzCVhuN64mG-_if34F_vAAzSNfxhLP5nGLf5P_sIMEnUcUqWPcmLBNizPGrIyjGpXw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAQPPao_HOXtrGbbzGtbDqZKrinkp2vEAL1prz-O9VQClST5hq2T9PfMVrdxeRiqyGoNzsTnjZkd3RKczvWpRoI4qoGI7FjQ8pv7kel43NVaf7R1qEIo35LZrQUzCVhuN64mG-_if34F_vAAzSNfxhLP5nGLf5P_sIMEnUcUqWPcmLBNizPGrIyjGpXw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/nope-movie-jupe-steven-yeun-in-2022--31947478599455906/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRHTC-ObLU52DOFxOIv3qmn3j4ZKkeEnUiwh5aNNB2hoFDWBNDqTlheHWzEI6vY2c5X51ElcCShoQB-gGMSiqSkoEIs1dqtZvpTp1E7s3hgqyVlSJHGKxutHEoU9nm0PvcawgiKF_vOEUU_NQ1gl9RuZtHzkiYEyn6uh_-ANYvBiy-Ge758dmokfIRbw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="775" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRHTC-ObLU52DOFxOIv3qmn3j4ZKkeEnUiwh5aNNB2hoFDWBNDqTlheHWzEI6vY2c5X51ElcCShoQB-gGMSiqSkoEIs1dqtZvpTp1E7s3hgqyVlSJHGKxutHEoU9nm0PvcawgiKF_vOEUU_NQ1gl9RuZtHzkiYEyn6uh_-ANYvBiy-Ge758dmokfIRbw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/nope-costume-designer-interview" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chaos chic for when you want to get sucked up into the sky in style!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>Bones and All</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgB_EQOQWXmE-iusZeCgDsg6cdbpcYCnJdQEtqPgavKtNkkZ5BqYV3vwIIBhrLwBgXrFwRyPwrdPbNtXgnPtTT3LHydPbL4YjQred-JyzKMNw6R3DK0nP3JGJZ4P5EuCvgrapB5yoj4eBf5dvCpl6mPgIaym6nu-MuLFidaq9KvYNeDSFpFhIUHEGRJ5w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgB_EQOQWXmE-iusZeCgDsg6cdbpcYCnJdQEtqPgavKtNkkZ5BqYV3vwIIBhrLwBgXrFwRyPwrdPbNtXgnPtTT3LHydPbL4YjQred-JyzKMNw6R3DK0nP3JGJZ4P5EuCvgrapB5yoj4eBf5dvCpl6mPgIaym6nu-MuLFidaq9KvYNeDSFpFhIUHEGRJ5w=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://studybreaks.com/tvfilm/bones-and-all/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Thrift store treasures and, uh, found items for when you want to eat people in style!<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDmFK13pTBSVUyQ-n6sQYKcanIXNThf8CGAGl1IbrSkLyEHv6QhwUkfhBRTOanQefexWk_atzbbpqNchsl1_V7c2s4mBqYdv6ewp7XkN5-xenpfNM8VLg3I9fgETEUyphRK-RHScgIRn1oCzolhTfNtvpArDIYQvSRrX-xQGzmIHuQcA_6dUWya0THEQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="879" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDmFK13pTBSVUyQ-n6sQYKcanIXNThf8CGAGl1IbrSkLyEHv6QhwUkfhBRTOanQefexWk_atzbbpqNchsl1_V7c2s4mBqYdv6ewp7XkN5-xenpfNM8VLg3I9fgETEUyphRK-RHScgIRn1oCzolhTfNtvpArDIYQvSRrX-xQGzmIHuQcA_6dUWya0THEQ=w400-h251" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.cinemabang.com/the-banshees-of-inisherin.php" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Strong top five entry into the best knitwear movies of all time!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Glass Onion</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwtjB_xxQ9eTLLmUCgJ3PofuVJOLMy4JUtS8Kanwa1i7WUaVPVIZD3gFX-SK-ywpcKgSoW5W-IM4GEftnw4mfG9gxwNbnvtFwt3SNl3FRCX1BqgXu9DP2D1fOIviiSRuoU9Y1lvsCROqkzsN5UGejiPAgbuKAC1UYdSa6twQob65XhfmuICpehaaIHYQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="728" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwtjB_xxQ9eTLLmUCgJ3PofuVJOLMy4JUtS8Kanwa1i7WUaVPVIZD3gFX-SK-ywpcKgSoW5W-IM4GEftnw4mfG9gxwNbnvtFwt3SNl3FRCX1BqgXu9DP2D1fOIviiSRuoU9Y1lvsCROqkzsN5UGejiPAgbuKAC1UYdSa6twQob65XhfmuICpehaaIHYQ=w400-h236" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.geekfeed.com/breakdown-of-the-costume-design-in-glass-onion/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Life(and death)styles of the rich and famous! As if a toddler threw up a box of crayons onto a flag museum! Big hats!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLOfmT9JGnbsJhSkVPzQEiKvz_EeT9Hp8WtHg5XF5zNIkCNq_B3AKdpokz8yFAuB0Wut0cgKuOp5J8HJzYZ3R3pKi6ZEMGqT7ZLu3i619wQPXXSD3JmTH5VgW3XarKTDmFjDVrgJujwwnhBBT4DyrMplBdR2g-gM2hPBY605I_SuD28f8e5BlAAV8mog" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1716" data-original-width="4096" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLOfmT9JGnbsJhSkVPzQEiKvz_EeT9Hp8WtHg5XF5zNIkCNq_B3AKdpokz8yFAuB0Wut0cgKuOp5J8HJzYZ3R3pKi6ZEMGqT7ZLu3i619wQPXXSD3JmTH5VgW3XarKTDmFjDVrgJujwwnhBBT4DyrMplBdR2g-gM2hPBY605I_SuD28f8e5BlAAV8mog=w400-h168" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/fashion/designers/exclusive-jj-valaya-on-designing-costumes-for-queen-ramonda-in-black-panther-wakanda-forever/articleshow/95718446.cms" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwRe6OQf7q5DYfHdmadoBSm0HoTA5JkJ7BZDkVY24Aduj_w5JS2BOtD8NwnPoNvA20-e-YHSDhN_HS55RVrNiJRfU5ySDzvkiBFOsCefZh3QKHK35ziREnAW3h8Ddd_d5uTtIDtRttL5jyq9vsiLf2f2cK62wW-4NU92Q4WOnMd1mULm4X1h90X_IqgQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwRe6OQf7q5DYfHdmadoBSm0HoTA5JkJ7BZDkVY24Aduj_w5JS2BOtD8NwnPoNvA20-e-YHSDhN_HS55RVrNiJRfU5ySDzvkiBFOsCefZh3QKHK35ziREnAW3h8Ddd_d5uTtIDtRttL5jyq9vsiLf2f2cK62wW-4NU92Q4WOnMd1mULm4X1h90X_IqgQ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/16/style/wakanda-forever-costume-design.html" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An untenable number of giant hats/statement pieces! Colors! Indulgence! Little green shorts!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Visual Effects</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Nope</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOvi2Hqi3V1MLFjteQIQHvNFhT8k60itfzOuKQtOmSce8E1OCyFquWhsWsHp0RcgjdaF5VBYn8TttNfvLC7-SGJP5z5QU6pidrhOSSBKmRMrNyDujqEUPQpJp3GhdBFtpZhgARWt6Xyd6mFwg2QZgSSXyru5kJuID4TmnpyIRxqmRhvXb9NG0tahBtQ/s640/nope_effects.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="640" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMOvi2Hqi3V1MLFjteQIQHvNFhT8k60itfzOuKQtOmSce8E1OCyFquWhsWsHp0RcgjdaF5VBYn8TttNfvLC7-SGJP5z5QU6pidrhOSSBKmRMrNyDujqEUPQpJp3GhdBFtpZhgARWt6Xyd6mFwg2QZgSSXyru5kJuID4TmnpyIRxqmRhvXb9NG0tahBtQ/w400-h198/nope_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://tenor.com/view/nope-movie-nope-film-nope_movie-ufo-nope-ufo-gif-26586030" target="_blank">source</a>)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Flying aliens! Spooky animal performers! The insides of both!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NwN01mGYxvZYIgvMeld5ujhvfwPJEsOz1Sk0xGAiGxF6BQ8N_42XomVKW15CaNFio3vT4My1KeOTog7yjghHLIy99NXJIhgHhFQB_ykVjDTMBmtgRdP-P7Nj-gHZMWrID-ViXokqOG5Av1s3F0jFItI-oJtimFI39tbByQpDlK_7gBvOTPUYnK7vVA/s480/top%20gun_effects.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NwN01mGYxvZYIgvMeld5ujhvfwPJEsOz1Sk0xGAiGxF6BQ8N_42XomVKW15CaNFio3vT4My1KeOTog7yjghHLIy99NXJIhgHhFQB_ykVjDTMBmtgRdP-P7Nj-gHZMWrID-ViXokqOG5Av1s3F0jFItI-oJtimFI39tbByQpDlK_7gBvOTPUYnK7vVA/w400-h225/top%20gun_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://giphy.com/topgun/top-gun-maverick" target="_blank">source</a>)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The jets fly (mostly)! Many other great qualities!<br /><br /><b>3. <i>Moonfall</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSt_TAsJEbto19Qx8-fmYfUBaYJVH4J_-5OnrTeGdBneyEUOqgAxylUx0y_hxflaUXAQTWVq0rZ2HdUvgVXVUuPbKx8NaICAcAXwMfAonohRue8-MLVmENLBPuIdOyc2mTs_ZI6HTvCUlndebtYIOjZffmFEDvskaaLrkW0jfMQiTxq2CT58emiOJiQ/s498/moonfall.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="498" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSt_TAsJEbto19Qx8-fmYfUBaYJVH4J_-5OnrTeGdBneyEUOqgAxylUx0y_hxflaUXAQTWVq0rZ2HdUvgVXVUuPbKx8NaICAcAXwMfAonohRue8-MLVmENLBPuIdOyc2mTs_ZI6HTvCUlndebtYIOjZffmFEDvskaaLrkW0jfMQiTxq2CT58emiOJiQ/w400-h225/moonfall.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Moon falls!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Mad God</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_MvdTsOIoUmlQzeuZWUqZpw1lL8fGaPy7nRuIWuEzphWruvzdz4iXuK_w5e8ZiuPOu9ThPvEH_xbPq8yeGOfN3uQQ2pp6kZxq30h2QdixkJg-gKsHhqtvCcJrvx8k7-zOkEsfclSXbUAUNml4LI_yQQWansRS1ZmhhUXwI1c6xXkcyjQo4uBXRl7dA/s498/mad%20god_effects.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="498" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN_MvdTsOIoUmlQzeuZWUqZpw1lL8fGaPy7nRuIWuEzphWruvzdz4iXuK_w5e8ZiuPOu9ThPvEH_xbPq8yeGOfN3uQQ2pp6kZxq30h2QdixkJg-gKsHhqtvCcJrvx8k7-zOkEsfclSXbUAUNml4LI_yQQWansRS1ZmhhUXwI1c6xXkcyjQo4uBXRl7dA/w400-h400/mad%20god_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://tenor.com/view/horror-tippett-mad-god-stop-motion-stop-motion-animation-gif-25897461" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Absolutely bananas stop-motion effects work! Makes you both wonder how they did it and also makes you think 'oh wow, that was gross!' </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Avatar: The Way of Water</i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l20-hm3sPMcN37sHeKKgjqB0Kjnr07hU01T3lQnBqk6OUnG8jf5g3O_DLVVhqOoGmqcRjEwNumIJBOmQ_nSIN9KNG5RZaXdt6nR5oWIFeYnHRIFT7m6_Cl0trAM5qoHpprtNil5TXf2_qrs2m950FgVpaGQ-fZvL4b6UnGt2Arvj3Q7xtBXIVy0euA/s500/avatar_effects.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-l20-hm3sPMcN37sHeKKgjqB0Kjnr07hU01T3lQnBqk6OUnG8jf5g3O_DLVVhqOoGmqcRjEwNumIJBOmQ_nSIN9KNG5RZaXdt6nR5oWIFeYnHRIFT7m6_Cl0trAM5qoHpprtNil5TXf2_qrs2m950FgVpaGQ-fZvL4b6UnGt2Arvj3Q7xtBXIVy0euA/w400-h400/avatar_effects.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.quora.com/What-is-your-review-of-Avatar-2-2018-movie" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Goes without saying! Immersion-breaking for your perception of reality!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Makeup and Hairstyling</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Babylon</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0bmBQyvzNQiXYU0MbX6Acry3WGcFI1zxmZWzCXLkOXkvIGh_m2f467htYhbsnyC0lvb7LP1MdFJAQ8i7Hv5FCojcY5ZNAIcM69IALoSByrEcLnWmzLus5PODfL9zohB350y8TB7b3yEy_GeMNLdXlCrW_d10OMQgt1usAO59Hoz_TjvotUXSEc4hJLw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1200" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0bmBQyvzNQiXYU0MbX6Acry3WGcFI1zxmZWzCXLkOXkvIGh_m2f467htYhbsnyC0lvb7LP1MdFJAQ8i7Hv5FCojcY5ZNAIcM69IALoSByrEcLnWmzLus5PODfL9zohB350y8TB7b3yEy_GeMNLdXlCrW_d10OMQgt1usAO59Hoz_TjvotUXSEc4hJLw=w400-h234" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://theplaylist.net/babylon-first-look-brad-pitt-margot-robbie-tobey-maguire-more-headline-damien-chazelles-period-hollywood-drama-20220907/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Glamour before and after it rots! Tobey Maguire as Ron Howard as Count Orlok!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>The Northman</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSgteXT933k0fZsnsYG4hAlwNKKbmBNKe7dYQ5jC51L-KV7U3tuVk9TKA52wJNl4dRTNXgYKpWivBQaLJPuxlDqFZWEPkBaFQOSU34cjB8YFvPZqpWXJ2oQ06zsgQ7wVFXv0so3sw41ciHU9hQ4dFecKDf_j24v5DaDR4YdplacL9lNNBVPvOXUp31Rg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1882" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSgteXT933k0fZsnsYG4hAlwNKKbmBNKe7dYQ5jC51L-KV7U3tuVk9TKA52wJNl4dRTNXgYKpWivBQaLJPuxlDqFZWEPkBaFQOSU34cjB8YFvPZqpWXJ2oQ06zsgQ7wVFXv0so3sw41ciHU9hQ4dFecKDf_j24v5DaDR4YdplacL9lNNBVPvOXUp31Rg=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11138512/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVADDnrRMp6qzoVsPP9ThgSAJ7oLi_WeLKPLzFh7UmprEWNYxPPsSi-jgNH2Ozptb0CleyUh_MzVsWRrVLAP979QXnTgyl7Ul7hVASsB-eO6ef4NPkaJnaVAQ5MUEOW99IRdPD3pxPXKNL-ToP4yusyF9O47XutHgbdXfU86Rbtx07HvlzlTqTdPmZGA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="1024" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVADDnrRMp6qzoVsPP9ThgSAJ7oLi_WeLKPLzFh7UmprEWNYxPPsSi-jgNH2Ozptb0CleyUh_MzVsWRrVLAP979QXnTgyl7Ul7hVASsB-eO6ef4NPkaJnaVAQ5MUEOW99IRdPD3pxPXKNL-ToP4yusyF9O47XutHgbdXfU86Rbtx07HvlzlTqTdPmZGA=w400-h229" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/northman-2022/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Filth! Viscera! Exotic angel teeth!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>The Batman</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdrOmq-pM9I7JWOy9BESMYLltPMihk-70GnCqVHCeP1tqERjpOUN3PStMLITsIbtmDxCZZknYHP4uHvgCkFSynaFf-iYjsy7ktbXt8t5fdN8q8qmhRSJiLqQnGXS0L6pImAf_SCTDalqYyYOU3Ft0_9lJ5wsTMkhnHoa2yD_Yvg9ArOlj50_QGokE8nw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdrOmq-pM9I7JWOy9BESMYLltPMihk-70GnCqVHCeP1tqERjpOUN3PStMLITsIbtmDxCZZknYHP4uHvgCkFSynaFf-iYjsy7ktbXt8t5fdN8q8qmhRSJiLqQnGXS0L6pImAf_SCTDalqYyYOU3Ft0_9lJ5wsTMkhnHoa2yD_Yvg9ArOlj50_QGokE8nw=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://variety.com/2022/artisans/news/batman-penguin-makeup-matt-reeves-1235197081/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Turning Colin Farrell into a furious mound of goo! Smokey eyes for everyone!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Bones and All</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpLN9TreOruMdlXNX3w0_oo2TlPgbLrZ6XfHZYXa4D0wJTAHjaVaspAhSSIqOt2l1kHv9b9VhrI7rooelq1ClnWT6JClcB8skenoUWPr4yIFzK0ACL4_nR2E1B9xv9G3OT-hal0I7arTMcqlxCj-URsdYkpiYDUoqJ9G9b6h0qjjCwoinyRzQb4Pq-rw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpLN9TreOruMdlXNX3w0_oo2TlPgbLrZ6XfHZYXa4D0wJTAHjaVaspAhSSIqOt2l1kHv9b9VhrI7rooelq1ClnWT6JClcB8skenoUWPr4yIFzK0ACL4_nR2E1B9xv9G3OT-hal0I7arTMcqlxCj-URsdYkpiYDUoqJ9G9b6h0qjjCwoinyRzQb4Pq-rw=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://i-d.vice.com/en/article/5db9pn/timothee-chalamet-bones-and-all-luca-guadagnino" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plot-driving scars, gore, and hair choices! Maybe Mark Rylance is a makeup effect by this point?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Crimes of the Future</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxMh8DnDAVsd_J5UgwX5e61SxitgjKpK56DBBdyQhTLfIuLHzApVTOaDxcE_xWW_NOf4M-iQRK3OLbWfHYW87UwVSGW6McbBTB4yhSQcuX0dPmPkFc7ZcXUUR1VwRXq7K-Cfv1RcD_ZfsT2uxGTnVO5gnaDHwepoUOqsl0__lPC7KpVqXeZkMTRjlKCg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxMh8DnDAVsd_J5UgwX5e61SxitgjKpK56DBBdyQhTLfIuLHzApVTOaDxcE_xWW_NOf4M-iQRK3OLbWfHYW87UwVSGW6McbBTB4yhSQcuX0dPmPkFc7ZcXUUR1VwRXq7K-Cfv1RcD_ZfsT2uxGTnVO5gnaDHwepoUOqsl0__lPC7KpVqXeZkMTRjlKCg=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://movieswithmark.com/crimes-of-the-future-2022-review/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cronenberg body horror! An abundance of ears! Feeding chairs! Surgery and nightmares, not always in that order!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honorable mention: <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Film Editing</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. <i>Nope</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. <i>RRR</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. <i>Great Freedom</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. <i>Aftersun</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honorable mention: <i>Tar</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lots of room in this category for conjuring tension (<i>Nope</i>), balancing action and comedy/romance (<i>RRR, Everything Everywhere</i>), or keeping different chronologies together or apart (<i>Great Freedom, Aftersun</i>). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u>Cinematography</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(getting pretty tapped out, so I'll just let the images speak for this one)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>The Fabelmans</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlyqByRAgXasAirp0LZLUzP6Ew8PtCFM4N3CC3VhLw1PLeaQmPrSwTrFChubCAvSCpdMvOtED5l4LGj6cKIHU6zH61bFTuUTz6tuFRk6YGWWoDfh-esGwIkHkGVOvXsBIry1ZTOBvGK7AqNm3hSMIQqg4fo-zQ-nDZGPAnNZBiS0nCP5JlO_rqwUyd1g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlyqByRAgXasAirp0LZLUzP6Ew8PtCFM4N3CC3VhLw1PLeaQmPrSwTrFChubCAvSCpdMvOtED5l4LGj6cKIHU6zH61bFTuUTz6tuFRk6YGWWoDfh-esGwIkHkGVOvXsBIry1ZTOBvGK7AqNm3hSMIQqg4fo-zQ-nDZGPAnNZBiS0nCP5JlO_rqwUyd1g=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2022/11/22/steven-spielberg-fabelmans-movie-williams-dano-rogen-labelle.cnn" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>Living</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNikMPxkpN7F223H8iNoY9Nh4O6kifwyVlLwF9M16KuNC0_UOo4pBhQLdQqfB6jrMgkqWVRfOkDKDln9NzclCma-txX5bDiqOgu_PmI2rIm8-xgZ9Rh9VfMxp3lcq4ODaCN5A4RxT_VbaEHH5ZdwGNzX2j8YvDV4Z12votPb44YUiNi_aQmcCwJxv5Xw/s1596/living_cinematography.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="934" data-original-width="1596" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNikMPxkpN7F223H8iNoY9Nh4O6kifwyVlLwF9M16KuNC0_UOo4pBhQLdQqfB6jrMgkqWVRfOkDKDln9NzclCma-txX5bDiqOgu_PmI2rIm8-xgZ9Rh9VfMxp3lcq4ODaCN5A4RxT_VbaEHH5ZdwGNzX2j8YvDV4Z12votPb44YUiNi_aQmcCwJxv5Xw/w400-h234/living_cinematography.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>Aftersun</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht4d5Xhvqm9HUXUc8BcQdzyxznD_uOp1A0S-8OczCwz_H7Xw3ZEu8sTYp9TW8LEQ6qEHPbVugYQga4HxjZ2Sdrd3C_6cCe-SGSMFzNbVgOKOlwXw08-ZJZY5R2Z-ASbEyG6INSnAJXxxLCLeiB7Itcs18L36iNHruk3iKEXxTMvZESkNzqXAlL6OISZg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht4d5Xhvqm9HUXUc8BcQdzyxznD_uOp1A0S-8OczCwz_H7Xw3ZEu8sTYp9TW8LEQ6qEHPbVugYQga4HxjZ2Sdrd3C_6cCe-SGSMFzNbVgOKOlwXw08-ZJZY5R2Z-ASbEyG6INSnAJXxxLCLeiB7Itcs18L36iNHruk3iKEXxTMvZESkNzqXAlL6OISZg=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://fangirlfreakout.com/2022/11/03/london-film-festival-aftersun/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>Great Freedom</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKNmT8Cu5Vh2Ykqz6nW38gpIjOKsRgUoKTxvHGsqPWHeBUID86qnBN-xm_8_RMv7pryl0yRWDoxpp1hiPtaewCR1U0nv9ciUMs6Ud0DtAR9HN4UU_yFg2J5Fq2DTHjIlP3qz8pXcRRvjKlL50qCtvD6D97ACnCElFLQ4-EJK63yUWnuLMYvgT8t1eOvQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="2000" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKNmT8Cu5Vh2Ykqz6nW38gpIjOKsRgUoKTxvHGsqPWHeBUID86qnBN-xm_8_RMv7pryl0yRWDoxpp1hiPtaewCR1U0nv9ciUMs6Ud0DtAR9HN4UU_yFg2J5Fq2DTHjIlP3qz8pXcRRvjKlL50qCtvD6D97ACnCElFLQ4-EJK63yUWnuLMYvgT8t1eOvQ=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/movies/great-freedom-review.html" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>EO</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWbEId21wCXOxoYOcv438yguf9-JOn9tjYP1ELmUK24qf7kRJKPvIuegxyDnWhZpZT8EV3i200QltpGeBWMySYf9BZD3rEtcyP2Z8BwzFQiSP4cStQGgNvy7wNUStnglbX2hGt81SozoTI9_CAXHSnyhcUYada4CJvf_-fsM4vmq9UMYdkwzbN-dujhQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWbEId21wCXOxoYOcv438yguf9-JOn9tjYP1ELmUK24qf7kRJKPvIuegxyDnWhZpZT8EV3i200QltpGeBWMySYf9BZD3rEtcyP2Z8BwzFQiSP4cStQGgNvy7wNUStnglbX2hGt81SozoTI9_CAXHSnyhcUYada4CJvf_-fsM4vmq9UMYdkwzbN-dujhQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.bam.org/film/2023/eo" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /><br />Honorable mention: <i>Nope</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><b>5. <i>The Menu</i></b>-the kind of music you'd hear in an upwards elevator going down, the kind of music that would be played if a string quartet were hired to humanely destroy someone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yKCFjoYUbE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yKCFjoYUbE</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Inspection</i>-beeps, grinds, breaths, and screams, punctuated by the occasional soft vocal counterpoint.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmhCMd8SsU0&list=OLAK5uy_kbBnaMM4E-yf-lKfMfET_tKQVpb5Y1sdk&index=10" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmhCMd8SsU0&list=OLAK5uy_kbBnaMM4E-yf-lKfMfET_tKQVpb5Y1sdk&index=10</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. <i>EO</i>-</b>music that's not afraid to be as out there as the film it's in, changing genre on the fly, shedding instruments like they're skin, and stumbling every now and again into macabre dance beat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tcZ_J2dbmM&list=PLRW80bBvVD3VnDAS1Tz8s6PRQGTMyll-O&index=3" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tcZ_J2dbmM&list=PLRW80bBvVD3VnDAS1Tz8s6PRQGTMyll-O&index=3</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Nope</i>-not sure there's a more transformative or exciting moment in movie music this year than when Michael Abels says screw it and goes full western during the film's climax. And the moments of silence! Man, this score rules.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GTVWqIXzeE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GTVWqIXzeE</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Babylon</i>-does more for its movie than any other score this year, granting it all the wild-eyed energy and propulsive motion it has to spare--which is a whole ton. It's up for debate whether this movie is successful (though I'd argue it is), but I'm not sure it would even exist without the music.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_2duUyqaAg" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_2duUyqaAg</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honorable mention: <i>Mad God</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. <i>EO</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. <i>The Batman</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. <i>Nope</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. <i>Prey</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. <i>Tar</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honorable Mention: <i>Babylon</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Batman, Nope, </i>and <i>Prey </i>all had moments of balance, silence, or cacophony that all audibly made me gasp, but the cake must be given to <i>Tar</i>, whose slippery sound mix undermines the concept of reality while heightening it at the same time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Sound Editing</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. <i>The Northman</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. <i>Mad God</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. <i>The Batman</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. <i>Nope</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honorable mention: <i>Prey</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm partial to the moist thuds and meaty KOs of <i>The Northman</i>, an entire hellscape of suffering creatures in <i>Mad God</i>, and the preposterously deep-throated stentorian roars of the Batmobile in <i>The Batman</i>. <i>Avatar</i> gets credit alone for fashioning an entire chorus of alien lifeforms and then making them gurgle underwater, but the winner is <i>Nope</i>, whose whisper-thick UFO swoops and fine-tuned sense of scale and digestion continue to astound. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Original Song</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. "New Body Rhumba"-<i>White Noise</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG17jiPdbb0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG17jiPdbb0</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. "The Whale"-<i>Inu-Oh</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34bUsPi0kP0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34bUsPi0kP0</a><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. "Etthara Jenda"-<i>RRR</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccbp0_ZqMBY" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccbp0_ZqMBY</a><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. "Hold My Hand"-<i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2CIAKVTOrc" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2CIAKVTOrc</a><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. "Naatu Naatu"-<i>RRR</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsU0CGZoV8E" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsU0CGZoV8E</a><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honorable mention: "Dragon Commander"-<i>Inu-Oh</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lot of real-ass bops at play here. New Body Rhumba is a chill blast, The Whale feels like Queen translated through Noh and angry Japanese ghosts, and Hold My Hand is absolutely the song I hope plays every time I see a plane for the rest of my life. Some of the politics might be...suspect? in Etthara Jenda's number, but god is it a fun way to conclude the movie. Still, the only choice is the song that grabs you by the face and guarantees that it will find where you live if you don't get up and dance right this goddamn second.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that's it for this year's lists, such as they were! A little truncated and listless (heh) by the end, but the good news is we've all made it to the other side and will only mildly regret it tomorrow. I'll be back at the end of the week to attempt Oscar predictions, but this'll be it for the long weepy entries about movies.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those playing along at home, these were the movies that showed up most on my lists:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Nope</i>-9</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Aftersun</i>-6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Tar-</i>6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Fabelmans</i>-6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>RRR</i>-6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for wins, <i>Tar </i>and <i>Aftersun</i> tied with three each, <i>Aftersun</i> taking Picture, Director, and Film Editing, and <i>Tar</i> taking Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, and Sound Mixing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that's it! As always, thanks much for reading!</div></div></div>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-28991637568763099072023-03-06T14:21:00.003-07:002023-03-06T14:21:31.145-07:00Best of 2022, Part 1: the top 20<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG_ol8kALoBRL3R18iWMISimjXJG3PzvnPrnt1e7a4V5VTjLb802-ClL4EG0koXmBg1ek7HUurnERHf9XB33qS08yVHyGOgTxlzTk_7UQYmxo7Sg7SR882H3ASoETGD7pbY4DG49DKxzPVeJu-SLaH5OVKiEOXzXXReQ0KrBJY7n4vj5rhG4GkdxYodQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG_ol8kALoBRL3R18iWMISimjXJG3PzvnPrnt1e7a4V5VTjLb802-ClL4EG0koXmBg1ek7HUurnERHf9XB33qS08yVHyGOgTxlzTk_7UQYmxo7Sg7SR882H3ASoETGD7pbY4DG49DKxzPVeJu-SLaH5OVKiEOXzXXReQ0KrBJY7n4vj5rhG4GkdxYodQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.slashfilm.com/830006/now-you-too-can-have-the-hot-dog-fingers-from-everything-everywhere-all-at-once/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p>Well, sometimes the hot dog fingers win.</p><p>As you may or may not know (put probably don't), I injured my left arm at the end of January. And it's getting better quickly (I can generally use my fingers! I accidentally spread peanut butter with my left arm the other day and it wasn't even a big deal! It doesn't even hurt to do a thumbs up anymore!), but the issue is that it still hurts to type for any significant period of time. I've been leaving off doing these for as long as possible, in hopes that I'd get to a place where I could do my usual 3 day, 12-15.000 word bonanza just as the prophecy has always foretold, but that's just not in the cards this year. But I'd rather do something than nothing at all!</p><p>So here's this year's format: rather than my demanding and unseemly massive wall of paragraphs about my top movies, I'll list them with an illustrative picture and a version of my review from Letterboxd (if I don't have one of those ready to go, I'll write up something short and snappy). While this is maybe a bummer if you already follow me on Letterboxd, or if you are a big fan of huge paragraphs,it'll be a great advertisement for those of you have yet to opt in to the pulse-pounding, year-round excitement that a social media site just for movie reviews provides (and you can find me <a href="https://letterboxd.com/jkuster/" target="_blank">at this link</a>). </p><p>It's been a massively strange year in my life for one million reasons, but it's also been a strange year for my relationship to movies: I watched more than 10% of all the movies I've ever seen in my life during 2022, which no doubt contributed to me logging a record-tying 100 movies before beginning my annual write-up process. But to some degree, I feel move removed from movies than I have in a long time--maybe because I don't live anywhere near a theater anymore, maybe because the pandemic and post-lockdown world changed what it means to go to the theater, or maybe just because the concept of American studio filmmaking--or Americans going to the theater--feels pretty definitively on its way out. Still, I found plenty to love this cinematic year, and I'm sure you will too if you take a chance on some of the movies below.</p><p>Now, I'm embarrassed to admit that my hand is already shaking just from doing this intro, so maybe we ought to get to it. Normally, I'd add an alphabetized list of all the movies I've seen, but this year I'm just going ask you to trust that I've seen those 100 movies, and encourage you to look at my letterboxd if you're curious what the full list contains. Or better yet, if you're curious if I've seen a movie, or what my opinion is, just ask me!</p><p>I'm also going to eschew my usual tradition of telling you where you can find a movie (sorry--trying to spare as many words as I can), but I will point you in the direction of <a href="https://www.justwatch.com/" target="_blank">Justwatch</a>, which is a fantastic service that will do exactly that. </p><p>All that said, I still plan to include my 10 best scenes of the year, as well as the 5 worst movies, so look for those after the list! And speaking of, without further ado (I lost all my ado in...the incident), here we go:</p><p><br /></p><p>Honorable mentions: though they didn't make my top 20, I'm grateful for the laser-etched pasts and presents of <i>Saint Omer</i>, the zany, earnest heart in <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i>, and James Cameron doing what James Cameron does best with <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7URX9v3gdnT-aacfTxADhlXGWRSg-kv3pF-vsmn7_kKji2m8U8IPqecgKe3WDbOWs_fBvN4SV5X7AMrqp7FSvv6bKf3a_chM3pT3vjtMPZrTfPNFSuoxI9Bngsv7kixUh16nsLqo8Vl81pMWrmTX02y574k6mtL-A-VpB0E0dQkKM1uEbobvoIvI-xQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1200" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7URX9v3gdnT-aacfTxADhlXGWRSg-kv3pF-vsmn7_kKji2m8U8IPqecgKe3WDbOWs_fBvN4SV5X7AMrqp7FSvv6bKf3a_chM3pT3vjtMPZrTfPNFSuoxI9Bngsv7kixUh16nsLqo8Vl81pMWrmTX02y574k6mtL-A-VpB0E0dQkKM1uEbobvoIvI-xQ=w400-h285" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-12-02/eo-review-donkey-movie-jerzy-skolimowski" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>20. <i>EO </i>(dir. Jerzy Skolimowski)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The mash-up of <i>Au Hasard, Balthasar, 2001, </i>and <i>The Tree of Life </i>I never knew I needed. Gorgeous filmmaking, intense music and sound design, and a compellingly unknowable protagonist drive this bizarre little fable about a donkey in a world of humans.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUbV414GYoS86cK5vvMAdkUjZgobli5gf_H_ht6PId773YAKDNcUjHs2WHB99QF1H--fDtvC-I_wjRMZhENmkSrWwAwfO6CoYnfFt2w7Fq_JuzwgchKeKLw1mr6GA6tCvIE-IQjCMXdrrNuEBSsaDReGRTjcS9hvcFSjxnPxUakTaizqmfi5iZK6df_w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="1200" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUbV414GYoS86cK5vvMAdkUjZgobli5gf_H_ht6PId773YAKDNcUjHs2WHB99QF1H--fDtvC-I_wjRMZhENmkSrWwAwfO6CoYnfFt2w7Fq_JuzwgchKeKLw1mr6GA6tCvIE-IQjCMXdrrNuEBSsaDReGRTjcS9hvcFSjxnPxUakTaizqmfi5iZK6df_w=w400-h166" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/movie-review-elvis/https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/movie-review-elvis/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>19. <i>Elvis</i> (dir. Baz Luhrmann)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plays like gangbusters and works even better the second time around, which is strange,
given I'm not sure that anything about this movie works at all, but the
spectacle manages to pull me downstream with it. Lurid maximalism for maximalism's sake, and where's it say that that's a bad thing? Still have my reservations about the last
half hour, but I also kind of suspect that this is the best music biopic that's
come around in a while.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCPEc50o1Q8Wss4k7Sa3SexCfQ1LKsgH0mfkvNOE02LpYUFzZEk3azLc-VQ_0kHi2a3uZ4knS6-R7zSe5eG_mp03udTl8mhrOXKNegUjBfSHtmxUjcWDr5c0aAtjWxVM01eDpxJCMJ3nlUPUlGWwf-nChSp1NsOu7WqeUUjFYGGIkYheXdFTE3F2Au5A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCPEc50o1Q8Wss4k7Sa3SexCfQ1LKsgH0mfkvNOE02LpYUFzZEk3azLc-VQ_0kHi2a3uZ4knS6-R7zSe5eG_mp03udTl8mhrOXKNegUjBfSHtmxUjcWDr5c0aAtjWxVM01eDpxJCMJ3nlUPUlGWwf-nChSp1NsOu7WqeUUjFYGGIkYheXdFTE3F2Au5A=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffewing/2022/08/03/review-prey-is-a-star-making-outing-and-the-best-predator-film-since-the-original/?sh=15205c852fa8" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>18. <i>Prey</i> (dir. Dan Trachtenberg)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">45 minutes of tension and worldbuilding followed by 45
minutes of meticulously scaffolded and executed action scenes erupting like
coiled springs. Crafts excellent, particularly Sarah Scachner's jangly and
bombastic score, as well as the incredible sound design--the bear-in-the-river
scene made me gasp more than once (because I am the kind of person who likes to
gasp at really good sound work). Just a blast from start to finish. (Also,
watch it in the Comanche dub, because why wouldn’t you.) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuqb19h98lY7fKuFiJS610hdmb4Z9HZewF1E83HukR17CK7YSm4fPyRz8wTNX8pHhVqRody07OHNOeejl__nN0bSGdqniypWoLrun8aPUBwscOOaGrLG5VBC4ebasjxdECY0Ijpbx_8nN3BE_CrroXq54TlEGYNfqemKUKXlDty_H62hTt6EIlYW_5YA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="624" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuqb19h98lY7fKuFiJS610hdmb4Z9HZewF1E83HukR17CK7YSm4fPyRz8wTNX8pHhVqRody07OHNOeejl__nN0bSGdqniypWoLrun8aPUBwscOOaGrLG5VBC4ebasjxdECY0Ijpbx_8nN3BE_CrroXq54TlEGYNfqemKUKXlDty_H62hTt6EIlYW_5YA=w400-h228" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.angelikafilmcenter.com/villageeast/film/the-banshees-of-inisherin" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>17. <i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i> (dir. Martin McDonagh)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Misery and no outlet, a whole world of people with dreams
and no way to execute them and no explanation for their absence, and the only
way out the lake or running into someone else's arms, torch in hand. 100 tight
minutes about what we owe each other, and how maybe the only answer is
promising to hate each other forever. Colin Farrell for the Nobel, Barry Keoghan
for King of the Goblins that Live Under the Stairs, and the costume designer
for Eternal Sweater Empress.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB0ovEF92XtMxa7cZ9U_35KsM3EF-HVtaLvINJN8D3ofqkt6LPhAFGDM9LkBD8jEuHcuPIhNd8a2T0Z1WV1U5tJwNZ8YurwbQfqw5hqZMNUIqa6w2FG-BIn6eyeXdf-iXN3ckjNquQPCOKXB5uU3uIB7Rxb_mkkN0h3ITq295zVwV280TUyn-xYFZe8g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB0ovEF92XtMxa7cZ9U_35KsM3EF-HVtaLvINJN8D3ofqkt6LPhAFGDM9LkBD8jEuHcuPIhNd8a2T0Z1WV1U5tJwNZ8YurwbQfqw5hqZMNUIqa6w2FG-BIn6eyeXdf-iXN3ckjNquQPCOKXB5uU3uIB7Rxb_mkkN0h3ITq295zVwV280TUyn-xYFZe8g=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/20/entertainment/decision-to-leave-review-anywhere-but-hollywood-october-2022/index.html" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>16. <i>Decision to Leave</i> (dir. Park Chan-wook)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Plotted and staged like a venn diagram, all the lovely or
uncomfortable moments pushed into one another and asked to mingle. Fun to watch
Park Chan-wook get a little giddy with visually conveying cell phone drama, the
endless romance of having someone pay attention to you, whatever the context,
and with how the sea doesn't give a shit about any of this.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz39qtPJ_2FdaIl5wVybZdS7puwb69yVKIKFLBWUkNa9WjLyNOnKkEOt5Ji_2m15UFkmJ1l-cVcaVgmlf5QVXF_BcDvUpULTkz2UC5se-1raauel_TNrEllpOXMjwMeJXcb40IHhBGobkJOE7hAVl8H_hrcqO1WEBRp8Xlr5_6P5_3yU861Tpa7LTKFw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2857" data-original-width="4000" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz39qtPJ_2FdaIl5wVybZdS7puwb69yVKIKFLBWUkNa9WjLyNOnKkEOt5Ji_2m15UFkmJ1l-cVcaVgmlf5QVXF_BcDvUpULTkz2UC5se-1raauel_TNrEllpOXMjwMeJXcb40IHhBGobkJOE7hAVl8H_hrcqO1WEBRp8Xlr5_6P5_3yU861Tpa7LTKFw" width="320" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2022/10/please-baby-please-review-andrea-riseborough-1234777099/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>15. <i>Please Baby Please</i> (dir. Amanda Kramer)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Horned up queer fantasy for anyone into the chemical spill façade of the 50s, gender performativity, or wanting to watch Karl Glusman romp around in leathers while making eyes Harry Melling. Something of a national tragedy that this wasn't Andrea Riseborough's Oscar-nominated grassroots triumph this year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBQRqco2oJqXAV7U3dTNvfKxeLWoHFLysm7mDVxa7owUQnq7l6kzkvqkC7Gm2kVmYs2ELHgAJ7dtayeDZ2QGnVytZvCVi4FeRXczaqiJc39n8PGzmWLXnZeMdMf4usCipETTapNZ5rmwzWBWJK0A7ZWRuJcYNkX7MyAIiENdYhYVSnQLcdIM_4nH2sCw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBQRqco2oJqXAV7U3dTNvfKxeLWoHFLysm7mDVxa7owUQnq7l6kzkvqkC7Gm2kVmYs2ELHgAJ7dtayeDZ2QGnVytZvCVi4FeRXczaqiJc39n8PGzmWLXnZeMdMf4usCipETTapNZ5rmwzWBWJK0A7ZWRuJcYNkX7MyAIiENdYhYVSnQLcdIM_4nH2sCw=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.looper.com/846597/the-most-jarring-scenes-from-the-northman-that-hit-us-hard/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>14. <i>The Northman</i> (dir. Robert Eggers)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How neat is it that we've got a director like Robert Eggers,
making million-dollar exacting historical sandboxes to play in and trace the
impossible line between magic and insanity. Kidman doing her best film work
since The Paperboy, at least--an absolute joy to see her working in this
register. Very much hoping for a spin-off where Olga goes back home and becomes
Baba Yaga, thus completing Eggers' Anya Taylor-Joy Angry Rural Pagan Girl
trilogy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwjvzSyPPctoEVeKyu4m9ofZUmWnQ_nNnJVf2kAbqGAtHfGehbpxfpWrFvdIYZkE_X5Fp1nnnnFzo2o3lRBggcNA7xqSDVWfO23aQJHQSJXIbq9M2AYrywEykWwCHaS4AznTA8TbVFDv0pD_ENN0vxlJqapcvnpwi6SbVSXp6kNyE3vw69duXB_KktaQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwjvzSyPPctoEVeKyu4m9ofZUmWnQ_nNnJVf2kAbqGAtHfGehbpxfpWrFvdIYZkE_X5Fp1nnnnFzo2o3lRBggcNA7xqSDVWfO23aQJHQSJXIbq9M2AYrywEykWwCHaS4AznTA8TbVFDv0pD_ENN0vxlJqapcvnpwi6SbVSXp6kNyE3vw69duXB_KktaQ=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://variety.com/2023/artisans/awards/babylon-damien-chazelle-cocaine-opening-sequence-1235477871/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>13. <i>Babylon</i> (dir. Damien Chazelle)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">God help me but I really enjoyed this one. The kind of movie
that generates more with its flaws than it would as a tighter version of
itself, offering up a wobbly amalgam of piss and stupidity that other people
might have tried to mop into the shape of a heart. It's a mess, but I ended up
not minding. The criminal/wild-eyed torture/ecstasy of Spike Jonze trying to
move heaven and hell (and succeeding in at least one of those realms) to get
his shot before the light disappears is one of the comic highlights of the year
for me. And bless Jovan Adepo as well, who has deserved to be a huge star for
years now, and takes this opportunity (again) to be the most interesting part
of a movie that isn't entirely sure what to do with him. All in all I dug it,
but then again I'm always a sucker for people watching time pass by.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7_fCONrC_BIGwm5RdbJsfe7Ha7Y1it4Breb-C93Sa6DPy_UGDvTAFMY9UgYzRGmt6v8aFSL40WhjIkVlTLFw_7wcT0bEooGT-Pl-II3rZOfxov0H77CLaiJ3p2hsBjFyozpIlYgWb4AKHddxv9ETxI0qxz-JZ1CQ4O2trdhZRR9XQHDp4CE5i_4Rlow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="932" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7_fCONrC_BIGwm5RdbJsfe7Ha7Y1it4Breb-C93Sa6DPy_UGDvTAFMY9UgYzRGmt6v8aFSL40WhjIkVlTLFw_7wcT0bEooGT-Pl-II3rZOfxov0H77CLaiJ3p2hsBjFyozpIlYgWb4AKHddxv9ETxI0qxz-JZ1CQ4O2trdhZRR9XQHDp4CE5i_4Rlow=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/movie-review-mad-god-stop-motion-horror-phil-tippett-how-to-watch" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>12. <i>Mad God</i> (dir. Phil Tippett)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the very top of the pile of 2022 movies that make you
want to shout "Moloch!" at the screen. One of the most spectacular
visual experiences I've had with a movie recently--the kind of work where you
don't really need to be told that someone spent 30 years making this to know
that it's true. Like someone read Inferno and decided that it was good, but not
angry enough, and needed more dead gnomes and 2001 allusions. Hideous and
creative and punishing and black-hearted and not at all what I'd expected for a
quick watch on a Sunday morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVyd2ankCWKMtdjaGo2bmW1pB6gdOni9fI9YOh5k2zOUzl9d76mnrd60H7jLvrvicYOFDpfUSc-6htxjMnAAxz23fcRD-G5Wd3GIAmEfMnUVR4GP-DNMbrDc2WksxlWjNaJJVFxJLjfSrhxoYv3AiwafRbFEYsjaQqZd3FQDNTiXoAmdYa_XUSY9ei_g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVyd2ankCWKMtdjaGo2bmW1pB6gdOni9fI9YOh5k2zOUzl9d76mnrd60H7jLvrvicYOFDpfUSc-6htxjMnAAxz23fcRD-G5Wd3GIAmEfMnUVR4GP-DNMbrDc2WksxlWjNaJJVFxJLjfSrhxoYv3AiwafRbFEYsjaQqZd3FQDNTiXoAmdYa_XUSY9ei_g=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://films.nationalgeographic.com/fire-of-love" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>11. <i>Fire of Love</i> (dir. Sara Dosa)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A 9-year old me had a VHS tape about the Kraffts and their
work (part of a larger cardboard box of used VHS tapes about volcanoes), and
was enchanted by the silliness, the beauty, and by the impossible and
inevitable heartbreak of watching these two people so hopefully talk about the
event that would end their lives. I was just as enchanted by the silliness, the
beauty, and the ticking of the clock with this iteration, and even more so with
the romance of it all, both the love the Kraffts showed for each other and what
they showed for the world. And for the stunning images they caught on camera,
the artistry of which seems just as striking as the science.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEvtZme6U1Eb0UGg-c0FE10ZtiR7ivYZKB4giTim6zzXCjUokSb3suScVV7m8qRmaoxLqnKeVPF_7Ov9T39NN-h3IyHLjAfwJgle8iwn0LYotBfKzo3YlxwekDpMPomEo_kfowU68xY5t8LxdM6t6T5f725URD41ZcUsWeKDG7ey_JpFjrbBL-d4HNRw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="2000" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEvtZme6U1Eb0UGg-c0FE10ZtiR7ivYZKB4giTim6zzXCjUokSb3suScVV7m8qRmaoxLqnKeVPF_7Ov9T39NN-h3IyHLjAfwJgle8iwn0LYotBfKzo3YlxwekDpMPomEo_kfowU68xY5t8LxdM6t6T5f725URD41ZcUsWeKDG7ey_JpFjrbBL-d4HNRw=w400-h216" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/movies/great-freedom-review.html" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>10. <i>Great Freedom</i> (dir. Sebastian Meise)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Feels largely like a movie about light in all its
iterations, moving from a match at the beginning to full neon glow at the end. Stunning
to look at and listen to, with an ending that has kept me thinking since I saw
it, and with Franz Rogowski giving a holy shit kind of career-making
performance. A gorgeous moment spent staring at isolation, absence, and the way
that time breathes life into and kills relationships, depending on the day (if
and when you can decide what day it might be). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA6yloMl1fGSuaa-iwKN_Zo4aVSem6TVcxuId5YC5Il0uvv8bLXv5BvVMH9ercdbb4EFpO7pzpnqxqxVhhCtlJyo8-K5QHFsOOTGN6YrMG3WfSi4fopNtnKHAL7jhARCeVQa5pfqWtdNg8SRhmOhz21oxY15_wstWQAjRUVwablpABMDETByQh7YRu1w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA6yloMl1fGSuaa-iwKN_Zo4aVSem6TVcxuId5YC5Il0uvv8bLXv5BvVMH9ercdbb4EFpO7pzpnqxqxVhhCtlJyo8-K5QHFsOOTGN6YrMG3WfSi4fopNtnKHAL7jhARCeVQa5pfqWtdNg8SRhmOhz21oxY15_wstWQAjRUVwablpABMDETByQh7YRu1w=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/living-review-bill-nighy-oscars-1234644996/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>9. <i>Living</i> (dir. Oliver Hermanus)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oliver Hermanus has always been my favorite director of
movies I didn't completely love. I admired his ambition and I was astounded by
his formal control and aesthetic sensibilities, but nothing he made ever quite
found its way to me. Not sure what changed, but I limped to the end of this one
as a boneless wreck. As always, quietly bowled over by how Hermanus generates
isolation in crowded rooms, and places lights and sounds that seem cold or
sarcastic in one moment and then morph into earnest as the moment progresses.
And the end, suggesting that it's always better to find something small and
ugly and make it beautiful--even if it feels too late, even if it won't
last--than to let things linger; to find some way to marvel at how strange it
is to be anything at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfi-CN8rTrVAtUHSXEdFx40R5BKjlqvIHTfOgPDWKBRwYOhJ9m7ZPraS9IFegQQE6J6GfOC15WX99ZvIj2CjwtJFnCpl2A1KocXX61y8XqE9ug09axDXA1f-SEOD2AcdQefKhsWigMHqbcYAxRvWIUWnvFMOYkQbxt-Jvr3ZTNlVlSZB3q92b-UhIGYg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1333" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfi-CN8rTrVAtUHSXEdFx40R5BKjlqvIHTfOgPDWKBRwYOhJ9m7ZPraS9IFegQQE6J6GfOC15WX99ZvIj2CjwtJFnCpl2A1KocXX61y8XqE9ug09axDXA1f-SEOD2AcdQefKhsWigMHqbcYAxRvWIUWnvFMOYkQbxt-Jvr3ZTNlVlSZB3q92b-UhIGYg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://theartsdesk.com/film/benediction-review-worlds-worst-wounds" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>8. <i>Benediction</i> (dir. Terence Davies)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The passage of time as an act of strangulation, how easy it
is to be hollowed out by all the things that can't remove their fingers, age
itself just proof of how easy you are to lose. Gentle and wounded compression
of too many hideous realities in one body. Immediately moves up near the top of
the WWI movie pantheon, not that that's an especially deep roster. Jeremy
Irvine's performance is like he prepared by doing nothing but internalizing
every one of the Wicked Witch of the West's line readings whilst America's Next
Top Model played in the background, but somehow it totally works. Lowden as revelatory
as everyone has said--a real thrill to watch an actor drag something this
fine-tuned and vulnerable out of some as-yet unseen pit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnxH6GLAdXmQZRDNcVTD5iGhz32_gd7vDa5P-jxeeWoBSarRk0Rd4Wf9Cm02g2hVoEfvnxdhG4ebVw9MlIfynJNYPDu3ZRXHq4sHJqo6s2kEtG4iLlDXKkTuYCrOdKq1jxCMUlqiOZ2xNpHqQEOm1eZqCSSP1oObpcoxY2Zs7rv-C7LEdotmpfW88G9g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnxH6GLAdXmQZRDNcVTD5iGhz32_gd7vDa5P-jxeeWoBSarRk0Rd4Wf9Cm02g2hVoEfvnxdhG4ebVw9MlIfynJNYPDu3ZRXHq4sHJqo6s2kEtG4iLlDXKkTuYCrOdKq1jxCMUlqiOZ2xNpHqQEOm1eZqCSSP1oObpcoxY2Zs7rv-C7LEdotmpfW88G9g=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/close-review-1235277094/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>7. <i>Close</i> (dir. Lukas Dhont)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One aspect of growing up queer in a space that doesn't welcome
that queerness is how quickly, gladly, and desperately you can come to ripping
out and suffocating pieces of yourself, pieces you'll then spend the rest of
your life trying to find and reconstruct. You can imagine ghosts of your other
selves trailing behind you, waiting to be reborn, but they never will be,
because they have nothing to do with the life you've led in their absence. Just
decorations, reminders of a hook that was pushed under your skin before you
knew what it meant. And it's not important now, who you are now was (and is)
hard won, but sometimes you might make awkward eye contact with a ghost as it
flashes past your eye, and there's nothing either of you can do but shrug and
look away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Close might not be explicitly about that, it speaks right to
it, and all the ways that people can choose to replace silence with noise. I
get the criticisms of this movie's second half, and I get that it's a
three-hankie weepie, but I have to admit that it doesn’t bother me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGiub3c7vt_4-LZm3ra09wm38mVxlLoBX9VaiFbVpUyO_fhoqYQuhuRjUHQILqTMHBWTod4Iwx4aMvTImHZPvz_rVPX85FjOcd3fY4EU7t18Apu6uAnXAE0EphwHfN8rR-07UayBDiUufXt9JINKnmWoUSSCCB8MklDq_ioXf6lD8sIEU6n3eoy_hmQg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGiub3c7vt_4-LZm3ra09wm38mVxlLoBX9VaiFbVpUyO_fhoqYQuhuRjUHQILqTMHBWTod4Iwx4aMvTImHZPvz_rVPX85FjOcd3fY4EU7t18Apu6uAnXAE0EphwHfN8rR-07UayBDiUufXt9JINKnmWoUSSCCB8MklDq_ioXf6lD8sIEU6n3eoy_hmQg=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/petite-maman-review-an-8-year-old-makes-a-special-connection-and-so-will-audiences-1234920118/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>6. <i>Petite Maman</i> (dir. Celine Sciamma)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As good a moment as any to point out how many of my favorites this year are about the passage of time, how it shapes a life just by continuing to move, and how the past and present converse with each other, across decades or face to face. Sciamma's film, about a girl who finds a portal into the past where she meets her mother as a child, certainly fits that mold, and achingly, lovingly so. "You didn't invent my sadness" deserves its own
star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXehxf3Qpu_0Lr05EAWN7Lj6ApkZTnJ-jDDNohayORAMUcMnzeKQ-9K0hdRqcvC_UZ9kM7IEggIHhySRcsBOzsVUmmmfZMfmbqmCuzI1XQgQMTZvp1hp_R12EVR4AOfuzBMIDLIOZ0FTPPewDb_Y2IDxx-RIav6IkVGM234DkBuY-IXDS7cfWK04QUCA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXehxf3Qpu_0Lr05EAWN7Lj6ApkZTnJ-jDDNohayORAMUcMnzeKQ-9K0hdRqcvC_UZ9kM7IEggIHhySRcsBOzsVUmmmfZMfmbqmCuzI1XQgQMTZvp1hp_R12EVR4AOfuzBMIDLIOZ0FTPPewDb_Y2IDxx-RIav6IkVGM234DkBuY-IXDS7cfWK04QUCA=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.timeout.com/movies/nope-2022" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>5. <i>Nope</i> (dir. Jordan Peele)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Is it better to look or to die? Yes, or alternately, no. A
world-sized terrarium full of vomit, atrocities, and used film stock, in that
order. Everyone everywhere is hungry, but that's part of the fun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even more convinced on a rewatch that Peele's made something
really special--a pretty-ugly gnashing of teeth about how (and why) to look at
all the bad miracles and a love letter to filmmaking and the pressures of its
history. Huge leap forward on a visual/craft level, and a high-wire blend of
big summer fun and some legitimately disturbing visuals and content.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEji9jkZUldsxD-YZNaVqrqsYmoYMzNUyjXnBdusjdMKQpYgGAQpWkR3qu5sE3JXRcrhvERN2e1pFCE8RTypSgsfXr3_xQykqioK4z1OygZOFWvFiNP_oFqUby9b7yUrSu1zedYZTOZlUYhdNgFCO3FbU3-o48EHrYXvjSlGu_EEYHro_b1f8xrgnVyR1Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEji9jkZUldsxD-YZNaVqrqsYmoYMzNUyjXnBdusjdMKQpYgGAQpWkR3qu5sE3JXRcrhvERN2e1pFCE8RTypSgsfXr3_xQykqioK4z1OygZOFWvFiNP_oFqUby9b7yUrSu1zedYZTOZlUYhdNgFCO3FbU3-o48EHrYXvjSlGu_EEYHro_b1f8xrgnVyR1Q=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/remember-rrrs-tiger-scene-with-jr-ntr-heres-how-ss-rajamouli-filmed-the-epic-scene-2304542-2022-12-02" target="_blank">source</a>)<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>4. <i>RRR</i> (dir. S.S. Rajamouli)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Honestly nothing on god's green earth could have gotten my
loins properly girded to see this in theaters. The most movie I've ever seen in
a movie, maybe, and I'm still giggling thinking about the absurd giddy heights
it reaches, parkouring from bromantic music video to face-melting action scene
to some real Gene Kelly dancing excellence and then back again. This should
play at least once a day in every theater for, like, 800 years minimum. Hearing and reading what some Indian writers feel about some of its political undertones has dampened my enthusiasm for this movie just a hair, but I can't deny when great cinema is great cinema, and that's what <i>RRR</i> is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMHk24pha-4J3hbOXL7sztojNAMIrsrGSnGpi_nE11p7JXGNZSGiXD5KLYhyq_MHzMTRcdsB0d82UKA3v4CU45C4ftFr3rjGJcW8sr1A_ApcV32um2Ab6I-tqVd7szMbHvHr-ncF7IEWncT0d76KUpgTOtuTqqDOKTyRr2u9hZqH5irGihso0cszKY2Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1560" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMHk24pha-4J3hbOXL7sztojNAMIrsrGSnGpi_nE11p7JXGNZSGiXD5KLYhyq_MHzMTRcdsB0d82UKA3v4CU45C4ftFr3rjGJcW8sr1A_ApcV32um2Ab6I-tqVd7szMbHvHr-ncF7IEWncT0d76KUpgTOtuTqqDOKTyRr2u9hZqH5irGihso0cszKY2Q=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://slate.com/culture/2022/12/tar-cate-blanchett-movie-ending-explained-analyzed.html" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>3. <i>Tár</i> (dir. Todd Field)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daring and Hugely rewarding--clearly some real virtuoso shit
at work. Maybe one of the strangest, prickliest and most deliberately
misleading recent (relatively) mainstream movies to appear, refusing to be
nailed down to any one moment, mindset, impression, or genre (is this
fundamentally a ghost story? A fantasy? a comedy?). Most viscerally impressed by
the sound design, which drags entire labyrinths out of the darkness. Also by the
carefully crafted tempo that hides the chaos engine pumping steam into all of
the moving parts. A movie about stopping and starting time, whatever that can
mean, until time refuses to stop at all. Blanchett deserves the accolades,
obviously, but I really hope we make room for Nina Hoss in the conversation as
well, who can move continents with one shifting facial muscle. How fun is it
that this movie exists exactly as it does?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGGzWd-cYa2dWS8sWZie5BzRgoY2woINGZWKuF2Wh9VeC_PmBfEr3Q_EQa-CFBbNewLgRonnew-7PwLXxSUXLpXLHD0whEvnKhXulxFKkz-22RBuFTiAHmKMN9Ev63AopoZf6xkA3LAsfpRIHtIN52eshaR5OkaA2Zz2jaGtRXZffGrmZmqAF9377Isw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGGzWd-cYa2dWS8sWZie5BzRgoY2woINGZWKuF2Wh9VeC_PmBfEr3Q_EQa-CFBbNewLgRonnew-7PwLXxSUXLpXLHD0whEvnKhXulxFKkz-22RBuFTiAHmKMN9Ev63AopoZf6xkA3LAsfpRIHtIN52eshaR5OkaA2Zz2jaGtRXZffGrmZmqAF9377Isw=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-fabelmans-movie-review-2022" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>2. <i>The Fabelmans</i> (dir. Steven Spielberg)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am not at a place in my life where I could bring any level
of objectivity to this, but I loved it with my whole heart and was weepy for at
least 50% of the runtime. A freight train full of Spielberg doing what he does
best, from the opening original Spielberg Face to the dorky and joyful moving
camera punchline at the end. Embodies deep in its bones the Truffaut cinema as
agony or joy quote, and finds room for both (and for some other feelings in
between). Holding your passions in your hand as if afraid they'll
disappear--and if you let go, sometimes they do. Follow your dreams! Or don't
and be shattered! Or just watch a movie about it instead! I saw this in theaters
five times—more than anything in my life other my childhood obsession with <i>Titanic</i>
that convinced me that I wanted to make movies. At this point, I just need to
accept the inevitable, buy a copy of this movie, and play it every night when I
go to sleep like it's whale sounds or something.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp-rAMH6ZEnhLewrMq0DOPxZOeouXScekbCHH-LpwnHWuPbluL9mXglidYhqcZ743fbAui5hA3_IezKoVizXjG19pLaFGEi0_uUo0PgZD31nPcPsC7aJmE2pqcH4wAXLOD_PQs8BFccW0EMP90seFl3aEX8Ovspn4bwI1S0HVMs-U14WE979dgH8IUlA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2384" data-original-width="4240" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp-rAMH6ZEnhLewrMq0DOPxZOeouXScekbCHH-LpwnHWuPbluL9mXglidYhqcZ743fbAui5hA3_IezKoVizXjG19pLaFGEi0_uUo0PgZD31nPcPsC7aJmE2pqcH4wAXLOD_PQs8BFccW0EMP90seFl3aEX8Ovspn4bwI1S0HVMs-U14WE979dgH8IUlA=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.vulture.com/2022/10/aftersun-movie-review-a-work-of-gorgeous-melancholy.html" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>1. <i>Aftersun</i> (dir. Charlotte Wells)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I really struggled on my first watch to find words that do
it justice--like looking through the little mind camera Sophie mentions, where
everything is made of skins, one piled on on top of another, some hot and
unfamiliar, some ornamental, some almost thin enough to see through, something
that exists in the absent space between dreaming and waking up and ends feeling
like the kind of day the characters describe, where everything has been
wonderful but it still feels like your bones don't work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And if it hits like a train the first time around, the
second time feels like the same train is backing up over you again--you already
know how it feels, but that doesn't make it any easier. Fascinated by how taken
this movie is by textures, physical or otherwise, the moments you can slide
your fingers across in your mind and feel the bumps and ridges. And while the
talk (rightfully) centers how strong the central relationship is, Aftersun is
also a stellar evocation of a very specific piece of adolescence, fully
inhabiting the brief moment in between discovering that you want to desire and
learning what that actually means. A bursting world inhabited by sideways
glances without much intention beyond learning how to glance sideways. Really
phenomenal movie--almost impossible to believe that it's a debut.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And there's that! This is normally the point where I'd say that I'd take a quick break to weep quietly in a corner before continuing, but I'm all fired up (and/or am somewhat desperate to stop), so why don't we skip the break and go right into the best scenes and the worst movies of the year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">(I'll try to link to a clip of the best scenes if possible.)<br />(Note: generally I try and avoid spoilers or picking endings
here, but I'll still mention which clips
might be spoilers when I hit them.)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Best Scenes of the Year</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>10. "The Defense is Wrong!"-<i>Fire Island</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(the apotheosis of comedy scenes written for gay film enthusiasts)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNchouL-TrQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNchouL-TrQ</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>9. We're Losing the Light-<i>Babylon</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(also no video, so here's a picture of a dinosaur that kind of captures the essence of it)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYaGjR3mGmvTM_Gg0qTDd7xMrYrxgiUu9Co6FjHafxyh0BZX_IsCs5HIYviYVxDtZSzGscVe62n28NprvHglSIgx-6bt-WYjhuOLFP8QWPCgCxr6aOGe-rM31nk4iSglEnLdtel9Z8Op-z_i1MIJZTJpWR1pAUBT5UUCrkOvzUAYsCpW1Os9U90tAMTw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2217" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYaGjR3mGmvTM_Gg0qTDd7xMrYrxgiUu9Co6FjHafxyh0BZX_IsCs5HIYviYVxDtZSzGscVe62n28NprvHglSIgx-6bt-WYjhuOLFP8QWPCgCxr6aOGe-rM31nk4iSglEnLdtel9Z8Op-z_i1MIJZTJpWR1pAUBT5UUCrkOvzUAYsCpW1Os9U90tAMTw=w288-h400" width="288" /></a></div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> (<a href="https://www.deviantart.com/namdon/art/Dinosaur-Knights-810379750" target="_blank">source</a>)</span><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span><br /></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>8. Bheem Unleashes a Very Specific Kind of Hell on the British-<i>RRR</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(If you haven't seen <i>RRR</i>, you should definitely wait to see this in the context of the movie, but this is also a great snapshot of the movie's bananas energy if you need convincing)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDAHHPGcLzo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDAHHPGcLzo</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>7. Elvis sings at the Hayride-<i>Elvis</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(huge, silly/comitragic encapsulation of the film's energy and where it wants to go)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQhqKsu7y6I" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQhqKsu7y6I</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>6. Fanny Pack Rumble-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(creative and wild, accentuated by great performances, shows up before the movie's many action scenes start offering diminishing returns)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UQ7yvfctOU" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UQ7yvfctOU</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>5. The Star Lasso Experience-<i>Nope</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(definitely spoilers if you haven't seen. Hideous and gorgeous in equal measure, scary as shit by the end)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. Family Dance Competition-<i>After Yang</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(Introduces all the characters, is a total riot--why don't all movies start with a context-less dance number)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRGU2J8BfvA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRGU2J8BfvA</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. How to Talk to Your Bully After You Have Inadvertently Upset Him by Making a Movie Where He Looks Like a Cool and Competent Guy-<i>The Fabelmans</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6yAoGbeCBs">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6yAoGbeCBs</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>2. Sammy in the Editing Booth-<i>The Fabelmans</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(spoilers in the clip: a wordless demonstration of the intersection of art and your own life, and how one devastates the other)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZPO4HZGrkQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZPO4HZGrkQ</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. Naatu Naatu-<i>RRR</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(the most fun four minutes of the year! Choreography for days! This movie rocks)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsU0CGZoV8E" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsU0CGZoV8E</a><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal">And finally, the worst movies of the year! While I don't
want to dwell on negativity or end on a down note, there's some catharsis to be
found in pushing the things that wasted your time right off their roller skates. So
let's push away! Note that I generally avoid movies that are supposed to
be awful, so this can just as easily be seen as a list of most disappointing
movies.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Honorable Mention: while I acknowledge that it's generally too competent in too many ways to call it the worst, I still think <i>All Quiet on the Western Front </i>is execrable trash that I deeply despise, and if you ask me why I will be happy to speak to you for at least eight hours about it</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>5. <i>Uncharted</i>-</b>The Muppet Babies already did an Indiana Jones episode, why did we need to do it again?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>4. <i>The Black Phone</i>-</b>so thrilled by its own blackness, and so excited to rub its audience face in the shits it keeps laying down. Strong child performances can't save this useless exercise in miserablism.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>3. </b><b><i>Empire of Light</i>-</b>Not sure I have anything to add about this movie that that Julia Louise-Dreyfuss wtf gif doesn't already say.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Lightyear</i>-Is this the most unintentionally funny opening text in the
history of film? The Hindenburg of Pixar movies.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Death on the Nile</i>-I'm just a boy, standing in front of a computer, asking who
is going to slap that camera out of Kenneth Branagh's hands.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">And that's it for today! I will be back...sometime this week! To finish this with some number of posts in some kind of format! In the meantime, what do you think? What am I missing? What should I give another chance?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p></p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-58939139648037295782023-01-24T10:11:00.003-07:002024-01-22T11:33:13.881-07:00Oscar Nominations 2022: Raise Your Hand if You Have Ever Been Personally Victimized by a WW1 Movie<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAIQpSMheF3srKyhMpHSEFNSixDL8AMin5exYEokd7xLX1jC5nPMIL2dZLFQKkKyW04Z2E67t_NzJfq3d3rHavJV9TDu5S2vuLMTlNCyF3BcByL6m0gCHJOrCXLjfckfyLb2zwe7RHpXh7lI2VnXu2xMorvhjfGX8Y1Vsa3ULh4nItf7XTe54jSQ6FQ/s1031/all%20quiet%201.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1031" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAIQpSMheF3srKyhMpHSEFNSixDL8AMin5exYEokd7xLX1jC5nPMIL2dZLFQKkKyW04Z2E67t_NzJfq3d3rHavJV9TDu5S2vuLMTlNCyF3BcByL6m0gCHJOrCXLjfckfyLb2zwe7RHpXh7lI2VnXu2xMorvhjfGX8Y1Vsa3ULh4nItf7XTe54jSQ6FQ/w400-h225/all%20quiet%201.webp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(<a href="https://consequence.net/2022/10/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-trailer-watch/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, maybe I'm being a little melodramatic. I said yesterday that I was having an off-consensus year, and viewed through the lens of being somewhere between miffed and mortified by so many of the potential big contenders, things could have been much worse. <i>Top Gun</i> underperformed in most of the right places (though it still got a nomination for its screenplay, which is, uh, a bold and creative choice), <i>The Whale</i> underperformed, <i>Black Panther</i> excelled where it should have without making us scratch our heads to much thinking about it as a best picture nominee, and only like...two of my current bottom five of the year got nominated for anything. Granted, only two of my current top 10 got any kind of big support, but what can you do? The answer, of course, is spend the next 10,000 years screaming about the fact that my personal nemesis, <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>, was nominated for nine (nine!!!) Oscars this morning. And I plan to scream, but I'll try to leaven that by celebrating all the fun and groovy surprises this morning, of which there were many. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe the biggest story of the year is the triumph of commercial fare, with the two highest grossing films of the year (<i>Avatar </i>and <i>Top Gun</i>) making it into best picture--the first time this has happened since 1982, the third highest grossing film of the year (<i>Black Panther</i>) garnering the most nominations for a movie not nominated for best picture, and other financial successes like <i>Elvis</i>, <i>The Batman</i>, and nomination leader <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i> (the little indie that could, making $100 million worldwide) doing great. That's not to say that no tiny movies thrived this morning (Andrea Riseborough is surely on a dirt bike right now, wheelie-ing her way into the history books), but it's striking to see such a robust morning for studio fare. Now, if the Oscar telecast ratings are low again, maybe the Academy will finally realize that ratings aren't tied to the nominated films as much as they are that live TV and awards shows in general are in decline.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But enough context--let's look at the nominations! I'll put an asterisk next to the nominations I predicted correctly, but my silliness might have gotten the better of me this year, so they may be few and far between.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Best Picture</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Avatar: The Way of Water*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Banshees of Inisherin*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Elvis*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Fabelmans*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Tar*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Top Gun: Maverick*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Triangle of Sadness</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Women Talking</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not at all surprised that my <i>RRR</i> moonshot from yesterday came to naught, but I am surprised how (relatively) strong a showing <i>Triangle of Sadness</i> managed after seeming to be totally out of the race. Ditto <i>Women Talking</i>, which clung to life here despite missing almost everywhere else. Overall, this list is...fine? It's maybe not my dream lineup, but it's a nifty snapshot of the year, and there's more than one option to pick for an interesting winner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Director</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Todd Field-<i>Tar*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Martin McDonagh-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin*</i><br />Ruben Östlund-<i>Triangle of Sadness</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Steven Spielberg-<i>The Fabelmans*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Östlund was one of the biggest surprises of the morning for sure (and one I'm still wrangling with, given my fraught relationship with his body of work). Daniel Kwan is now the fifth Asian director nominated in four years--a wild and spectacular statistic, considering only four Asian men (Hiroshi Teshigihara, Akira Kurosawa, M. Night Shyamalan, and Ang Lee) had been nominated in this category in the rest of the Academy's history. Spielberg also ties for the second most nominated director of all time with this, his ninth nomination.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Actress</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cate Blanchett-<i>Tar*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ana De Armas-<i>Blonde</i>*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Andrea Riseborough-<i>To Leslie</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Michelle Williams-<i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Michelle Yeoh-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i>*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yesterday, I called Riseborough's late-breaking Oscar run a publicity campaign for the movie, and I am happy to eat my words. Also happy to see Michelle Williams make it--it's not my favorite performance of her career (or in the movie), but I, uh, tend to go pretty hard for <i>The Fabelmans</i>. Also worth noting that Michelle Yeoh becomes the first ever Asian woman to be nominated in this category.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: Cate Blanchett-<i>Tar</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Actor</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Austin Butler-<i>Elvis*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Colin Farrell-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brendan Fraser-<i>The Whale</i>*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Paul Mescal-<i>Aftersun</i>*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bill Nighy-<i>Living*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Probably my biggest clapping/whooping outburst came from hearing Mescal's name, who gives a fantastic performance in a fantastic movie. Conventional wisdom suggests that Fraser and Farrell fight to the death now, but will the Academy's love of biopics and <i>Elvis</i>, which garnered 8 nominations, bring Butler the win? This category contains all first-time nominees, the first time that's happened in best actor since 1934--and this time is certainly more noteworthy, given the pool of prior nominees was much smaller in 1934, less than a decade after the Oscars began. The acting categories in general were dominated by first time nominees: a full 16 out of 20 slots went to first-timers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: Brendan Fraser-<i>The Whale</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Supporting Actress</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Angela Bassett-<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hong Chau-<i>The Whale</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kerry Condon-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jamie Lee Curtis-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stephanie Hsu-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The most volatile category ended up with more of a bang than a whimper, with the final slots going to supporting players acting next to threats to win the lead races and two performers from the most nominated film. ...I mean that relatively, of course, given this category also contains the first acting nomination for a Marvel movie and a performance whose most emotional moments come when that character has hot dogs for fingers. So it's still pretty wacky and volatile, and not just in its content--I'd argue that any of these women but Chau has a shot to win.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: Kerry Condon-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Supporting Actor</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brendan Gleeson-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brian Tyree Henry-<i>Causeway</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Judd Hirsch-<i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Barry Keoghan-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i>*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ke Huy Quan-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thrilled for Brian Tyree Henry, whose well-deserved nomination was starting to look like a lost cause. What does poor Paul Dano have to do to make the Academy love him? Whose grandmother did he run over? Every Oscar season narrative he gets seems to end in sixth place. Still, I am over the moon that Barry Keoghan finally has an Oscar nomination for being one of the most rewardingly weird guys in front of a camera right now, and I'll be delighted to watch Ke Huy Quan get his Oscar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: Ke Huy Quan-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Original Screenplay</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Banshees of Inisherin*<br />Everything Everywhere All at Once*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Fabelmans*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Tar*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Triangle of Sadness*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The same five that have shown up everywhere in the precursors showed up here as well, and they're not a bad bunch. The way looks clear for the <i>Banshee/Everywhere</i> showdown that was always going to happen. Does the movie that wins this category win best picture? Maybe? Probably?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Adapted Screenplay</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front*<br />Glass Onion*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Living<br />Top Gun: Maverick*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Women Talking*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've kept the <i>All Quiet</i> screaming to a minimum, but let me just say that this getting in <i>for its adaptation</i> is absolute lunacy, and I will never, ever get over it. If you follow me on letterboxd (which you should do! <a href="https://letterboxd.com/jkuster/" target="_blank">Find me here</a>), then you can read the couple thousand words I wrote on why the book is a miserable and ethically dubious take on an anti-war book. But if you don't, let me sum up my feelings by banging my head against the wall for eight years. Given <i>All Quiet</i>'s presence, I don't even have enough emotional bandwidth to be as annoyed as I should by <i>Top Gun</i>'s presence. Weird year for this category, huh? <i>Women Talking</i> has seemed like the undisputed frontrunner here for months, and still might be. But while it would be stupendous to see Sarah Polley with an Oscar in her hands, I'm deeply nervous that one of those other two movies (the ones that have me banging my head against the wall) will swoop in and take it from her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Women Talking</i> (but I'm not convinced)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Production Design</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Avatar: The Way of Water*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Babylon*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Elvis*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pretty strong lineup, all things considered. Vaguely surprising for <i>Everything Everywhere </i>to miss this, given how much the Academy clearly loved it. Also fun to see <i>The Fabelmans</i> show up more than I'd hoped it would (it scored seven nominations to my predicted five). Guess they loved all those period TVs in the living room?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Costume Design</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Babylon*<br />Black Panther: Wakanda Forever*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Elvis*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">God bless Mrs. Harris, who now gets to add Hollywood to her list of travel destinations. Additional blessings for <i>Black Panther</i>--I'm not the sequel's biggest fans, but if it didn't score here I was ready to swallow an entire rack of Victorian gowns in protest. Both this race and Production Design look like they'll come to <i>Babylon</i> vs. <i>Elvis</i>, with special spoiler Literally Anything Else.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Elvis</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Visual Effects</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Avatar: The Way of Water*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Batman*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Top Gun: Maverick*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Color me furious and disheartened that <i>Nope</i> didn't manage a nomination here (or anywhere, which is dumb and bad), especially to make room for <i>Black Panther</i>'s limpid faux-underwater skullduggery. This category (among others) showcases that the Academy will always love a <i>Batman</i> movie more than a Marvel one (unless it's <i>Black Panther</i>). Not that I'm complaining--I also would have picked <i>The Batman</i> over the Marvel output this year in most categories. I'll also take this opportunity to point how poorly <i>Avatar</i> fared across the morning, only landing in the default spots. The second movie in a trilogy (or series, I suppose) tends to struggle with the Academy, but this <i>Avatar</i> struggled more than most.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Makeup and Hairstyling</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Batman*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Elvis*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Whale*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Signs here for how much they loved <i>All Quiet on the Western Front </i>(not that we're wanting for signs), given how rarely gore makeup plays for this category, as well as for the level of enthusiasm for <i>Black Panther</i> (landing both here and in visual effects was something that the original movie failed to do). You have to imagine that it was close to cracking the top 10, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>The Whale</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Film Editing</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Banshees of Inisherin*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Elvis*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Tar</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Top Gun: Maverick*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Probably a solid snapshot of the potential best picture winners (while you don't <i>have</i> to be nominated in editing to win best picture, it definitely helps), and a real slug-fest between Most Edits between <i>Elvis, Everything Everywhere, </i>and <i>Top Gun</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Cinematography</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Bardo*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Elvis</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Empire of Light*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Tar</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Far and away the category most deeply besotted with chaos on this Oscar morning. <i>Top Gun</i>, the uncontested frontrunner in this category, had been hoovering up every cinematography prize known to man (and some to animals) and seemed guaranteed to do the same at the Oscars, until the cinematographers scampered down their runway and pushed all those planes back into the abyss. What's left is a wide-open race with some intriguing and horrifying choices. Will Roger Deakins win a third Oscar for coastal British nightmare <i>Empire of Light</i>? Will <i>All Quiet </i>add to its pile of Oscars for having so much fun fetishizing the ugliness of war? Will Mandy Walker, only the third woman ever nominated in this category, become the first ever woman to win for <i>Elvis</i>? I don't know that <i>Elvis </i>would be my personal pick, but cinematography is the only Oscar category that has never been won by a woman, so I might root for it anyway. Also, let's take a moment to celebrate Tar's below the line strength, getting (somewhat) unexpected nods here and in film editing. Wondering whose child Lydia Tar berated at school to make this happen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Original Score</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Babylon*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Fabelmans*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Feels like a grim category, even if I love the <i>Babylon</i> score, dig the <i>Fabelmans</i> score (normally I'm against the constant John Williams default nods, but this felt like his best work at least since <i>Munich</i> in 2005), and think the others are all at least .... palatable? But given the nominations that could have been, I'll reserve the right to pout a bit. (Sidebar: I have got to stop predicting Michael Abels as the surprise nominee for a Jordan Peele movie. I've done it three times now, with no success.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Babylon</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Sound</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Avatar: The Way of Water*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Batman</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Elvis*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Top Gun: Maverick*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, this category is nothing if not loud. Thrilled to see <i>The Batman</i>'s gloomy and teeth-gnashing sound work get in, and the rest is fine, I suppose, if you're into explosions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Original Song</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Applause"-<i>Tell It Like a Woman*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Hold My Hand"-<i>Top Gun: Maverick*</i><br />"Lift Me Up"-<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Naatu Naatu"-<i>RRR</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"This is a Life"-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As always, Diane Warren rises from the depths, trident in hand, come to claim her prize for writing a song for a movie that snapped into existence two days ago. I swear, one of these years, the Academy will stop making crawl into the depths of the internet to find this year's dour Diane Warren-backed project. But it won't be this year, which means I'll have to sit myself in front of <i>Tell It Like a Woman</i>. "Naatu Naatu" becomes the very first Indian song to be nominated for this year (which feels impossible, given the presence and prevalence of Indian musicals, but here we are). It's also, as chance (or something else) would have it, the only song on this list that is not an emotional ballad played over the end credits. A big emotional credits ballad can be a huge asset to a movie (Celine Dion didn't sink that Titanic for nothing), but it would also be neat to see at least one or two songs that play a role in their film as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: "Naatu Naatu"-<i>RRR</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Animated Film</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Marcel the Shell with Shoes On*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Puss in Boots: The Last Wish*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Sea Beast</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Turning Red*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Blessings be, my nightmare <i>Pinocchio</i> (a character that made me physically recoil in fear and horror, and a film that I've since decided I didn't like at all), only showed up here, when some people were predicting it for as many as four or five nominations (including best picture). Thankfully--for me, at least--the spooky posh little log boy remains trapped in his prison. Something of a shock to see <i>The Sea Beast</i> muscle past its higher profile competition, but not an entirely unpleasant one. But speaking of unpleasant, now I have to be the single man in his mid 30s who walks up to a ticket booth on a Thursday at 1.35 and says hi, can I get one for <i>Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>International Film</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>-Germany*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Argentina, 1985</i>-Argentina*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Close</i>-Belgium*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>EO</i>-Poland</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Irish Girl</i>-Ireland*</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The big shock here is South Korea's <i>Decision to Leave </i>missing out, which is obviously a bummer. But I'll admit that I can't really pick what it should replace, as I haven't seen most of these (and the one I have seen I can't stand, so). Fun to see Ireland get its first nomination with a Gaelic-language film, and even more fun to see <i>EO</i> show up to represent the year of the cinematic donkey. (So many high profile donkeys in movies this year. What do they know that we don't?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>-Germany</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Documentary Feature</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All That Breathes*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>All the Beauty and the Bloodshed*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Fire of Love*</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>A House Made of Splinters</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Navalny</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Again, I can't comment too much here, given how unacquainted I am, but I love to see the gorgeous and altogether wonderful <i>Fire of Love</i> finding a spot here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Early winner prediction: <i>All That Breathes</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of the non-specialty categories (i.e. not animated, international, or documentary), I've seen most of the nominees already, missing only <i>Blonde, To Leslie, Living, Bardo, </i>and <i>Tell It Like a Woman</i>. These might already be enough to shatter my hopes of seeing all the nominees before Oscar night, as I missed <i>Living</i> in theaters and it's not available elsewhere yet, and <i>Tell It Like a Woman</i> apparently doesn't exist. Exactly 30 people have logged it on Letterboxd, and it only has 47 ratings on IMDB--like, if the <i>entire</i> crew went onto either of those sites, it'd have more than twice those numbers. The other categories look even worse. I've seen all the animated movies but <i>Puss in Boots</i>, which is waiting for me at my local multiplex, but have only seen on each of the international and documentary nominees. Of those eight movies, only <i>Argentina, 1985 </i>and <i>Navalny</i> are currently available to me. While I'm hopeful that more of these movies will become easier to access now that they're Oscar-nominated, I won't keep my hopes too high. Unfortunately, this year I moved to somewhere with much worse indie theater infrastructure than where I lived before, and then I didn't have a car for a lot of the prime period when movies like these were in theaters. So I'm afraid I'm a bit behind the eight ball, but I'll still try and check off as many of these as I can.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Predictions-wise, I found myself somewhere in the middle. I only completely nailed best actor and adapted screenplay, but I also flubbed original score with only two correct guess. Still, the rest of the categories went well enough, so I'll live to predict again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those counting at home, here's a list of the most nominated movies:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i>-11</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. <i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i>-9</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>-9</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. <i>Elvis</i>-8</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. <i>The Fabelmans</i>-7</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. <i>Tar</i>-6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">7. <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i>-6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8. <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i>-5</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">9. <i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i>-4</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">10. <i>Triangle of Sadness</i>-3</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Definitely a spread the wealth kind of year, with only one movie hitting double digits, and even then only just. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's a few movies that weren't nominated for anything: <i>The Woman King, She Said, Decision to Leave, A Man Called Otto, The Inspection, Till, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, The Menu, White Noise, Bones and All, Nope, Corsage, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Amsterdam, Moonage Daydream, Inu-Oh, Wendell and Wild, Strange World, Saint Omer, Return to Seoul, Joyland, The Territory, Mad God, The Northman, Cha Cha Real Smooth, Catherine Called Birdy, Crimes of the Future, Pearl, Barbarian, The Lost City, You Won't Be Alone, Three Thousand Years of Longing, Moonfall</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You win some, you lose some.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And there we have it! What are your reactions? What makes you furious, thrilled, or horrified? As always, no matter how good or bad the nominations are, I love the Oscars and all the silly little things that come with them, and every year before the nominations I have trouble sleeping, like a kid before Christmas. It's silly and stupid, but something ought to be.</div><p></p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-43774366292518329402023-01-23T15:26:00.002-07:002024-01-22T11:33:18.639-07:00Oscar Predictions 2022: Just Keep Filming, Kid<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzyMesgzCQNufLUOTB1T4tUtivJrkNIq7MgjQ4i-3SxfT31qofQeWbirDGSH983x9q2oPafnVtuH34DBTXqVGAX-53tUj7fkD4qP98PdIdZgQeXzHl2g2S8_dEV7JUiHRdRcML5KTEQJvxsWsjPPtIEeTU6H-KiBiXg7V1slU1qzGjiLLqaHfF5Jm5w/s1200/keep%20filming%20kid.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzyMesgzCQNufLUOTB1T4tUtivJrkNIq7MgjQ4i-3SxfT31qofQeWbirDGSH983x9q2oPafnVtuH34DBTXqVGAX-53tUj7fkD4qP98PdIdZgQeXzHl2g2S8_dEV7JUiHRdRcML5KTEQJvxsWsjPPtIEeTU6H-KiBiXg7V1slU1qzGjiLLqaHfF5Jm5w/w400-h180/keep%20filming%20kid.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>At some point in the years following 2020, I'm going to have to start this intro about something other than the interminable and impossible passage of time (how can it be 2023 when my new iPhone 6 <i>clearly</i> says that is 2015 at the very latest), the collective limbo we're all doing our best to crawl out of, and how the concepts of movies and moviegoing continue threatening to swallow themselves whole. And maybe, just maybe, 2024 will be the year that I write something new (relevant contemporary news events like Godzilla crawling his way out of the depths and finding everything above the water distasteful, or maybe aliens will turn out to be real, but really boring to talk to), but in this, the year 2023, I'm going to lovingly tape my broken record back together and lament the fact that a) it is 2023, b) time is meaningless, and c) oh god, the movies, who will save the movies, etc. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can't help but see all this reflected back in this year's movie slate, though, which featured a quietly staggering number of films about filmmaking, the continued relevance of film, stardom, or even art in general, and how Hollywood should perceive itself and its own checkered history. Again and again this year, we got to watch directors staging the act of looking everything that entails. But, as Jordan Peele taught us in <i>Nope</i>, the great flying sky eyeball/anus comes for us all, and there's nothing to do but grit your teeth, point your camera, and get ready to be pulled into the sky.</div><div><br /></div><div>The real (and most important) question, however, is which of these movies will get showered in little golden men before they get swallowed whole? Well you're in luck, as I have been, if for nothing else, been put on this Earth to regale you with Oscar facts and opinions until I pass out from the exertion. And I'm already pulled out a preemptive fainting couch, as these year's Oscars are poised to be absolutely <i>silly</i>. We find ourselves in a post-covid (well, post-lockdown, as there is no post-covid) movie slump in which fewer movies are being produced and even fewer movies are making their way to theaters (this year saw only two thirds the number of wide releases as 2019 did), which means that the Academy will either have to stretch to find small and weird movies it wouldn't have previously considered, or it's going to take a deep breath and toss its biggest awards at what seem to be the only movies left in theaters--big franchise fare. And as it turns out, we might be in for a good bit of both. The 2022 Oscars might see the three highest grossers of the year all nominated for best picture--something that has never even once happened--but it might also see a wider than average slew of tiny indies and international fare bolster its ranks. Who's to say? (Me, I'm to say.) As for my own preferences, I'm finding myself in an off-consensus year, where very little that I truly loved is poised to do much more than fight for scraps, and plenty of nominations could be coming that will make me want to reach inside of my head and pull my eyes back into my skull like horrified little turtles.</div><div><br /></div><div>At any rate, there's a huge amount of room for shock and upheaval, and also plenty of room to take the easy way at every opportunity and turn in some of the dullest Oscar noms in recent memory. Fingers crossed for the former, and pitchforks prepared for the latter. But while we wait to find out, I'll go ahead and dump all my predictions into one irresponsibly large post. Bear in mind that I predict for fun just as much as I predict for accuracy--there are plenty of places on the internet to go if you're looking for stone-faced predictions, but there are only so many places to turn to if wanted someone to photoshop Sammy Fabelman into <i>Nope </i>and then make some butt jokes. And of all the butt jokes in all the world, you walked into mine, so let's work with what we've got.</div><div><br /></div><div>(note: all predictions are listed in order of likelihood--so the first movie listed is the most likely, the second the next most likely, etc.)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Best Picture</u></b></div><div><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div><i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div><i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div><i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div><i>Tar</i></div><div><i>Elvis</i></div><div><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i>The Whale</i></div><div><i>RRR</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>Women Talking</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>The first six are all solid locks, led by <i>Everything Everywhere </i>which, in the course of eight months, has gone from silly daydream to the most-embraced a sci-fi martial arts absurdist comedy family drama with a whole fight about who gets to put a little statue up their butt movie has ever been. <i>Avatar </i>and <i>All Quiet </i>aren't quite as safe, but both make sense (at least in a precursor sense--I've no idea how or why <i>All Quiet</i> got this powerful, but just the idea of it scoring here makes me beg for the sweet embrace of death. That leaves two slots with a ridiculous number of strong contenders. <i>The Whale</i> seems like an easy choice (it's done well at the precursors, is beloved in the real world even if it's hated online, and all the older women at my screening were audibly weeping during it, which feels like a reliable bellwether). So what's left? You've got a few awards-friendly movies whose critical and audience reception wasn't what was hoped for with <i>Women Talking </i>and <i>Babylon</i>, you've got muscular and respected (if not loved) commercial choices like <i>The Woman King, Glass Onion, </i>and <i>Black Panther</i>, and you've got fringe-ier choices with deep pockets of passionate support like <i>Triangle of Sadness</i>, <i>RRR</i>, and <i>Aftersun</i>. And...I had hoped that listing all these options would help me decide what to put in that ninth spot, but it didn't. Smart money says <i>Women Talking</i>, but I've got a gut feeling that it'll miss. So while we're sticking with our guts, I'll do something very silly and add <i>RRR</i> into the top 10, even if it has limited chances anywhere else--surely enough voters will have seen it and decided that any movie in which a protagonist wields a tiger as a melee weapon deserves a spot at the top.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Director</u></b></div><div>Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div>Steven Spielberg-<i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div>Todd Field-<i>Tar</i></div><div>Martin McDonagh-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div>James Cameron-<i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div>Alternate: Edward Berger-<i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Unless the Academy throws some huge curveballs (and they might--I've heard whispers of a Spielberg or McDonagh snub), only the last spot is up for grabs here. Recently, the directing branch has opted for a 'cool' pick (something indie or international) where everyone else goes mainstream, which would benefit Berger, Park Chan-wook for <i>Decision to Leave</i>, S.S. Rajamouli for <i>RRR</i>, and particularly Charlotte Wells for <i>Aftersun</i>, who I almost picked. Or if best picture buzz is all that matters this year, Joseph Kosinski for <i>Top Gun </i>and Baz Luhrmann for <i>Elvis </i>could easily make a showing. But the latter two don't strike me as directing nominees, and all the hip and sexy options don't feel right, so I'll say Cameron gets rewarded for spending thirteen years teaching cameras how breathe underwater.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Actress</u></b></div><div>Cate Blanchett-<i>Tar</i></div><div>Michelle Yeoh-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div>Danielle Deadwyler-<i>Till</i></div><div>Viola Davis-<i>The Woman King</i></div><div>Ana De Armas-<i>Blonde</i></div><div>Alternate: Ana De Armas-<i>Blonde</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Three locked spots followed by a bevy of seemingly impossible contenders, but someone's got to make it in. Conventional wisdom suggests Davis, De Armas, and Michelle Williams for <i>The Fabelmans</i> fighting for two spots, but I struggle to imagine either of the latter campaigns happening (and if we're being honest, Davis in <i>The Woman King</i> feels like the kind of predicted nominee that we'll all look back on and slap our foreheads, wondering we we could have thought it was going to happen). But who fills the space they left? People (specifically celebrities on twitter) won't stop talking about Andrea Riseborough in <i>To Leslie</i>, but it feels more like a last-minute publicity campaign than a serious contender, and Emma Thompson in <i>Good Luck to You, Leo Grande</i> seems similarly doomed. Margot Robbie in <i>Babylon</i> and Olivia Colman in <i>Empire of Light</i> wait in the wings, but do either of them seem any more plausible than a major Oscar nom for <i>Blonde</i>? So I've gone with Davis as the easy pick and De Armas operating under the assumption that the Academy is going to force me to watch <i>Blonde</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Actor</u></b></div><div>Colin Farrell-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div>Brendan Fraser-<i>The Whale</i></div><div>Austin Butler-<i>Elvis</i></div><div>Bill Nighy-<i>Living</i></div><div>Paul Mescal-<i>Aftersun</i></div><div>Alternate: Tom Cruise-<i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>I guess I'm entering my agnosticator-prognosticator phase, because I don't believe in like half of the nominations I'm picking. The top three are golden, but I am <i>struggling</i> to believe that Bill Nighy is actually secure. Ditto Mescal, whose performance I adore, but he's awfully young, in a very small movie, and not known for his film work. But who would replace them? The Tom Cruise nomination push feels like something drawn from the ugliest parts of my subconscious, forced to chase me around and ruin my day--which makes it plausible, I guess, but unsavory. A Tom Hanks/<i>A Man Called Otto</i> jump scare might be smart, but you'll see in a bit that I've got my own Tom Hanks nightmare bonanza planned, so asking for two would be presumptuous. And beyond those men? Gabriel LaBelle/<i>The Fabelmans</i>, Adam Sandler/<i>Hustle</i>, Jeremy Pope/<i>The Inspection, </i>Hugh Jackman/<i>The Son</i> all feel more like faces you'd see on milk cartons in the mid 80s than likely Oscar scenarios, so I'll stick with the boys I've got and be ready to throw a whole lot of side-eye their way.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Supporting Actress</u></b></div><div>Kerry Condon-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div>Angela Bassett-<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></div><div>Jamie Lee Curtis-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div>Dolly De Leon-<i>Triangle of Sadness</i></div><div>Nina Hoss-<i>Tar</i></div><div>Alternate: Hong Chau-<i>The Whale</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Pound for pound the weirdest category, and maybe of my Oscar-watching lifetime? Beyond Condon, absolutely no one is safe, and a winning narrative could come from at least seven or eight different people. Bassett and Curtis are arguably the safest, both angling for career honors in genres that the Academy usually doesn't love, but I wouldn't be surprised seeing either of them miss. Dolly De Leon in <i>Triangle of Sadness</i>, Stephanie Hsu in <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i>, and Hong Chau in <i>The Whale</i> all complete a trifecta of stellar Asian actresses who all seem to be competing with each other (unfortunately, the Academy has in the past had a somewhat pronounced bias toward Asian actors and cinema in general). Any talking woman from <i>Women Talking </i>could theoretically make it, Jessie Buckley and Claire Foy in particular, and Carey Mulligan/<i>She Said</i>, Janelle Monae/<i>Glass Onion</i>, Keke Palmer/<i>Nope</i> could reclaim some of their early season glory. But I'm gonna throw all that logic out the window and say that Nina Hoss in<i> Tar</i> gets it without any precursor support whatsoever. Most years, at least one performer who acts next to a big frontrunner (like Cate Blanchett this year) slides in with their more awards-laden scene partner--and it helps that Hoss is just as good (if not better) than Blanchett. And I'll pick Dolly De Leon as well because I threw a metaphorical dart and that's where it landed.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Supporting Actor</u></b></div><div>Ke Huy Quan-<i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div>Brendan Gleeson-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div>Barry Keoghan-<i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div>Paul Dano-<i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div>Tom Hanks-<i>Elvis</i></div><div>Alternate: Brian Tyree Henry-<i>Causeway</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>You know, with the supporting actress race eating up all the bananas energy room, I feel like we haven't fully girded our loins for how bananas these guys might get as well. Plenty of people are predicting an easy 2/2/1 split with the <i>Banshees</i> boys and the <i>Fabelmans</i> (Dano and Judd Hirsch) each getting dual nods in the same category--something that almost never happens. And sure, there are boring or default options (I see you, Eddie Redmayne in <i>The Good Nurse</i>! I see you, Brad Pitt in <i>Babylon</i>!), but there's also room for some fresh hell. What about a shocking James Hong/<i>Everything Everywhere</i> nod? What if all the dual nods miss and are filled with indie fare like <i>Causeway </i>and Ben Whishaw in <i>Women Talking</i>? Or what if, hypothetically, a heavily made up Tom Hanks with a silly accent snuck around an acclaimed movie with best picture heat, even if the discourse from the summer was all about how terrible a performance it was? Maybe it's far-fetched, but it also feels inevitable.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Original Screenplay</u></b></div><div><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div><i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div><i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div><i>Tar</i></div><div><i>Triangle of Sadness</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>The Menu</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I came <i>this </i>close to swapping <i>The Menu </i>and <i>Triangle of Sadness</i>, assuming the Academy would go for the more recent of two similarly minded, themed, and looking films, but the season has coalesced so decisively around these five movies that it'd be silly to pick anything different. Still, fingers, toes, and several vital organs crossed for <i>Aftersun</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Adapted Screenplay</u></b></div><div><i>Women Talking</i></div><div><i>The Whale</i></div><div><i>Glass Onion</i></div><div><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>She Said</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Most years some degree of parity between big contenders in original and adapted screenplay. This year, however, has gifted us with a hot mess of ragged contenders stumbling their way out of the race, sidelined indie fare, and big movies that, uh, are not most revered for their writing. Maybe the only category this year where I wouldn't be surprised if any of the predicted five missed. Plenty of projects waiting in the wings (<i>White Noise</i>, <i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i>, <i>Bones and All</i>, and <i>Living</i> spring immediately to mind), but I tend to think that this category will either hit us with all the most obvious picks (i.e. the top six up there) or throw some gonzo curveballs that no one could have seen coming.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Production Design</u></b></div><div><i>Babylon</i></div><div><i>Elvis</i></div><div><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Starting a couple different narratives as we enter the craft categories: how high can <i>All Quiet on the Western Front </i>and <i>Everything Everywhere</i> fly, and how hard is early season frontrunner going to fall? For better or worse, I think the answer in all instances is a lot (accompanied two out of three times by a weary eyeroll from me). We can ask a similar question of <i>Black Panther</i>, which, despite its middling critical acclaim and somewhat disappointing financial returns, is poised to get as many as nine nominations or as few as one or two.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Costume Design</u></b></div><div><i>Babylon</i></div><div><i>Elvis</i></div><div><i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></div><div><i>Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris</i></div><div><i>Corsage</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Mrs. Harris </i>and <i>Corsage</i> feel like the kinds of fashion-first period pics that use the clothes to tell the story that often land here. I'd love to throw in a <i>Glass Onion</i> surprise, but I just can't see it happening. Still, <i>Everything Everywhere </i>or <i>The Woman King</i> could muscle in on the strength of their craft (or their prestige).</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Visual Effects</u></b></div><div><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div><i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div><i>The Batman</i></div><div><i>Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Dumbledore</i></div><div><i>Nope</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>My guiding principle for this category is that the Academy will seek to hurt us (<i>Fantastic Beasts</i>), but then they'll feel really bad about us and do something nice for the world (<i>Nope</i>). I haven't seen <i>Fantastic Beasts</i> or <i>Jurassic World: Dominion</i> doing well on anyone's predictions list, but it's worth pointing out that the Visual Effects Society (The only industry precursor for this category) went <i>wild</i> for both of those while ignoring 'safer' bets. Note: this category has already been narrowed down to a 10 film shortlist. In addition to the seven I've already talked about, the other finalists are <i>Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i>, and <i>Thirteen Lives</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Makeup and Hairstyling</u></b></div><div><i>Elvis</i></div><div><i>The Whale</i></div><div><i>The Batman</i></div><div><i>Blonde</i></div><div><i>Amsterdam</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Another roster designed to make me watch things I don't want to watch (have I just been doing this too long? Have I lost the sunny optimism that would have once had me believe that I wasn't going to have to watch <i>Amsterdam</i> for the Academy's sick amusement?). I see tons of people predicting <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>, which seems like a safe bet, but this category almost never goes for gore makeup, even in the context of war movies, so I'll remain skeptical for now. Note: this category has already been narrowed down to a 10 film shortlist. In addition to the seven discussed above, the other finalists are <i>Babylon, Crimes of the Future, </i>and <i>Emancipation</i>. (Lol watch <i>Emancipation</i> get the nod and then we all have to get invested in a Will Smith Oscar narrative way sooner than we were planning.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Film Editing</u></b></div><div><i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div><i>Elvis</i></div><div><i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Traditionally, this is the craft category most tied to best picture, so look here to see what might be surging or flagging (a <i>Fabelmans</i> surprise or <i>Banshees</i> snub, for instance). Maybe even <i>Tar </i>gets in and establishes itself as a bigger threat in the big race? Whatever keeps <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i> away.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Cinematography</u></b></div><div><i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i>Empire of Light</i></div><div><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div><i>Bardo</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>Elvis</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Not at all confident with these choices, <i>Avatar</i> feeling the most vulnerable to an upset. Not sure about <i>Bardo</i>, but Innaritu's never made a movie that the Academy didn't nominate, and this feels like as plausible a place as any to do it. <i>The Batman</i> and <i>The Fabelmans</i> seem likely as alternates, and even likelier as the superhero team-up we all deserve. Look for <i>Elvis, Everything Everywhere, </i>or <i>Banshees</i> to show up here if they have a strong morning.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Original Score</u></b></div><div><i>Babylon</i></div><div><i>The Fabelmans</i></div><div><i>Women Talking</i></div><div><i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i></div><div><i>Nope</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>To what extent are we letting the early season narratives cloud our judgement? The predictions are dominated by movies that have fallen flat on their face as the year went on--is it ridiculous to think that they all (<i>Babylon, The Fabelmans, Women Talking</i>) might miss in favor of fresher films? Probably, but I'm gonna think about it anyway. And speaking of thinking, I'm gonna do my very best to manifest a <i>Nope</i> nomination here by thinking very strong and positive thoughts, and I invite you all to join me.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Sound</u></b></div><div><i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div><i>Elvis</i></div><div><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i></div><div><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i></div><div><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>The Batman</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Though I'd love to find room for <i>The Batman</i>, this feels like the right five to me: A good mix of genre fare, musicals, and the token sound slot for the best picture frontrunner. Note: this category has already been narrowed down to a 10 film shortlist. The other finalists are <i>Babylon, Moonage Daydream, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i>, and <i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Original Song</u></b></div><div>"Lift Me Up"-<i>Black Panther: Wakanda Forever</i></div><div>"Hold My Hand"-<i>Top Gun: Maverick</i></div><div>"Naatu Naatu"-<i>RRR</i></div><div>"Applause"-<i>Tell It Like a Woman</i></div><div>"Til You're Home"-<i>A Man Called Otto</i></div><div>Alternate: "Ciao Papa"-<i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>The yearly blood rite is complete, and Diane Warren will storm the Dolby theater once more with a soulful ballad from a film that probably didn't exist until the sheer power of her words pulled it from the ether. And speaking of blood rites, I've been doing my best to stave off the encroaching <i>A Man Called Otto</i> assault, but I've failed, which means I'm going to have to drag my ass into a theater for two hours just so I can hear the end credits song.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Animated Film</u></b></div><div><i>Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio</i></div><div><i>Turning Red</i></div><div><i>Puss in Boots: The Last Wish</i></div><div><i>The Bad Guys</i></div><div><i>Inu-Oh</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>Marcel the Shell with Shoes On</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Despite having a normal lineup two minutes ago, I was possessed by a last minute fit of madness (no doubt inspired by all the blood magic in the previous paragraph) and have chosen chaos with a <i>Marcel</i> snub and <i>Inu-Oh</i> sneaking in over more obvious smaller titles like <i>Wendell and Wild </i>or <i>My Father's Dragon</i>. But I've got to be me, even when being me means doing something stupid.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>International Film</u></b></div><div><i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>-Germany</div><div><i>Decision to Leave</i>-South Korea</div><div><i>Argentina, 1985</i>-Argentina</div><div><i>Close</i>-Belgium</div><div><i>The Quiet Girl</i>-Ireland</div><div>Alternate: <i>Return to Seoul</i>-Cambodia</div><div><br /></div><div>Unbelievably difficult to predict this year, thanks to a wildly acclaimed and by all accounts spectacular list of qualifiers. I was tempted to pick a real longshot like <i>Joyland</i> from Pakistan or even <i>The Blue Caftan</i> from Morocco, but it seems I used up all my courage the last category, so we'll have to settle for the relative safety of a nomination for Ireland.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Documentary Feature</u></b></div><div><i>All That Breathes</i></div><div><i>All the Beauty and the Bloodshed</i></div><div><i>Fire of Love</i></div><div><i>Descendant</i></div><div><i>Moonage Daydream</i></div><div>Alternate: <i>Navalny</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Threw a dart to predict this year's high-profile snub in a category that almost always cold-shoulders at least one of its frontrunners, and the dart struck Navalny, on top of everything else he has to deal with. I'll admit that I haven't seen most of the movies eligible here, and, as always, can conjure only sporadic enthusiasm, but I've got my fingers crossed for whichever outcome would be the best.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And there you have it! For those playing along at home, here are the movies I'm predicting will get the most nominations:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Everything Everywhere All at Once</i>-9</div><div><i>The Banshees of Inisherin</i>-8</div><div><i>Elvis</i>-8</div><div><i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i>-7</div><div><i>Top Gun: Maverick</i>-7</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm maybe over-predicting <i>Avatar</i> and under-predicting <i>All Quiet </i>and <i>The Fabelmans</i>--the first out of pure and unbridled malice, and the second in hopes that I can reverse-psychology the Academy into showering <i>The Fabelmans</i> in little gold men.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I know it's silly for me to so wantonly spend all of these words talking about Oscars when I haven't talked about my own picks--but those are coming soon! Sometime in February, as per the usual schedule/what the screaming rock hyraxes in my head dictate. But for now, if I could guarantee any nomination (or narrative), it'd be <i>Aftersun</i> having a shocking and major run a la <i>Beasts of the Southern Wild</i> in 2012, and if I could prevent one nomination (or narrative), I would slap the pens/mice out of as many hands as possible that were voting for <i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>And that's it! In about 15 hours, every one of these predictions will be meaningless, which is exactly as it should be. I'll be back in the morning to unwrap all the Oscar presents and see how happy we should be (or how rocks we have to throw). </div><div></div>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-31581767304832093142022-03-26T16:38:00.000-06:002022-03-26T16:38:07.741-06:00Final Oscar Predictions 2021: Drench Me, Lucifer!<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04Ez0-bYekcOeSLk0pRqxim3OLFxIAJUu4dZlJTT63yJuPTMxqTj5tVMCYYi_XRikTV9tc8VzYC5nGsC5b6zveY4fCPVJ4jK8SJ6J2DVHxB2RR1noyU7joXNWu29R36xauLwSUa2lR2_q8UAZKwgt8XJu1zI_GD928ogDWbOicWdL007OLmaY61lYjQ/s627/oscars%202021.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="627" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04Ez0-bYekcOeSLk0pRqxim3OLFxIAJUu4dZlJTT63yJuPTMxqTj5tVMCYYi_XRikTV9tc8VzYC5nGsC5b6zveY4fCPVJ4jK8SJ6J2DVHxB2RR1noyU7joXNWu29R36xauLwSUa2lR2_q8UAZKwgt8XJu1zI_GD928ogDWbOicWdL007OLmaY61lYjQ/w400-h340/oscars%202021.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>If there's one thing we can agree about at the end of another COVID-extended awards season, it's that the upcoming Oscars telecast sounds dumb and bad, and the Oscars booting eight categories from the show to make room for *checks notes* Shaun White, Kelly Slater, and a twitter award that will probably go to Minimata (a Johnny Depp vehicle mostly known for having <i>really</i> intense online fans) is whole volcanic slurry of bad choices. But if we can agree on a second thing (maybe a dubious proposition), it's that having the Oscars at the end of March makes for a real slog to the finish line. Don't get me wrong, I love the Oscars more than anything else on this planet, and when a comet ends all human life, <i>Don't Look Now-</i>style, I only hope that someone thought to stuff Tilda Swinton's Oscar and a couple envelopes into a mini-rocket and send them to the moon or wherever in the universe they're most likely to be appreciated (Ganymede? No one and nothing named Ganymede could be neutral about televised awards shows.) That said, three full months into the new year is maybe a little late to delay the inevitable. Just let us watch Diane Warren mask her disappointment yet again and let the world get on with its cinematic life (celebrating how great a year it is to be a Channing Tatum fan)! </p><p>But the Oscar year, such as it was, is coming to a fiery and infuriating end tomorrow night, and we might as well be there to stare at the ruins of Shaun White and attempt to pick up the pieces. I'm ready to move on to the new movie year, but not before I self-flagellate in front of a TV while eating Oscar-shaped foods, as is my destiny. </p><p>While the extended season makes for some exhausted conversation (there was nothing more to say about <i>Belfast</i> six months ago, but somehow we've all had to persevere), it has made for some wacky narratives, throwing seemingly sure winners to the dirt and melting Oscar dreams into scrap in favor of what we all found to talk about in the past few weeks. If these Oscars were being held at the end of February, we'd be having <i>very</i> different conversations about the winners--some better and some worse, but universally less chaos, so it all evens out. There are three whole categories where absolutely any nominee could win, and the main race might upset nearly a century of statistics. I don't know if I can recall there ever being such last-minute instability, and I'm here for the insanity, if not necessarily for the winners it might enable. Still, we'll see how it goes--maybe I'm reading too heavily into the very small and echo-chambered world of awards blogging, everyone here just desperate to find something new to talk about, and things are much more predictable than I'm assuming. At any rate, I'm nothing if not well informed, as this year marks the second in a row (second ever, in fact) in which I've been able to see every nominee in every category. So now, I'll be able to let my personal opinions cloud my judgment in all 24 categories--oh happy day! Last year I wrote that I hoped that the widespread online availability of movies that Covid forced would continue, and it has, though that same availability might be low-key killing movie theaters forever. Mixed blessings. Still, I'm glad that the years in which I'd miss huge swaths of nominees because they simple wouldn't open anywhere with 1000 miles of me feel so far away.</p><p>So let's get to it! Do note that I predict more for fun than I do for accuracy. There are lots of sites online that can help you ace your Oscar pool, but I'm going to use my space to encourage the Academy to release the hounds.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br />The nominees: <br /><i>Belfast<br />CODA<br />Don't Look Up<br />Drive My Car<br />King Richard<br />Licorice Pizza<br />Nightmare Alley<br />The Power of the Dog<br />West Side Story</i></p><p>Until about three weeks ago, the conversation wasn't about what would win here--it was about how many Oscars <i>The Power of the Dog</i> and <i>Dune</i> could split between them, with the latter being a forgone conclusion. And then a funny thing happened: Sundance favorite <i>CODA</i> started winning an untenable number of major awards (the Screen Actors Guild ensemble award, the Producers Guild award, the Writers Guild award, among others), and the momentum lurched into reverse, abandoning <i>Power of the Dog </i>and dragging everyone's favorite mildly gifted high school singer closer and closer to the podium. Is it safe to predict <i>CODA? </i>It's certainly the frontrunner in terms of narrative, momentum, and maybe even popularity, <i>but</i> Academy history is not in its favor. Generally, movies need to be nominated in directing, acting, writing, and editing to win best picture. Though it's possible to win while missing one of those categories (about a quarter of all best picture winners have), only one movie has ever won while only missing two (at least in the era after all of those categories were introduced). And even that movie was a Shakespeare adaptation, so it's lack of a writing nom comes with a huge asterisk (the Academy generally presuming that Shakespeare is Shakespeare, and requires no adaptation). Which means that <i>CODA</i>, missing both directing and editing nominations, faces a massive uphill battle. Add to that the fact that it would be the best picture winner with the fourth fewest nominations of all time--and all three with fewer nominations than it came within the first five years of Oscar history, when there were less than half the number of categories that are currently present. These two statistics together would make <i>CODA</i>'s win entirely unprecedented--and yet I can't pretend that it's absolutely in control of the conversation. And the Academy's preferential balloting system (just getting #1 votes can't secure a victory, it needs widespread support and general love) probably favors <i>CODA</i> here. But then again, the Academy's much vaunted new international membership, responsible for upsets like <i>Moonlight </i>and Olivia Colman in recent years, probably favor <i>Power of the Dog</i>. <br />Long story long, this will be a real nail-biter right to the end, and will probably feel surprising no matter what wins.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>CODA</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Win: <i>Drive My Car</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Days</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />The nominees:<br />Paul Thomas Anderson-<i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Kenneth Branagh-<i>Belfast</i><br />Jane Campion-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Ryusuke Hamaguchi-<i>Drive My Car</i><br />Steven Spielberg-<i>West Side Story</i></p><p>Far less intrigue here--almost unthinkable for Jane Campion to lose, given the film's popularity/industry respect, its obvious and showy formal control, and the fact that none of the other nominees has the narrative or momentum to upset her.</p><p><b>Will Win: Jane Campion-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Could Win: Paul Thomas Anderson-<i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Should Win: Jane Campion-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Julia Ducourneau-<i>Titane</i></b></p><p><b><u>Actress</u></b><br />The nominees:<br />Jessica Chastain-<i>The Eyes of Tammy Fay</i><br />Olivia Colman-<i>The Lost Daughter</i><br />Penelope Cruz-<i>Parallel Mothers</i><br />Nicole Kidman-<i>Being the Ricardos</i><br />Kristen Stewart-<i>Spencer</i></p><p>The first category which anyone could win, so let's just go down the line. Chastain is the nominal frontrunner right now, having won the past couple awards, she's starring in the Academy's favorite genre for actors (the biopic), she has a makeup-aided transformation, and she's been working long and hard enough to claim a 'due' narrative. Colman is obviously beloved by the Academy (see her previous upset, and her not-a-given nomination for <i>The Father</i> last year), and she's stellar in a film that the Academy might be looking to reward. Cruz is similarly staggering, is hugely respected and also seems due (even though she's won already). Kidman was the frontrunner a couple months ago, and the Academy always struggles to turn down the chance to reward a famous person playing someone famous, but this probably feels like the least likely result. And finally dearest KStew, who was the frontrunner before Kidman, which means it's been long enough that voters have stopped being bored with her as a frontrunner and have started looking at the performance, which is fantastic--plus she is the only nominee other than Chastain not to have won before. But is all that enough to overcome the inexplicable anti-Stewart brigade? <br />Simply put, this is probably Chastain's to lose, but Cruz has been coming on as a dark threat, and Colman and Stewart both have clear shots at victory. It's everyone's favorite kind of Oscar bloodbath!</p><p><b>Will Win: Kristen Stewart-<i>Spencer </i>(maybe voting with my heart)<br />Could Win: Penelope Cruz-<i>Parallel Mothers</i><br />Should Win: Penelope Cruz-<i>Parallel Mothers</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Renate Reinsve-<i>The Worst Person in the World</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />The nominees:<br />Javier Bardem-<i>Being the Ricardos</i><br />Benedict Cumberbatch-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Andrew Garfield-<i>Tick Tick Boom</i><br />Will Smith-<i>King Richard</i><br />Denzel Washington-<i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i></p><p>Far less intrigue here--Smith has been way out in front since the beginning, and is just the kind of movie star the Academy loves to award when given the chance, and he's giving just the big biopic-y performance the Academy loves to see. If <i>The Power of the Dog</i> had more staying power, I'd argue that Cumberbatch had a stronger chance, but I don't see it. Ditto Garfield/<i>Tick Tick Boom</i>.</p><p><b>Will Win: Will Smith-<i>King Richard</i><br />Could Win: Benedict Cumberbatch-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Win: Benedict Cumberbatch-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Hidetoshi Nishijima-<i>Drive My Car</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />The nominees:<br />Jessie Buckley-<i>The Lost Daughter</i><br />Ariana DeBose-<i>West Side Story</i><br />Judi Dench-<i>Belfast</i><br />Kirsten Dunst-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Aunjanue Ellis-<i>King Richard</i></p><p>You'll find a similar argument in almost every acting category--a strong frontrunner, a <i>Power of the Dog</i> star that probably can't go the distance, and not much to hold your breath over. Here, it's DeBose playing Anita--a role that wins almost everyone who plays it major award hardware of some kind. I've heard whispers of an Ellis upset, and it could be true if <i>King Richard</i> goes harder than we expect, but I don't know that I buy it.</p><p><b>Will Win: Ariana DeBose-<i>West Side Story</i><br />Could Win: Aunjanue Ellis-<i>King Richard</i><br />Should Win: Kirsten Dunst-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Martha Plimpton-<i>Mass</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />The nominees:<br />Ciaran Hinds-<i>Belfast</i><br />Troy Kotsur-<i>CODA</i><br />Jesse Plemons-<i>The Power of the Dog<br /></i>JK Simmons-<i>Being the Ricardos</i><br />Kodi Smit-McPhee-<i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p>Earlier in the year, this looked a duel to the death between Kotsur and Smit-McPhee, but <i>CODA</i>'s emergent Oscar juggernaut status means that Kotsur's going to body his opponent, acceptance speech in hand.</p><p><b>Will Win: Troy Kotsur-<i>CODA</i><br />Could Win: Kodi Smit-McPhee-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Win: Troy Kotsur-<i>CODA</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Vincent Lindon-<i>Titane</i></b></p><p><b><u>Original Screenplay</u></b><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Belfast<br />Don't Look Up<br />King Richard<br />Licorice Pizza<br />The Worst Person in the World</i></p><p>Another category that's completely open. <i>Belfast</i> feels like the most traditional winner, and this is the easiest place to honor one of the most nominated movies of the year as well as 8-time Oscar nominee Kenneth Branagh. <i>Don't Look Up</i> could easily benefit from the Academy's inexplicable Adam McKay love, and stands out against the other nominees as a wacky sci-fi satire. It's tough to gauge <i>King Richard</i>'s momentum, given the constant <i>CODA/Power of the Dog </i>slugging match, but it's clearly a popular film, and could theoretically triumph here. I'm tempted to give it to Paul Thomas Anderson and <i>Licorice Pizza</i>, as Anderson is hugely respected, is squarely in his loved-by-the-Academy phase, and has never won an Oscar. And there seems to be tons of chatter online about <i>The Worst Person in the World</i> upsetting here, but it's hard to tell if that's a legitimate possibility or if it's just the kind of thing we chat about when we're bored with a long Oscar season.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Could Win: <i>Belfast</i><br />Should Win: <i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Bergman Island</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>CODA<br />Drive My Car<br />Dune<br />The Lost Daughter<br />Drive My Car</i></p><p>Probably a solid bellwether for what wins best picture. I think <i>Power </i>could lose this and still take picture, but I don't know if <i>CODA </i>can lose here and still take picture--it needs to be strong enough to win every category it's in if it's going to take the main prize. That said, there's more than a small possibility that <i>The Lost Daughter</i> wins this instead and leaves us all scratching our heads.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>CODA</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>West Side Story</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Dune<br />Nightmare Alley<br />The Power of the Dog<br />The Tragedy of Macbeth<br />West Side Story</i></p><p>Moving into the crafts categories we'll have the same question basically everywhere: can ________ beat <i>Dune? </i>Here, at least, I think the answer is no. <i>Nightmare Alley</i> might put up a good fight, but I think <i>Dune</i>'s massive and brutal worldbuilding will be too much to pass up.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Could Win: <i>Nightmare Alley</i><br />Should Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>The French Dispatch</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Cruella<br />Cyrano<br />Dune<br />Nightmare Alley<br />West Side Story</i></p><p>Hard to imagine that <i>Cruella</i>'s elaborate wacky fashions will lose here, but could theoretically fall to a <i>Dune </i>sweep. Still, if <i>Dune</i> loses any craft Oscar, I'd bet on it being this one.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Cruella</i><br />Could Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>The Green Knight</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>Free Guy<br />No Time to Die<br />Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings<br />Spider-Man: No Way Home</i></p><p>No way <i>Dune </i>loses here.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Could Win: <i>Spider-Man: No Way Home</i><br />Should Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Godzilla vs. Kong</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Coming 2 America<br />Cruella<br />Dune<br />The Eyes of Tammy Faye<br />House of Gucci</i></p><p>The Academy has been trending toward prosthetic-heavy biopic transformations of late, which bodes well for <i>The Eyes of Tammi Faye</i>, as does Jessica Chastain's possible Oscar (this award also gets paired with best actress with some frequency). If <i>Dune </i>wins this, you can expect a significant <i>Dune</i> sweep. Look out for <i>Cruella</i>, I suppose, but in a pretty tenuous and goofy kind of way.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>The Eyes of Tammy Faye</i><br />Could Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Titane</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Don't Look Up<br />Dune<br />King Richard<br />The Power of the Dog<br />Tick Tick Boom</i></p><p>The last totally open category--and it's wild that it's this one, given how non-adventurous the category normally is, and how often it's linked with best picture. <i>Don't Look Up</i> has the exact kind of jangly and frenetic rhythm that plays as 'best' or 'most' editing, which gibes it a leg up. <i>Dune</i> is the kind of action film/genre epic that frequently gets rewarded here, but misses just as often. <i>King Richard</i> recently won the American Cinema Editors award, and might have way more momentum than we expect--if it wins here, look for it to show up elsewhere. <i>The Power of the Dog</i> feels like the obvious call, given it's most likely to win best picture, but it just doesn't feel like a traditional editing winner (but if it wins here, you can pretty much take to the bank that it's winning best picture). Finally, <i>Tick Tick Boom</i>, the only nominee that isn't also up for best picture. It's got a lot of popularity, and its editing might also be the flashiest (give or take <i>Don't Look Up</i>). A fascinating and unpredictable category, and it's a shame and an insult that the Academy will be presenting it on twitter before the ceremony instead of during the live show. On the very off chance that the producer of the Oscars telecast reads my blog, I hope you feel terrible about yourself. Exiling these categories is so, so stupid, and goes against everything that the Oscars are supposed to be. Aaaaghggh it makes me want to rage-vomit.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Tick Tick Boom</i> (my no guts no glory pick)<br />Could Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Zola</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>Nightmare Alley</i><br /><i>The Power of the Dog</i><br /><i>The Tragedy of Macbeth<br />West Side Story</i></p><p><i>Dune's</i> desert bonanza against <i>The Power of the Dog</i>'s Montana hellscape. This probably goes to <i>Dune</i> (the Academy does love a big cgi eye-popper in this category), but my fingers are crossed for <i>Dog</i>'s Ari Wegner, who, if she wins, will become the first woman to win this category, which is the last category that no woman has ever won.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Days</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Don't Look Up<br />Dune<br />Encanto<br />Parallel Mothers<br />The Power of the Dog</i></p><p>a clear three-way race between the electronic weirdness of <i>Dune</i>, the angry strings of <i>Power of the Dog</i>, and the warmth of <i>Encanto</i>. Probably comes down to which of the three films are most popular, which is anyone's guess. I may pick <i>Power of the Dog </i>here--not because I necessarily think it's got the best chance of winning, but if I don't, then I'm predicting that <i>Power </i>wins only one of its twelve nominations (and that one is director), which just doesn't feel right.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Could Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Win: <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Luca</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Belfast<br />Dune<br />No Time to Die<br />The Power of the Dog<br />West Side Story</i></p><p>Another easy <i>Dune </i>victory. If <i>West Side Story</i> were more of a force, I'd say it had a chance, but it's been quietly sinking on the awards circuit pretty much since it released.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Could Win: <i>West Side Story</i><br />Should Win: <i>Dune</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Titane</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />The nominees: <br />"Be Alive"-<i>King Richard</i><br />"Dos Oruguitas"-<i>Encanto</i><br />"Down to Joy"-<i>Belfast</i><br />"No Time to Die"-<i>No Time to Die</i><br />"Somehow You Do"-<i>Four Good Days</i></p><p>Probably a photo finish between Billie Eilish/<i>No Time to Die</i> and Lin-Manuel Miranda/<i>Encanto, </i>which is just the competition we expected to see at the Oscars. If Miranda wins this, he'll complete his EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony). Kind of weird to count out Beyoncé/Be Alive, but I can't imagine her pulling it out.</p><p><b>Will Win: "Dos Oruguitas"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Encanto</i><br /><b>Could Win: "No Time to Die"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">No Time to Die</i><br /><b>Should Win: "Down to Joy"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Belfast </i><b>(although Van Morrison is an anti-vax pile of garbage)</b><br /><b>Should Have Been Here: "Gales of Song"-<i>Belle</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Flee<br />Encanto<br />Luca<br />The Mitchells vs. The Machines<br />Raya and the Last Dragan</i></p><p>Easy to assume that it's <i>Encanto</i>'s to lose--watch how it performs in the music categories to see if <i>Mitchells</i> or <i>Flee</i> have a chance to upset.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Encanto</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Mitchells vs. The Machines</i><br />Should Win: <i>Flee</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Belle</i><br /></b></p><p><b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">International Film</b><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Drive My Car</i>-Japan<br /><i>Flee-</i>Denmark<br /><i>The Hand of God</i>-Italy<br /><i>Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom</i>-Bhutan<br /><i>The Worst Person in the World</i>-Norway</p><p>No international film ever nominated for best picture has lost this award (since the award's inception), so <i>Drive My Car</i> probably has this in the bag. I've heard tons about a <i>Worst Person </i>upset here too, but I am not sure if that's a thing to expect or if this movie has some fans in the Oscar blogging world that are trying to manifest the upset into reality.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Drive My Car</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Worst Person in the World</i><br />Should Win: <i>Drive My Car</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Titane</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br />The nominees: <br /><i>Ascension<br />Attica<br />Flee<br />Summer of Soul<br />Writing with Fire</i></p><p><i>Summer of Soul</i> has all the momentum going in, and is your probable winner, particularly given that <i>Ascension, Attica, </i>and <i>Writing with Fire</i> already feel like also-rans. The only question is whether <i>Flee</i>, a clearly beloved film that was the first to score nominations in all three 'specialty' categories, can convert any of those nominations to a win. Here feels like the only possibility--no way it muscles past <i>Drive My Car/Worst Person </i>in international film or past <i>Encanto </i>and <i>Mitchells</i> in Animated, but being the clear alternate to <i>Summer of Soul</i> might work in its favor.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Summer of Soul</i><br />Could Win: <i>Flee</i><br />Should Win: <i>Flee</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Abastain (I don't watch nearly enough documentaries to pick something)</b></p><p><br /></p><p>And that's that! I've got <i>Dune</i> as the biggest winner of the night with four statues, but even that feels like a fairly slight number. Honestly, I can't say I'm too confident about most of these, but that's where the fun comes in! Catch my face tomorrow night, a silent and horrified grimace while all my least-favorite movies march to the stage. (Three Oscars for <i>CODA</i>! Five Oscars for <i>Belfast</i>! Two for Lucifer, to whom the Academy has clearly handed the reins!) Whatever happens, it's sure to be both atrocious and remarkable.</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-90586362218653837862022-03-07T17:57:00.000-07:002022-03-07T17:57:56.187-07:00Best of 2021, Part 3: Craft Categories<p> During summer 2020, like most people, I was looking for a new and healthy hobby. My sister recommended an at-home workout channel, and I was like great, this is who I'm going to be now! I'm going to do multiple at-home fitness routines every day! And I did--for about five weeks. And then I skipped a day, and because of how my brain is, I knew then that I could never do another at-home workout, and I never did. Cut to summer 2021 and a similar resolution: I'm going to go on walks at least five times a week! And I did for three whole months, and it was great, but then I only went once for a whole week, and then knew that casual walks had to be dead to me forever.</p><p>Point is, I'm <i>really </i>good at doing things in streaks, but the second the streak gets broken, it's all over--which will hopefully shed a little light into why I'm writing this last post like two weeks after the others. Every year (for over a decade!), I write these posts in three consecutive days--and then I missed a day, and because my brain is absolute garbage, my first thought was 'ok, well that was fun, guess I can't ever write about movies again.' Now, I'm gonna power through that impulse (much to the unfettered joy of everyone reading, obviously), and I'll do my best to make it seem as though I were writing this two weeks ago, but fair warning! I am a shriveled and empty version of my former self, and I have to assume that my silly metaphoring skills will follow suit.</p><p>Of course, the world in the past few weeks has been enough to shrivel and empty most things, and has contributed in some small way to me putting these off. Not to claim that me and my blog are the war in Ukraine's biggest and most important victims, or that I've been effected at all--just that it might have felt a little weird to post a silly movie list on the day the war was declared, and that helped delay me to the point where the delay itself became a deterrent. Anyway.</p><p>And all of this to delay my favorite lists--the crafts categories! All of the huge and impactful contributions without which movies would cease to exist but are most likely to be ignored when it's time to give credit for making a movie (I'm looking directly at you, Oscars, who have announced that 8 of their awards--all 'smaller' categories--will be awarded before the telecast starts, and the winners might possibly be announced <i>on Twitter</i>; this is definitely the worst thing happening in the world right now). But I like, love, and adore celebrating all the design elements that breathe life into a movie. You could not pay me $100 million to write 500 nice words about Christopher Nolan, but I would pay you $100 million to write and publish 50,000 nice words about sound effects. A movie's crafts are <i>important</i>--no movie moment you have ever loved would have been possible without committed and enthusiastic production designers, costumers, editors, composers, foley artists, sound mixers, makeup artists, etc.--so let's spend a little time giving thanks!</p><p>In interest of putting a face on some of these things, I've added some visuals to the lists. They should enlarge when you click on them, but I make no promises, as my technical skills are less than garbage.</p><p>Note: I didn't include pictures or videos for film editing or the sound categories, because I don't really know how to capture film editing compellingly in a way that doesn't waste either my time or yours, and I don't have the resources to make audio clips for the sound categories (even though literally nothing would make me happier).</p><p><b><u>Production Design</u></b></p><p><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">West Side Story</i>-tough to stack up against the original's riot of color, but the new <i>West Side</i> more than holds its own with an expanded sense of place and time, pushing the musical into a realistic cityscape without sacrificing its flights of fancy.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwQcPusjD3TZCsuuZN6Iu98NxSMNo7Xuvi5Fm__rBSZNSQ_sCQPsDKt3oX6JBy0K8rc_F77Xd5QKDbc0BORpzh2w43f4AhdOEaD7v4VoyG5LaGK70io8rECMv4kRB_wuEKTOLif97Hf3tkYYewIkAc_mSd3gPZgIpcMK5ro8itzVkrPjMg8JKxn2M1aA=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwQcPusjD3TZCsuuZN6Iu98NxSMNo7Xuvi5Fm__rBSZNSQ_sCQPsDKt3oX6JBy0K8rc_F77Xd5QKDbc0BORpzh2w43f4AhdOEaD7v4VoyG5LaGK70io8rECMv4kRB_wuEKTOLif97Hf3tkYYewIkAc_mSd3gPZgIpcMK5ro8itzVkrPjMg8JKxn2M1aA=w400-h168" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Power of the Dog</i>-cavernous and unlivable interiors and the tiny buildings that begrudgingly house them, rendered wobbly and insecure by the sheer scale of the worlds around and inside them.<div><b><i><br /></i></b><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHrgK3ow2XK7_w6FLmF90OGlgeREsgXl3J7SMFmaSnjN8ZsBFU5tb-vH4RyB4sSKnLcdaRNEZTI_rLZweOXydvb6-cyNqesTw36kIEmMfwIYKDkA8DsfofFjWQZwOMRAB4KfwwOVP273mKmGvAv9EL1IPBLhBnryJAyxQhVVPYPA-EcM5KfcVVNwdN8Q=s779" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="779" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHrgK3ow2XK7_w6FLmF90OGlgeREsgXl3J7SMFmaSnjN8ZsBFU5tb-vH4RyB4sSKnLcdaRNEZTI_rLZweOXydvb6-cyNqesTw36kIEmMfwIYKDkA8DsfofFjWQZwOMRAB4KfwwOVP273mKmGvAv9EL1IPBLhBnryJAyxQhVVPYPA-EcM5KfcVVNwdN8Q=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2022/01/the-power-of-the-dog-house-design-family-discomfort-1234691862/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Nightmare Alley</i>-Enough lurid and bloodthirst carnival spaces and malevolent art deco monstrosities to bite the head off a chicken and come back for seconds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjy5MjDn2mkeXK-7SzdFqb6Re3SpgnUz4Vz483Wjw5mqZzdf6LfS6izjibDoMw3NWL2lzgi4HKwy-hbeinJUqz7kx3cTwSv02nViRzVdpS-x153Oz38dUuY6ROSjcdQHbiNAcFuooYvH1VIPerQOLxiObCezAAV0HFziE8IWT52yFGaX1Lzut0_mvJ01w=s700" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjy5MjDn2mkeXK-7SzdFqb6Re3SpgnUz4Vz483Wjw5mqZzdf6LfS6izjibDoMw3NWL2lzgi4HKwy-hbeinJUqz7kx3cTwSv02nViRzVdpS-x153Oz38dUuY6ROSjcdQHbiNAcFuooYvH1VIPerQOLxiObCezAAV0HFziE8IWT52yFGaX1Lzut0_mvJ01w=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/crystalro/nightmare-alley-review" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The French Dispatch</i>-It's too easy--even unfair--to expect and demand meticulously realized miniature worlds from a Wes Anderson movie, but they keep providing, so here we are. And what's not to love or be astounded by in this woozy easter basket rendition of France, each story with its own color palette and sensibility, and the central town itself a towering and derelict creature.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhgCClH3A90isPcSp3exa5_3_FiT29WFzpHNYcA8kDCt3nxKHpmHty39vYXqc4KbMN-T-u5HiPGY8ARsHUaDNNZP87tiiX7A84kiFeQvEUZ-f7M1l8VoTQ-MkIyzV7z7gpcj8efVcaDbhFyAJbB2LA-7cnYm8pBnI4waA78jMmWVNnxJ4emZOoQfJaVA=s982" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="982" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhgCClH3A90isPcSp3exa5_3_FiT29WFzpHNYcA8kDCt3nxKHpmHty39vYXqc4KbMN-T-u5HiPGY8ARsHUaDNNZP87tiiX7A84kiFeQvEUZ-f7M1l8VoTQ-MkIyzV7z7gpcj8efVcaDbhFyAJbB2LA-7cnYm8pBnI4waA78jMmWVNnxJ4emZOoQfJaVA=w400-h296" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/the-french-dispatch-wes-anderson-b1945739.html" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dune</i>-the obvious choice, but the easy one, with Villeneuve's brutalist romp a sparsely populated hellscape of empty pyramids, lumbering sky barges, and intricate, lived-in technologies setting the foundation for one of the more indelible sci-fi spectacles in recent memory.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigzmPM_WHkH33wjbl-31CmhA0ipCJ8Co8RkXnKJ3ks6aJRIbRk_gGQqQTm_r8i6W9t1ZTwxu93RdtjgO7DHHv0zeQZpjpNXcUUrSTIc_KF_XMR7JT6dI8zAbXro1qmZh3Dwpe7e-gRMA7t5JzevMdFVV37D7au-0o-W2mpZQpPM6j0BoT4T7hRAuZcyQ=s1384" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1384" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigzmPM_WHkH33wjbl-31CmhA0ipCJ8Co8RkXnKJ3ks6aJRIbRk_gGQqQTm_r8i6W9t1ZTwxu93RdtjgO7DHHv0zeQZpjpNXcUUrSTIc_KF_XMR7JT6dI8zAbXro1qmZh3Dwpe7e-gRMA7t5JzevMdFVV37D7au-0o-W2mpZQpPM6j0BoT4T7hRAuZcyQ=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://dunenewsnet.com/2021/11/production-designer-patrice-vermette-built-worlds-serve-dune-movie-story/" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honorable mention: a big year for minimalist sets this year with <i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i>'s Caligari-ass pointed chambers making a strong showing as well</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Costume Design</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Spencer</i>-combining recreations of actual outfits with stifled re-imaginings to create the perfect set of evening wear to swallow pearls, see ghosts, and flirt with Sally Hawkins in</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH3uyDy_w8jMYrJxkWIBU9MAirsQLzCOW28vMCvwyU_mB1-ZdRjoYixgSDovwB7SL1LXCKPGeZaVUe0zRQJW2R7tTQiADLF5F9YMnMzPRS_fJRHjYa5jmJKmg5bX1_nxyPS9wP2G-JmWjIBAgxwzygKbaRdvblPspEyEoZsBEJ57iV9ZIcVYJGZBjYEQ=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhH3uyDy_w8jMYrJxkWIBU9MAirsQLzCOW28vMCvwyU_mB1-ZdRjoYixgSDovwB7SL1LXCKPGeZaVUe0zRQJW2R7tTQiADLF5F9YMnMzPRS_fJRHjYa5jmJKmg5bX1_nxyPS9wP2G-JmWjIBAgxwzygKbaRdvblPspEyEoZsBEJ57iV9ZIcVYJGZBjYEQ=w400-h210" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.koimoi.com/reviews/hollywood-movie-reviews/spencer-movie-review-kristen-stewart-is-a-wildfire-as-she-portrays-princess-dianas-inner-battle-to-break-free-from-royal-captivity/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Harder They Fall</i>-an array of immaculate, rough and ready duds perfect for even the busiest of gunslingers. I'll always go to bat for people who put real thought into the outfit they plan to wear whilst robbing a train.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtYutrTVWjZG5THYBZFu7UVvPJ39A_zFzWhd-8u8wHseWX31Dpzu9dBBGuE24UdDBQThikc9d6Vi8e-ntzRZD9DPAqv9MrrsWNsdCaXwP4qdWxleZDMPmF6CF8Fnjb-O0F63XZXpDA6MfFv4U7_1QQWnwQLui7mvD9ksj1vjYcB5_4LQm5OrCSCedElQ=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtYutrTVWjZG5THYBZFu7UVvPJ39A_zFzWhd-8u8wHseWX31Dpzu9dBBGuE24UdDBQThikc9d6Vi8e-ntzRZD9DPAqv9MrrsWNsdCaXwP4qdWxleZDMPmF6CF8Fnjb-O0F63XZXpDA6MfFv4U7_1QQWnwQLui7mvD9ksj1vjYcB5_4LQm5OrCSCedElQ=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fashionista.com/2021/11/netflix-the-harder-they-fall-costumes-outfits" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Cruella</i>-an all-out couture assault on the senses, massive and structured dresses flying by the camera a mile in a minute, like architectural models in a hurricane. Extra points, and my undying love, for the garbage-truck dress that reveals that its train is so big that it covers the whole block as the characters drive away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsWAjQbSX9hseHTb21VAg2To7W-53k-nxVAp160lsSXuETDt2ZpY0R2T3GH8BIKrqf3QyFFtZED5eXZXD-k98ctMAQcN5VgXDoSPhWpFJqJhSicK5bXO4sWHmSBtqf3fMbO2jENoUXaAEaY6LBH_GOSm8G6CzKOKxT9qFt01lYoiUn-_00wFqUHRk-pA=s2000" imageanchor="1" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsWAjQbSX9hseHTb21VAg2To7W-53k-nxVAp160lsSXuETDt2ZpY0R2T3GH8BIKrqf3QyFFtZED5eXZXD-k98ctMAQcN5VgXDoSPhWpFJqJhSicK5bXO4sWHmSBtqf3fMbO2jENoUXaAEaY6LBH_GOSm8G6CzKOKxT9qFt01lYoiUn-_00wFqUHRk-pA=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://screenrant.com/cruella-emma-stone-best-outfits-fashion/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dune</i>-A one-stop shop for hot looks to serve while dying in the desert. Much of the intention (rightly) goes to Jessica's arrival-to-Arrakis dress, or the wilting woven revelries of the bene gesserit, or the upscale fishbowl hats of the imperial dignitaries, but so much care and detail went into creating the armor and stillsuits, all gorgeous and believably functional pieces in their own right.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFGIDHJyGT8EZ85ply0XiZCLd7F6_5D0J4FetLx3yUdLoJ5bI07NF8Pj52kQ9oFybKgKN__IV_5dOwW91sEwf9OeOWotJeOamUHj1GLcspbos0ZYT3hCIe3TEcoY2-oq4V6GIvy9cN5H8zueigSFB8yqWC2lnO36UTVhMrG1aaGEBBInNnngVvLUUt8A=s943" imageanchor="1" style="font-weight: 700; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="943" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFGIDHJyGT8EZ85ply0XiZCLd7F6_5D0J4FetLx3yUdLoJ5bI07NF8Pj52kQ9oFybKgKN__IV_5dOwW91sEwf9OeOWotJeOamUHj1GLcspbos0ZYT3hCIe3TEcoY2-oq4V6GIvy9cN5H8zueigSFB8yqWC2lnO36UTVhMrG1aaGEBBInNnngVvLUUt8A=w400-h213" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://screenrant.com/dune-2021-costumes-hidden-details/">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Green Knight</i>-finally answers one of cinema's most burning questions: what would it look like if everyone in the Middle Ages dressed like fragile endangered birds? The answer was worth the wait, with <i>The Green Knight</i>'s precarious collars, headwear like landscapes, and aggressive slashes of color against a gray world providing some of the year's most memorable visuals in a movie already stuffed with indelible images.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioJ50B9snGJVSx_bwTmkasD91ovdzQDOHbbdtiygAany1bSkdgtmlEVmYPC9ThojtWfar_CDd5yp8vi4KvaIvXLLjBSJPBhITfRfqES2jjXegC5NYUtMvUuGnJ6PX70UWaiQzRVdjJzDJFvg2Oh3K5ncVIz1LWpvHlNgC4OEwaxpETN8nUb_qgsW719w=s701" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="701" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioJ50B9snGJVSx_bwTmkasD91ovdzQDOHbbdtiygAany1bSkdgtmlEVmYPC9ThojtWfar_CDd5yp8vi4KvaIvXLLjBSJPBhITfRfqES2jjXegC5NYUtMvUuGnJ6PX70UWaiQzRVdjJzDJFvg2Oh3K5ncVIz1LWpvHlNgC4OEwaxpETN8nUb_qgsW719w=w400-h334" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mynewplaidpants.com/2020/02/no-bounty-but-your-blood-in-my-body.html" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC41nMwrwJdry-2rgoHjkbuz4nw-9lZIWoJCpyM4H6v7l5vA6orOjj_RF_MeaASlrP3TyFR6EL4W8rZOvaKpV2aRvZkHYamMfq9wE0DR9aItJZQwBBS_ox83mFjqE_ZHI0tK4RsSctzTVP3J1g-v-oTaC7LhcoRonTykfL3qXTSLIjx3kZR0EYXfoMNw=s540" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="540" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC41nMwrwJdry-2rgoHjkbuz4nw-9lZIWoJCpyM4H6v7l5vA6orOjj_RF_MeaASlrP3TyFR6EL4W8rZOvaKpV2aRvZkHYamMfq9wE0DR9aItJZQwBBS_ox83mFjqE_ZHI0tK4RsSctzTVP3J1g-v-oTaC7LhcoRonTykfL3qXTSLIjx3kZR0EYXfoMNw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cineworld.tumblr.com/post/660420421361991680/the-green-knight-2021" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Honorable mention: I hate leaving out the primary color <i>African Queen</i> cosplay in <i>Jungle Cruise</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Visual Effects</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Eternals</i>-Ok, so maybe this is partly here because Richard Madden is the movie's (and maybe the world's) best special effect, but I admired how <i>Eternals</i> incorporated its monster mayhem and superhero antics into a more gently lit and outdoorsy environment than the usual marvel movie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmH9emBZFcQ0jgrQsBCu2ZQFA0zPWhcZcnmEmyI0YdWkrK-el8zF75O_z7VnGAyZTJQkKTQVZMTJIUNenOtjYFlUdNy7n5CfSgwlvP-1G3mFF5PzVwRAKqXHW9qhVVd-NIJFbsX_voK2hsd1-pvr9CjPOQQfFMmvCdurh2GZVWYTj9hqkvdjHgjscyZA=s640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmH9emBZFcQ0jgrQsBCu2ZQFA0zPWhcZcnmEmyI0YdWkrK-el8zF75O_z7VnGAyZTJQkKTQVZMTJIUNenOtjYFlUdNy7n5CfSgwlvP-1G3mFF5PzVwRAKqXHW9qhVVd-NIJFbsX_voK2hsd1-pvr9CjPOQQfFMmvCdurh2GZVWYTj9hqkvdjHgjscyZA=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://gfycat.com/gifs/search/eternals" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Tomorrow War</i>-the scale of the alien invasion is so stupid (in the best way) and immaculately rendered, and I love the goopy detail that each alien gets in close-up, all the viscera and spit and generally unpleasant liquids that punctuate how not chill it is to get dropped into the future to get eaten be aliens.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPjKgh5SseIlWcYDCaS5cS8OqQtdyxso0CCIcbEhqy2B3DWaFUSA88kL_vbZ9dOdE3_V_Pt9uodRQUa6Nhe2CGB_at7epZzrzsDbW79pFLBAf5ee08PsjPHER2idu16p79fXBHNGwin-9qqJZtNIjg6QTSvoOkda-PTWy6yhVAHtUooVKTVwCKUeZB_A=s426" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="426" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPjKgh5SseIlWcYDCaS5cS8OqQtdyxso0CCIcbEhqy2B3DWaFUSA88kL_vbZ9dOdE3_V_Pt9uodRQUa6Nhe2CGB_at7epZzrzsDbW79pFLBAf5ee08PsjPHER2idu16p79fXBHNGwin-9qqJZtNIjg6QTSvoOkda-PTWy6yhVAHtUooVKTVwCKUeZB_A=w400-h165" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://jokerlives.tumblr.com/post/660178497056210944/the-tomorrow-war-2021/amp" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">No Time to Die</i>-the Bond franchise has been almost single-handedly (with Christopher Nolan and whatever staggering and impressive tomfoolery Tom Cruise is doing in front of a camera) been carrying the torch for practical effects into the 21st century, seamlessly incorporating in-camera stunts and live effects and digital augmentation, and <i>No Time to Die</i> is another stellar entry into this tradition.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHYq4TrO2nJRLt7NJnJkiFgV8NYhX_-PC4NbUSrkIudwOwOyLwRTG7AsKh4jaxTmjPGphvBFDmNOmj30PwmbFI7GBtVGTsfNkeE5PMmkuTUUP2WkpiWTnQPM8o3d4Vc-NfRHgqt65Sytuk1c4zcD20JLzpE-tWajqsusCZKxO3Ec6eXuQ7CwdMV84o7w=s480" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHYq4TrO2nJRLt7NJnJkiFgV8NYhX_-PC4NbUSrkIudwOwOyLwRTG7AsKh4jaxTmjPGphvBFDmNOmj30PwmbFI7GBtVGTsfNkeE5PMmkuTUUP2WkpiWTnQPM8o3d4Vc-NfRHgqt65Sytuk1c4zcD20JLzpE-tWajqsusCZKxO3Ec6eXuQ7CwdMV84o7w=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.carscoops.com/2020/09/bond-is-back-as-latest-no-time-to-die-trailer-is-heavy-on-aston-martins-and-land-rovers/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Godzilla vs. Kong</i>-Look, no force of god(zilla) or man is strong enough to keep me from loving these movies, or applauding the skill it takes to make a city-sized radioactive lizard take a punch. Somebody had to wake up that morning like 'what do godzilla jaw physics look like when they're hit be a fist the size of Luxembourg,' and the fact that those people haven't won a Nobel is a sin.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_ZCWnP0eKOKawJefg4RPL44Rb-CFKr6r483ojA5csZ3F9cIA6qkx7ZNpnzYBJqmBlK1XullBaqjIsNuuSYyeFhZqB4oMbmTzy-FBdjgX8NvDzGuMlaBidOfZsmD4cLtLiyUd4-jk6QEIod25gPkDu-5IUETaL1xE2IpvgQmc9OcE_i5x9ni6yiEZ0JA=s540" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="540" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_ZCWnP0eKOKawJefg4RPL44Rb-CFKr6r483ojA5csZ3F9cIA6qkx7ZNpnzYBJqmBlK1XullBaqjIsNuuSYyeFhZqB4oMbmTzy-FBdjgX8NvDzGuMlaBidOfZsmD4cLtLiyUd4-jk6QEIod25gPkDu-5IUETaL1xE2IpvgQmc9OcE_i5x9ni6yiEZ0JA=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://gifs.alphacoders.com/by_sub_category/316389">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dune</i>-this post is dangerously close to becoming a total <i>Dune</i> love-in, but what can I do? It's hardly my favorite movie of the year, but it's obvious how well-crafted, ambitious, and successful it is.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL9JgyELpTi_mGs6tA7JHVu9QGF-073WbmDRHhYn7FNpITZE07eTc_xKjxjvl27BGxGu3LU8uAg_wouWhTpneFIPJtijJcIXGdxiJFZ7cNzCZXjUTZoAFyvYJLPgsSbAlnbF8AGopnW4ROuTgwMgFIxbvo1mfUyGx6Fdz6mGD_EBmiQFQXGM_6jbcKQQ=s400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="400" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL9JgyELpTi_mGs6tA7JHVu9QGF-073WbmDRHhYn7FNpITZE07eTc_xKjxjvl27BGxGu3LU8uAg_wouWhTpneFIPJtijJcIXGdxiJFZ7cNzCZXjUTZoAFyvYJLPgsSbAlnbF8AGopnW4ROuTgwMgFIxbvo1mfUyGx6Fdz6mGD_EBmiQFQXGM_6jbcKQQ=w400-h296" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thecompanion.app/2021/10/24/dune-ornithopter/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u></div><div><u style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></u></div><div><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Green Knight</i>-predominantly for the titular knight's intense dermatological situation, but also for Dev Patel's increasing filthiness, the grimy and well-inhabited dirt of characters on the road, and for Alicia Vikander's fancy noble hair (no excuses for her moppet peasant wig though).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbxoKFenQHfU0mzjzYyLgQo2v-4a13fM9WUyLkHQP17BS1YHQUkW-LijoG3xGaxnsU5N3GsL80R0BQ8bhAi0dlc03m41KLYUbsK0aFYkF_h-jNcF8wKeGp_ZvDUqwk_m7iOqavqEJ3jF6ooPZ4ugL2I0ce893B9EsmCaADecx5FXwP6MN8Pgbl3-SFfA=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbxoKFenQHfU0mzjzYyLgQo2v-4a13fM9WUyLkHQP17BS1YHQUkW-LijoG3xGaxnsU5N3GsL80R0BQ8bhAi0dlc03m41KLYUbsK0aFYkF_h-jNcF8wKeGp_ZvDUqwk_m7iOqavqEJ3jF6ooPZ4ugL2I0ce893B9EsmCaADecx5FXwP6MN8Pgbl3-SFfA=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-green-knight-trailer-return-to-arthurian-legend/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Zola</i>-enough big hair and smoky eyes for all manner of Florida shenanigans. Big, dramatic, and silly looks, all of which swell and wilt as the story unfolds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-5xCWvLbR0ZPYpuqvR1a3pZbG7xhKssRnzR-z0yYAGZ286E5X_HRM66-K0xWIVzrxknBqWSJ-wc0oXuFci3FAo8PSFmFWZVz553WDy9v_YBPvlrbkZm-eik7US92Y0vq0_hHvRXOsygZG2A9S0XfaGgMOjMfzzX9FprTlw30akuDeNIiOpFEyD6fLOQ=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-5xCWvLbR0ZPYpuqvR1a3pZbG7xhKssRnzR-z0yYAGZ286E5X_HRM66-K0xWIVzrxknBqWSJ-wc0oXuFci3FAo8PSFmFWZVz553WDy9v_YBPvlrbkZm-eik7US92Y0vq0_hHvRXOsygZG2A9S0XfaGgMOjMfzzX9FprTlw30akuDeNIiOpFEyD6fLOQ=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.glamour.com/story/zola-movie-review" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. <i>Dune</i>-</b>while we are all impatient to celebrate transforming Stellan Skarsgaard into an engorged and dying testicle, it's also worth tossing a few appreciative claps toward all the pale and vaguely unsettled Harkonnens, as well as Lady Jessica's always salon-ready hair choices.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXKQ0Ospm-ubQ2v2K825fMw2_s0IORzaYO7iA6kOQt8QwtsZQ1e8j7yD4Om5DESxM_OqRXsTo0MN4a22HR-RUbHpoHkYH1x2kWnVzZQ1q4TNA9tynjSSEBxuAPYb5vrBGfrHAbmk7LqFQsGVfLUsU_Xk9J0_Sul3nr2cblyUJsfYdX8qeVxfUYjf4UUA=s1400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1400" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXKQ0Ospm-ubQ2v2K825fMw2_s0IORzaYO7iA6kOQt8QwtsZQ1e8j7yD4Om5DESxM_OqRXsTo0MN4a22HR-RUbHpoHkYH1x2kWnVzZQ1q4TNA9tynjSSEBxuAPYb5vrBGfrHAbmk7LqFQsGVfLUsU_Xk9J0_Sul3nr2cblyUJsfYdX8qeVxfUYjf4UUA=w400-h217" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.motionpictures.org/2021/10/dune-hair-makeup-department-head-donald-mowats-delightful-disturbing-designs/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Halloween Kills</i>-I hate this movie as much as (or probably more than) the next guy, but I can't deny that its ridiculousness was supported by stellar and eye-popping gore effects. Mounting violence at this level must have been a gargantuan task, and this makeup team was up for it, even if the movie didn't earn their incomparable talents.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(no image for this one, as there aren't a ton of stills of the kills in this movie, and youtube's also somewhat lacking. Still, go watch the movie, if you want to see some great splatter effects/were hoping to watch a bad movie tonight.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Titane</i>-an absolute showcase for everything that movie makeup can achieve: the ridiculous sleazy glamour of the opening scenes, the main character's increasingly horrific physical transformations, and immaculately gross gore effects. Just a total masterclass of makeup as a narrative device.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBdZwDQ3aWcbHw8LGHbaY39e8n5wOGsUoC7t5TQU8odi4TwW4eI49m0Jc1V0LYF7oQAdukgFVSGKJ4ADcT4BitSR4SKBmqq46VYS8SYprVKtlllFZQc_-gGncncZtNRhvpu-QdBgdjgcQE8qDatxASvibKCkQgMNVnvHA1AmRwtXfIbN08HGFZxAu3ew=s1400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="1400" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBdZwDQ3aWcbHw8LGHbaY39e8n5wOGsUoC7t5TQU8odi4TwW4eI49m0Jc1V0LYF7oQAdukgFVSGKJ4ADcT4BitSR4SKBmqq46VYS8SYprVKtlllFZQc_-gGncncZtNRhvpu-QdBgdjgcQE8qDatxASvibKCkQgMNVnvHA1AmRwtXfIbN08HGFZxAu3ew=w400-h169" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/shedding-the-broken-present-julia-ducourneau-s-titane" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div><br /></div>Honorable mention: intricate skyscraper hair designs and transformative prosthetics in <i>Coming 2 America</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Film Editing</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Power of the Dog</i>-exceptionally patient, allowing big moments to sidle quietly into the movie and then leave with just as much fanfare. Trust the audience not to need a permanent marker, and is content to plod forward like hoofbeats.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. </b><b style="font-style: italic;">Summer of Soul</b>-crafts both a compelling narrative retelling and a larger cultural/historical structure out of untold hundreds of hours of archive footage. The concert footage is cut together propulsively, and the non-music elements meld seamlessly with the performances.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Moffie</i>-vindictive and monotonous rhythms, a treadmill being dragged out further and further into the ocean. A knifepoint balance of lyrical and furious, the film tipping into one or the other based on when the edit decides to breathe.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Titane</i>-If action movies and musicals are the hardest genre to edit, then surely this action-horror-musical-family drama gets all the difficulty points in the world. <i>Titane </i>is pulsing but never frenetic, and quiet without ever relaxing. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Zola</i>-fired off with the same intensity as a breathless twitter thread and occupying a space as big and as small as a single phone speaking to the entire world.</div><div><br /></div><div>Honorable mention: making musical numbers fly in <i>West Side Story</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b><u>Cinematography</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Moffie</i>-like being trapped under a giant yellow-green dome, the dappled light gently strewn across your shoulders pleasant enough, at least until you suffocate.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsHkfGMOIta-kzrM6eVEUCr0spH2c6oVC9c5h5ElaDBOaE2_YHGopFh1TlvLPE0p-hgf3a9vAqxRLK3JipLfGfvZH8BpZVK-CTiv3I7KfpQLGLOH0BLlfmTJ2d453HxUuqg7McsN4xH9LcTcDvLpLnbijjtx1SsrqVRgEL8SHIgNwiobiT1Giwq_cI4A=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsHkfGMOIta-kzrM6eVEUCr0spH2c6oVC9c5h5ElaDBOaE2_YHGopFh1TlvLPE0p-hgf3a9vAqxRLK3JipLfGfvZH8BpZVK-CTiv3I7KfpQLGLOH0BLlfmTJ2d453HxUuqg7McsN4xH9LcTcDvLpLnbijjtx1SsrqVRgEL8SHIgNwiobiT1Giwq_cI4A=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL3_e4UUl0Q" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection</i>-a shocking array of saturated blues and blacks to <i>Moffie</i>'s summer array, <i>This Is Not a Burial</i>... soaks its characters in shadows and watercolors.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpO-g7ICOGw4-PoqNC2mIrXjT-nC49B97-M6HKCcW94YQtpkXH9gQbK_CJKTZs7wIFEDVQ0Blmjp7VD3Grb3WlvbGSVx5Z-XA4Khm_qxPo2Bv07wzvK5sIoYBRGOUA92H0vtNgEvgVLgYQUSX-eGNKRviOtqTAhyq8ykuk7B4kXl1ZkynOHfrlELZu9g=s1000" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1000" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpO-g7ICOGw4-PoqNC2mIrXjT-nC49B97-M6HKCcW94YQtpkXH9gQbK_CJKTZs7wIFEDVQ0Blmjp7VD3Grb3WlvbGSVx5Z-XA4Khm_qxPo2Bv07wzvK5sIoYBRGOUA92H0vtNgEvgVLgYQUSX-eGNKRviOtqTAhyq8ykuk7B4kXl1ZkynOHfrlELZu9g=w400-h280" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cineuropa.org/en/video/383362/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Power of the Dog</i>-the power of the American west (or New Zealand) gets strangled and slid under a road grader, stretching its images into a looming and inescapable alien tableau, with nothing but the skies and cigarette for company.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuORoqc7pztCqMs-mWS-6Ce6AVDMtBO6XPA17icc7Z1OzwXmY5654uOe9xkIVRNxGlRsBT-T9AEIWJDI0p0wAKlfaDUNrR8s1EbRNj-O9XYQETde2O2Ap1HoWmQXTrXbBK2KoivFKdBeH8JSWQc7UxT8tvZqx5HsPVulMzkxnO6P6OX0x69BQcJ0W5cg=s960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuORoqc7pztCqMs-mWS-6Ce6AVDMtBO6XPA17icc7Z1OzwXmY5654uOe9xkIVRNxGlRsBT-T9AEIWJDI0p0wAKlfaDUNrR8s1EbRNj-O9XYQETde2O2Ap1HoWmQXTrXbBK2KoivFKdBeH8JSWQc7UxT8tvZqx5HsPVulMzkxnO6P6OX0x69BQcJ0W5cg=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/01/the-power-of-the-dog-queer-problem/621316/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The French Dispatch</i>-a never-ending array of swiss watch zoetropes, little self-contained boxes lined up. The framing, colors, lighting, and motion all more or less flawless. It's been tough to capture with a single image or gif, but the in the context of the movie, it's almost overwhelming how gorgeous things are.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJsDHAEQHIwVkuczFRxcvRbx2ZKXAI27-R1FmroVs5uI6oMCgUdBKWNVtOZZotQMCfdnaJbZ0dnYnIZWb79qq09CD0dFCtR8fBPbZU6Ba8GJlrQK8G0Xnj4_S9aLi7JZZ8nNCYIRhw52SL6lpTfmbO8N2xLlvKveseVgWT7i_d1TnxKgjQ4KhyFEf_VQ=s498" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="498" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJsDHAEQHIwVkuczFRxcvRbx2ZKXAI27-R1FmroVs5uI6oMCgUdBKWNVtOZZotQMCfdnaJbZ0dnYnIZWb79qq09CD0dFCtR8fBPbZU6Ba8GJlrQK8G0Xnj4_S9aLi7JZZ8nNCYIRhw52SL6lpTfmbO8N2xLlvKveseVgWT7i_d1TnxKgjQ4KhyFEf_VQ=w400-h219" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://tenor.com/view/the-french-dispatch-wes-anderson-searchlight-pictures-cannes2021-cannes-gif-22787386" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Days</i>-the film's central aesthetic conceit--one unbroken and unmoving shot for each scene--couldn't work without spectacular cinematography, and <i>Days </i>does way more than just work. That the camera could capture such constantly arresting and beautiful images while still narrating the story so eloquently within the one shot constrains is something of a minor miracle.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCjxfNQG9K8XZPd54oGVNb4GB8SIm3vsQTfO7zMexzqqqDoBBU6g1YqUjIiS-8FHQ65snVYVWF7Xs_KtynxQ2CjwYjIOFoE1lbe4I10IrVuOAsg5X5U9vpKUj239RzRw1WZEWsYJlxaSmS2blDKXQNeP80NzwTFJOWr3PP_U9gu_zEjjhDsHdHG1pCog=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCjxfNQG9K8XZPd54oGVNb4GB8SIm3vsQTfO7zMexzqqqDoBBU6g1YqUjIiS-8FHQ65snVYVWF7Xs_KtynxQ2CjwYjIOFoE1lbe4I10IrVuOAsg5X5U9vpKUj239RzRw1WZEWsYJlxaSmS2blDKXQNeP80NzwTFJOWr3PP_U9gu_zEjjhDsHdHG1pCog=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.loudandclearreviews.com/days-rizi-review/" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Honorable mention: painterly compositions and sharp contrasts in <i>The Green Knight</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b><u>Original Score</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Spencer</i>-equal parts harpsichord, Vivaldi, free jazz, and sheer insanity, Johnny Greenwood's interpretation of the sounds inside Diana's head--abstract, ambient, sharpening to some melodic point before falling into screams--shapes an already ugly mood to create something alien.</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JvCNCjQGTI" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JvCNCjQGTI</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>(Ok, just imagine the next three movies in a three-way tie. I kept changing the order they were in every single time I tried to write an entry. Really, what a great year for this category.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Harder They Fall</i>-a full-throated amalgam of traditional western sounds, spirituals, and gorgeous orchestrations--music to play while looking in your rearview mirror one last time, but also while hitting Quentin Tarantino with a stick.</div><div>(<a href="https://youtu.be/5bi2qeRfjOk?t=426" target="_blank">(this link leads to the full soundtrack, instead of one track, but it'll start in a good place)</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Luca</i>-exactly what it sounds like in your head the moment you decide to act on some dizzy impulse that will send you careening towards something you always dreamed of but were always too afraid to reach for. Just excellent, movie-defining stuff. There's a moment in the track below about fifty seconds in where some hard piano chords chime in, followed by a drumline, that makes me tear up a little, just for how big, bold, and innocent it sounds.</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLeChl46bHE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLeChl46bHE</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Don't Look Up</i>-an absolutely bonkers and unhinged effort, snazzy and sarcastic in one moment (god do I admire how easily Nicholas Britell makes music sound sarcastic) before pitching into anger, or silliness, or actual sadness. Just about any moment that lands in this movie lands because it's got this score backing it up.</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epwGOIPxSz0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epwGOIPxSz0</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Power of the Dog</i>-astonishing in every way, like the land itself throwing up and spewing forth and eon's worth of resentment and shame. Maddening and cursed and totally essential--the kind of music that elevates the movie itself. Consider the rage and ugliness of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQJ381Ej2uQ" target="_blank">They Were Mine</a>, the nausea in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khNUrOpzw98" target="_blank">Paper Flowers</a> or the extremely tentative loveliness in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCTvRK0YNCs" target="_blank">West Alone</a>. Just great stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div>Honorable mention: wacky medieval choirs in <i>The Green Knight</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Zola</i>-self-contained worlds--inside your head or your phone--made to rub up against the chaos inherent to making new friends and/or being in Florida. Somehow manages to both under- and over-exaggerate every moment, in the best sense.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Tragedy of Macbeth</i>-life inside a dead giant's sternum, every thought echoing for a thousand miles. Has the courage to be both quiet and exceptionally weird.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dune</i>-another remarkably quiet movie, considering it's largely about explosions and giant space bugs. Silence becomes <i>Dune</i>'s secret weapon, brooding pregnant pauses punctuated by moments of staccato shouts.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Moffie</i>-the inescapable rhythms of the plain, the water, the camp, the sky--a hundred external voices whispering into the night, offering a hundred ways to define the movie except what the main character wants to let out of his head.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Titane</i>-for the stentorian and jagged music sequences alone, but also for way fire feels soft and waiting alone in a room feels loud.</div><div><br /></div><div>Honorable mention: big ol monster battles made aurally legible in <i>Godzilla vs. Kong</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound Editing</u><br /></div><div><u style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></u></div><div><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Titane</i>-for the sound of <i>that</i> stool finding its forever home, for the baby-sized tonka truck voices and the squelchy sounds they make on their, uh, way out, and for the wet, hungry slaps of skin against skin--in a slap, a dance, a hug, whatever.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Tomorrow War</i>-aliens like a washing machine full of broken glass, futuristic combat, and the throaty growl of begrudgingly traveling through time.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Godzilla vs. Kong</i>-trashing multiple cities and a navy fleet requires a whole symphony of giddy destruction, which this movie provides in abundance. Bonus points for the final villain's analog hums, and for making Godzilla the shriek-y champion he needs to be.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Green Knight</i>-listen to Dev Patel decomposing in real time! Chopped heads! Giant footsteps! Tragic medieval trudging! Barry Koeghan beating people up! A bounty of silly sounds given wildly specific voices.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dune</i>-I swear this is the last of the <i>Dune </i>love (...he says, with one category to go), but how could I deny its brittle dragonfly-winged vehicles, its apocalyptic hellfire battle, the thumping cataclysms brought by the sand worms, or that world-ending hiss that Oscar Isaac's shiny new poison tooth makes? </div><div><br /></div><div>Honorable mention: animated grotesqueries abound in <i>The Spine of Night</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b><u>Original Song</u></b></div><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><b>5. "Second Nature"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Don't Look Up</i>-really going all in on the <i>Don't Look Up</i> music, but who doesn't want to die horribly while listening to Bon Iver?</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrVxcQp0SR0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrVxcQp0SR0</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>4. "U"-</b><i><b>Belle</b>-</i>Belle's soundtrack slaps <i>so hard</i> and I don't care who knows it. This song, the film's opener, which the lead character sings while riding a massive, speaker-adorned whale through an apparently endless virtual world, certainly gives you some idea what kind of space you're going to live in for the next couple hours.</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3V4sAXUJ-g" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3V4sAXUJ-g</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. "We Don't Talk About Bruno"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Encanto</i>-it's probably cliché at this point to talk about Bruno, but I am nothing if not suggestable, and the crowd has won me over. But so has the song--it's catchy, but its so well-constructed, folding in and out of itself, each mini-section getting its own musical voice before everything comes together in the big finale.</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IFD4ozm1DA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IFD4ozm1DA</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>2. "Someone to Say"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Cyrano</i>-famously, the song that made me give a shit about <i>Cyrano</i>. I had no enthusiasm for this movie, and then I saw the trailer, which is largely backed by this song, and then I was like oh man, would I die for <i>Cyrano</i>? Now that I've seen the movie, the answer is no, but I still love this lilting and wistful ballad about the gap between what love is supposed to be like and what you might have to settle with.</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq8I6pi7-9E" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq8I6pi7-9E</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. "Gales of Song"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Belle</i>-like it was going to be anything but the protagonist's big 'finding my voice' song from my favorite wacky anime musical this year? A lot rids on this song--we have to get why the entire world is apparently in love with this bright pink fantasy--and it totally works. The quiet build into a huge and percussive chorus are still enough to make me run around punching the air in a show of support.</div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atPenPe6IhA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atPenPe6IhA</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Honorable mention: a bubbly way to exit the theater (or for Netflix to cut off) with "On My Way" from <i>The Mitchells vs. The Machines</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><br /></div><div>And that's it for year-end lists--delivered a few weeks late, and with a little less energy than normal, but it's here! You're not entirely done with me yet, as I'll be back in a couple weeks to post my final Oscar predictions, but that's it for long weepy entries about movies (at least until next year). </div><div><br /></div><div>For those playing along at home, these were the movies that showed up most frequently in my lists:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Power of the Dog</i>-10</div><div><i>Titane</i>-9</div><div><i>Drive My Car</i>-6</div><div><i>Dune</i>-6</div><div><i>This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection</i>-5</div><div><br /></div><div>As for wins, it was a spread the love kind of year. <i>Drive My Car, Titane, and Dune</i> tied for the most wins at three apiece (Picture/Actor/Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actor/Makeup/Sound Mixing, and Production Design/Visual Effects/Sound Editing, respectively). </div><div><br /></div><div>So that's it! As always, thanks much for reading!</div><div><br /></div>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-59415347744330590332022-02-20T17:11:00.005-07:002022-02-20T17:11:58.463-07:00Best of 2021, Part 2: Acting, Directing, Screenplays<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheHOXOzrhdgvXQu6PyVQgZz9HPgML_9ASMZQxD8X2rXUHmlpvW2UqfJXk0Ik2FtfJg5UxbkNy20k8ZCJP4xb1jIaKV0WbyznLkwrBtek-KJ2AsKdBJ-Mp-A5Gr2zOLNu-bLbFm5EM1eC3swtsGtNC8CfRPsZRcZWxCyfLoVW-sqvpcCfuMhKNznkN1GA=s480" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheHOXOzrhdgvXQu6PyVQgZz9HPgML_9ASMZQxD8X2rXUHmlpvW2UqfJXk0Ik2FtfJg5UxbkNy20k8ZCJP4xb1jIaKV0WbyznLkwrBtek-KJ2AsKdBJ-Mp-A5Gr2zOLNu-bLbFm5EM1eC3swtsGtNC8CfRPsZRcZWxCyfLoVW-sqvpcCfuMhKNznkN1GA=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://giphy.com/explore/dramatic-effect" target="_blank">source</a><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>Probably the biggest tragedy of my life, and arguably the worst tragedy facing the nation in this trying time, is that I don't really know how to write about acting, directing, and writing. And the second biggest tragedy for me and the continental United States is that I've felt deeply compelled to remind you all of this for a decade and a half, whenever I'm tasked with stringing together a few engaging words about those very things. It's a pickle and a half, but it's my sworn duty to go ahead and eat at least half of that pickle. You don't have to call me a hero; it's enough to know that you're thinking it.</p><p>So here's the deal: I have already lost sleep giddily planning what I want to tell you about <i>The Power of the Dog</i>'s jangly in glass-filled score, or big dumb fun space prosthetics in <i>Space Sweepers</i>, or why <i>The Green Knight</i>'s costumes are absolutely essential for the survival of this (and every) species, and if me losing my shit over film crafts sounds like fun, come back tomorrow and I can guarantee you a metric truckload of lost shit. For now, however, rather than trying to get too in-depth, I'm just going to present my top 5 in each of the acting, writing, and directing categories, with some quick thoughts about the category in general. Which means that, compared to yesterday's truly punishing post, today's might only take you a few minutes to read, and I might not even have to sit, weeping, with my hands in the freezer afterward! Dreams really do come true. So let's get to it! Wild horses couldn't stop me from finishing these posts, but they'll certainly try--they're already on the doorstep, and I don't know how much longer I've got until they get in, so I'll go ahead and get started.</p><p>Note: I've scattered a few youtube clips of the performances throughout. No rhyme or reason, just whatever I felt like showing off, whenever I felt like doing it.</p><p><br /></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Actress</u><br />5. Mary Twala-<i>This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection</i><br />4. Renate Reinsve-<i>The Worst Person in the World</i><br />3. Kristen Stewart-<i>Spencer</i><br />2. Olivia Colman-<i>The Lost Daughter</i><br />1. Penelope Cruz-<i>Parallel Mothers</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Isabelle Fuhrmann-<i>The Novice</i></p><p>I love Twala's dogged confidence and anger as well as Reinsve's constantly shifting sense of place and self, like she couldn't settle on a life if she tried. (I really wanted to find a clip for Mary Twala, but there's nothing at all, so here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9X1Y6MULRM" target="_blank">a trailer</a>, as this movie deserves a bigger audience--and contrary to what the trailer wants you to think, it's not a horror movie). And my girl K-Stew deserves a special shoutout--she's been great for a long time, but the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-FBHQAGLnY" target="_blank">bird-boned alien</a> on a stage that she makes out of Diana is really special. Still, this category was always a death match between the final two, with Olivia Colman's inside-voice <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a-mn1JBqts" target="_blank">tornado</a> of a complicated mother barely getting edged out by Cruz's even intricately detailed mother possessed by the forces of history (or maybe just by herself). Still, this is such a stellar category: if I were only picking 5 performances from the entire year (rather than 20), three of them would probably come from here.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Actor</u><br />5. Jim Cummings-<i>The Beta Test</i><br />4. Udo Kier-<i>Swan Song<br /></i>3. Benedict Cumberbatch-<i>The Power of the Dog<br />2</i>. Simon Rex-<i>Red Rocket<br /></i>1. Hidetoshi Nishijima-<i>Drive My Car</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Nicolas Cage-<i>Pig</i></p><p>A vaguely underpopulated category this year, at least for me, but that doesn't mean there aren't riches to be found, from Jim Cummings--arguably the best there is at high-speed mental breakdown monologues-- Udo Kier, who gets in on sheer star power and gumption alone, throwing himself at long stretches of dialogue-free work, doing drag on a dime, and fighting with Jennifer Coolidge with equal abandon. And I'll always have room in my heart for Benedict Cumberbatch's Bronco-loving, sex-rag rubbing mess of a man in <i>Power of the Dog. </i>Simon Rex would make a great #1 choice--his giddy amorality, the way his eyes light up when he's thinking about himself, the breakneck pace of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2rRZpp5xXk" target="_blank">literally every single line he says</a>. But ultimately I stuck with Nishijima's spells of quiet, the way he delivers Uncle Vanya lines 100 times over, and absolutely for the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y77FELZaE6c">world-shattering ending of a scene</a> I wrote about yesterday.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />5. Kirsten Dunst-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />4. Dakota Johnson-<i>The Lost Daughter</i><br />3. Harriet Sansom Harris-<i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />2. Park Yoo-rim-<i>Drive My Car</i><br />1. Martha Plimpton-<i>Mass</i><br /></p><p>Honorable mention: Anne Dowd-<i>Mass</i></p><p>100% the most difficult category for me to decide on--more than half of that lineup I didn't even have in my top 10 five minutes ago, but here we are. I think my dilemma stems from a huge list of great contenders (my shortlist has 31 performances on it) and a lack of the kind of head-over-heels love that I've got for performances in other categories this year. Still, who am I to deny the continued (and presumably eternal rise) of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JmGIj1wpO4" target="_blank">Dakota Johnson</a>, for whom I will stan until the day she seals me in the sarcophagus of her choice, and the same goes for Kirsten Dunst, whose frozen mask of mortification and despair during the dinner party piano scene provides some of the best-acted moments of the year. Also thrilled to offer a spot to Harriet Sansom Harris--while everyone was throwing accolades at Bradley Cooper for his short but punchy work, Harris was lurking behind him with her lips bared and a twinkle in her eye. It's tempting to go whole hog for <i>Drive My Car</i>, and for Park Yoo-rim's contributions to that scene I keep going on about--and the subtle grace and warmth she brings to an otherwise cool movie are certainly trophy. But I'll stick with Martha Plimpton to the end, whose gargantuan final monologue hits like a truck, but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1voOGZUxNYw" target="_blank">who resonates just as strongly</a> in her moments of listening and silence (of which she has many), staring like she's carving a book into the walls with her eyes.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />5. Troy Kotsur-<i>CODA<br /></i>4. Chaske Spencer-<i>Wild Indian</i><br />3. Kodi Smit-McPhee-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />2. Jeffrey Wright-<i>The French Dispatch</i><br />1. Vincent Lindon-<i>Titane</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Alex Wolff-<i>Pig</i></p><p>Another terribly difficult group to narrow down (and with apologies to Anders Danielsen Lie and Mike Faist), but I love the lineup I ended up with. Spencer is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ZH-qtj8ZE" target="_blank">unmissable</a> in a little-seen movie, nothing but nerves and pain and guilt mashed together into one slow-motion explosion. Kotsur is the opposite, a constant whirlwind of positivity, humor, and emotion--it's hard to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVTvW6-s4nc" target="_blank">watch any scene he's in</a> and look anywhere else. Kodi Smit-McPhee's is one that's even more fascinating on a second watch, all the little tics, gestures, and tones (or lack thereof) that trace a thin line between what the character's performing for himself, and what he's performing for everyone else. Wright would be <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2eCJ2KAvmk" target="_blank">a satisfying winner</a> here--why doesn't this man have an oscar, or even a nomination yet--but Lindon is an absolute force in <i>Titane</i>, hulking slab of a physical presence backed by a squall line of <i>something</i>--whatever screaming little monsters live in this man's head, occasionally climbing out his ears or down his nose.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />5. Ryusuke Hamaguchi-<i>Drive My Car</i><br />4. Steven Spielberg-<i>West Side Story</i><br />3. Tsai Ming-liang-<i>Days</i><br />2. Julia Decournau-<i>Titane</i><br />1. Jane Campion-<i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Oliver Hermanus-<i>Moffie</i></p><p>Another embarrassment of riches (have we talked enough about how many great movies came out this past year?), one in which Hamaguchi's tightness, formal control, and deep wells of emotion only musters a fifth place finish. I debated kicking Spielberg out for a 'cooler' choice, but the strength and clarity of his vision for that movie is like 90% of why it works (and it really works), so he's earned his place. A real steel cage match between Decournau and Campion for the gold, both women who crafted something strange, tense, sensual, and totally off the wall bonkers. Ultimately, Campion takes it by an anthrax-ridden hair.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>Parallel Mothers</i><br />4. <i>Pig</i><br />3. <i>This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection</i><br />2. <i>Titane</i><br />1. <i>Bergman Island</i></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>Mass</i></p><p>A wild variety of movies here, ranging from <i>Parallel Mothers</i>'s woozy mashup of melodrama and memories of fascism to <i>Pig</i>'s terse and elaborate monologues and <i>This Is Not a Burial</i>'s languorous pace, lingering quiets and shocking/transporting ending. Yet again, <i>Titane </i>comes up just short, but not because I don't love a movie that has its serial-killing protagonist murder someone by sticking a stool leg through their head and then sitting on that stool. Still, how could I say no to the bifurcated timelines, fantasies and film plots that fold quietly into the grooves of reality, its pitch-perfect romance and its deep and vaguely pleasant melancholies?</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>West Side Story</i><br />4. <i>Zola</i><br />3. <i>The Green Knight</i><br />2. <i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />1. <i>Drive My Car</i><br /></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>The Lost Daughter</i></p><p>A bunch of these movies offer a masterclass on how to adapt something and make it your own: how <i>West Side Story</i> reimagines and recontextualizes its story and setting for a new century, how <i>Zola</i> takes one huge twitter monologue and imbues it with motion and scale, or how <i>The Green Knight</i> turns a 700-year old poem into a bizarro fantasy road trip movie about contending with the weight of your own future. <i>The Power of the Dog</i> is an admirable and robust piece of work, and deserves all the praise it gets, but I've got to go (once again) with <i>Drive My Car</i> for its insights into the source material and its addition to it (all the <i>Uncle Vanya</i> rehearsal scenes were created for the film), scaffolding something new and improved into the cliffside.</p><p><br /></p><p>And once again, we've ended for the night! I said that this would only take me an hour to write, but somehow I started at at 10.15 this morning and it's already dinnertime. (...he says 'somehow' like he didn't take a break to watch <i>Dune</i>.) I'll be back tomorrow (or possibly Tuesday, depending on real-world things) to talk about the craft categories, but for now you'll have to make do with wondering how many more times I'm going to mention <i>Drive My Car</i> (is it more than one and less than ten? Maybe!).</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-66448068470887530912022-02-19T16:32:00.002-07:002022-02-19T16:35:06.898-07:00Best of 2021, Part 1: the top 20<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGIpuYqv9Dqluqs51tawtewkJ3vGb984WcR_XBKlqX2tEJyexpU5N1iIrOz_A07wgTM_4R5PDuekwY-_51AidTGIIiv56raSCK6XWbgjoPvsCl6eVW7h1UyQIS-SqNJlQYEKHePyii5hG2wOs84ycL5KmyJRVYUCYRi_HMuVbosDi6vf1pz2trowv2JA=s498" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="498" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGIpuYqv9Dqluqs51tawtewkJ3vGb984WcR_XBKlqX2tEJyexpU5N1iIrOz_A07wgTM_4R5PDuekwY-_51AidTGIIiv56raSCK6XWbgjoPvsCl6eVW7h1UyQIS-SqNJlQYEKHePyii5hG2wOs84ycL5KmyJRVYUCYRi_HMuVbosDi6vf1pz2trowv2JA=w400-h211" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://tenor.com/view/the-mitchells-vs-the-machines-furby-behold-the-twilight-of-man-twilight-of-man-twilight-gif-21473957">source</a><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p>Maybe it's because I'm getting older--not old (yet), but older--or maybe it's because of the way time skirts by me, through and around my fingers, just a little faster with every year, or maybe it's because of the way that life continues to pancake into less and less meaningful divisions, 5 and 8 being exceptionally meaningful divisions when I was a child, but 29 and 32 both carrying the same shade of light purple. But for whatever reason, with each increasing year I feel the need to create a <i>something</i> with these blog posts, a way to mark the year, or a way to mark how I perceived it, hoping I can find a way to turn what I think about my favorite movie of the year into something I think about getting older, or maybe just how I think about myself. And why not? For the majority of my life, I've kept time by the movie calendar more than the regular one--I couldn't confidently tell you three things that happened to me in 1999, but I could list 30 movies off the top of the head that came out in 1999, and whether I had any relationship to them. There's no functional difference in my memory between 2014 and and 2015, except maybe that one was the year that I liked <i>Under the Skin</i> best and the other was the year I liked <i>Mad Max</i> best. Maybe it's the pandemic and two years of monotonous anxiety, or anxious monotony speaking, 2020 and 2021 blurring together as an invisible chimera, halves only different if you know how to look, but pulling one year apart from the next seems to grow a little sillier to attempt with each turn.</p><p>And what does this deeply maudlin intro have to do with me trying to see how many poorly deployed adverbs I can sling at you in the coming hulking mass of paragraphs? Well, for better or worse, it's a comfort and a pleasure to scrawl a big red X across the year here, reminding myself what I saw, where I was, and what it meant before letting it slip into a murky past. And it's definitely silly, but hey, who doesn't use tangible things or less tangible things, like the concept of a good movie, to narrate their own lives every now and again? So it's a dumb and personal thing I do here year in and year out, but I love doing it, and I appreciate anyone who can get something--even if it's just a fun night with a good movie rental--from me building these yearly monuments to my hobby.</p><p>And it sure was a year, even if it didn't feel like it. Last year, I wrote at some length about the changing landscape of moviegoing, and how the concept of movies could survive, and it felt topical and meaningful, and now--I guess we're in the same place? Ticket sales are down, theaters are struggling, a few corporate giants continue to swallow as much space and air as they can, but hey, there's great stuff if you know where to look. And again, one of the biggest effects the pandemic has had on movies is to demand that you know where to look; if you're looking for a wide variety of films, you can find them, but certainly not in theaters.</p><p>But I am who I am, which is to say that I spent far more time looking than I did, say, working on my dissertation. Really, this coming year (I say 'coming' like it hasn't been 2022 for almost three months) will be one of those for me Wherein Nothing Will Be the Same, etc.--honestly, I have no idea where I'll be, or what I'll be doing in a year's time. And to some extent I've been coping with the current malaise and the coming insecurity by watching movies. Which means that this year I've logged 100 movies from 2021 before writing this, a number that absolutely demolishes my previous record of 80-something (I'm too lazy to go look it up), which is <i>ridiculous</i>. I've gone out there and waded through the theatrical releases, the dubious streaming choices, the movies from Bhutan about yaks, to bring you the best of the best--and it really is the best this year, with the top 5 being able to take any top 5 I've ever had, probably. After 2020, a year in which I misplaced my love of the movies, being able to recommit so thoroughly has felt spectacular, and will probably have to tide me over for a while, given the upheaval to come.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you're new here (and how could that possibly be the case, since I have not met a single new person for like 40 years, and that one person looked at this blog and then ran off screaming), then here's how the format works. I'll rattle off my top 20 movies of the year, while doing my very best hurl brevity into the tornado I keep nearby for just such a purpose. This means that I'll limit myself to two sentences per film, because a) I am old and frail, and my hands are <i>already</i> hurting from typing this, and I've got like four hours to go, and b) I will at least pretend to respect your time, if not my own. Granted, I have never once in my life been able to hold to this rule the whole time, but it's become like a fun little game to see how far I can get before I decide that only five or more sentences can help me communicate the deep and profound emotions I have for <i>Pig </i>or whatever. After all that, I'll offer some thoughts on the best scenes and worst scenes of the year, if you're still looking for ways to kill your time (and who isn't? Time is your only enemy left to kill; let my anger toward <i>Free Guy</i> be your weapon).</p><p>In interest of transparency, here's a full list of the films I've seen this year. I covered things pretty well this year, and don't feel like my viewing year has any massive holes, though there are certainly still some international/genre/documentary exceptions. So sorry to <i>Petite Maman, Compartment No. 6, The World to Come, The Card Counter, Jockey, Great Freedom, Cyrano, Prayers for the Stolen, C'mon C'mon</i>, etc. Maybe next year.</p><p>Here's what I saw:</p><p><i>Annette, Army of the Dead, Ascension, Bad Trip, Being the Ricardos, </i><i>Belfast, Belle, Benedetta, Bergman Island, The Beta Test, Black Widow, Candyman, </i><i>Chaos Walking,</i><i> CODA, Coming 2 America, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Cruella, Cryptozoo, Days, Don't Look Up, </i><i>Drive My Car, Dune, Encanto, Eternals, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, </i><i>Flee, Free Guy, </i><i>The French Dispatch, The Green Knight, Godzilla vs. Kong, Halloween Kills, The Hand of God, The Harder They Fall, A Hero, House of Gucci, I'm Your Man, In the Heights, Jungle Cruise, King Richard, Lamb, The Land of Blue Lakes, The Last Duel, Last Night in Soho, Licorice Pizza, </i><i>The Lost Daughter, Luca, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, Luzzu, Malignant, Mass, The Matrix Resurrections, </i><i>The Mitchells vs. The Machines, Moffie, Mortal Kombat,</i><i> Never Gonna Snow Again, Nightmare Alley, No Time to Die, The Novice, Old,</i><i> Operation Hyacinth, </i><i>Parallel Mothers, Passing, Pig, Plan B, Prisoners of the Ghostland, </i><i>The Power of the Dog, Procession, A Quiet Place Part 2, Raya and the Last Dragon, </i><i>Red Rocket, The Rescue, </i><i>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Shiva Baby, Single All the Way, </i><i>Snake Eyes, Space Sweepers, </i><i>Spencer, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Spine of Night, The Suicide Squad, Summer of 85, Summer of Soul, The Summit of the Gods,</i><i> Swan Song, The Tender Bar, Test Pattern, This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Tick Tick Boom, Titane, The Tomorrow War, </i><i>Together Together, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, </i><i>Werewolves Within, </i><i>West Side Story, Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Wild Indian, </i><i>The Worst Person in the World, Zola</i></p><p><br /></p><p>Just a heads up: a piece of these entries here and there might be stolen from my letterboxd review, because either a) I liked what I wrote there and thought it would add something here, or b) I'm lazy. I'll also take this opportunity to plug letterboxd. Get a letterboxd! Follow on me! Let's yell at each other about movies all year round! Seriously, I have a wonderful time on this site and think it'd be groovy if more people I knew were on there:<br /><a href="https://letterboxd.com/jkuster/">https://letterboxd.com/jkuster/</a></p><p>Alright, without further ado (I've pushed all the ado I had left into the aforementioned tornado), let's get to it!</p><p>(I'll list with each entry where these movies are available to rent or stream.)</p><p><br /></p><p>Honorable mentions: though they didn't make the cut, I'm grateful for giddy highs and lows of <i>The Worst Person in the World</i>, the mile-a-minute comedy and zaniness of <i>The Mitchells vs. The Machines</i>, and exquisitely framed melancholy of <i>The French Dispatch</i>. </p><p><b>20. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Hand of God</i><b> (dir. Paolo Sorrentino)</b><br />At once a woozily remembered memoir of teenaged life gone awry, a love letter to the city of Florence, and a totally bonkers fever dream, Sorrentino's <i>Hand of God </i>covers a whole bunch of bases before it even stops for breath. The margins might be more interesting than the character at the center (which seems the case more often than not), but it's hard to deny a movie with its heart so lovingly sewn onto its sleeve.<br />(streaming on Netflix)</p><p><b>19. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Luca</i><b> (dir. Enrico Casarosa)</b><br />Another movie built from the director's memories of adolescence in Italy, this time with fish monsters, pasta contests, enough gentle homoeroticism to sink several small fishing vessels. The characters, the sense of place, the Dan Romer score, all a breath of fresh seawater: how many movies do we get, animated or otherwise, that don't want much from its characters or its audience other than to sit in a place and near about it and themselves? <br />(streaming on Disney+, rentable for a heavy fee on google play, youtube, itunes, etc.)</p><p><b>18. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Test Pattern</i><b> (dir. Shatara Michelle Ford)</b><br />Starts low-key and warm as a romance story and then mutates into something still low-key and seething. Ford's film about how hard it is to seek justice--or to be treated like a person, by the system or by the people right next to you--after sexual assault resonates even more its sharp direction and stellar crafting (the editing and the score in particular stand out).<br />(streaming on Kanopy, rentable on google play, youtube, itunes, etc.)</p><p><b>17. <i>Never Gonna Snow Again </i>(dir. Michal Englert and Malgorzata Szumowska</b>)<br />Almost impossible to nail down: a black comedy, or a mean-spirited satire, or a straightforward drama about a neighborhood, or sci-fi, centering around an angel, or a superhero, or a radioactive mutant, or a liar as he carries his massage table from one rich home to another, helping where he can. This bizarre story of hypnotism, money, and migration feels of a piece with movies like <i>Werckmeister Harmonies</i> and <i>Wings of Desire</i>, in which super-beings drift from place to place, discovering what trouble means for them this time.<br />(rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>16. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lost Daughter</i><b> (dir. Maggie Gyllenhaal)</b><br />I mean, any movie that lets me watch Oliva Colman and Dakota Johnson be frenemies for two hours is gonna make my top 20 and should also win a Nobel, a Pulitzer, and a Kid's Choice Award, just because. But it helps that this movie is <i>so</i> good beyond its acting--the writing, the jangly sense of time and place, the sure-handed direction, the staggering display of big hats, Olivia Colman threatening to cut some dicks off, etc.<br />(streaming on netflix)</p><p><b>15. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Belle</i><b> (dir. Mamoru Hosoda)</b><br />Maybe writing with my heart over my brain here, but who cares: the animation is brain-melting and lovely, its take on bifurcated virtual and physical lives is sharp, its dramatic aspects land well, and its (shockingly) one of the funniest movies of the year. Sure, it's arguably three movies tangled together, but I loved all three of them.</p><p>(not available online)</p><p><b>14. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Novice</i><b> (dir. Lauren Hadaway)</b><br />A movie with utterly <i>insane </i>dedication to depicting what someone has to do to go from 0 to rowing crew at a professional level in a matter of months, with every possible cinematic tool getting thrown at the wall to try and capture the protagonist's world-ending dedication to destroying herself just to show she can. Gripping and upsetting from start to finish, plus a huge performance from Isabelle Fuhrmann (seriously, <i>when</i> will she be a bigger star?), and an unassuming and non-sensationalized queer relationship.<br />(rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>13. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Green Knight</i><b> (dir. David Lowery)</b><br />Took me a minute to find this movie's wavelength, but once I did (it happened around the time Barry Keoghan romped across the battlefield, bragging about how all his brothers died there), I couldn't pull back out: I'm such a sucker for movies that become more and more unhinged the longer they run, and even more so for movies that double down on their own joyous nihilism. I've thought about this movie's end more than most others this year, as well as its architectural costumes, its wild giant interlude, and the fact that--sorry everyone--based on the rules, Dev Patel kind of still owes Joel Edgerton a handjob.<br />(rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>12. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Pig</i><b> (dir. Michael Sarnoski)</b><br />Gentle and talkative when pressed, this movie about Nicholas Cage on the search for his stolen pig totally floored me in ways I didn't expect--a movie about chasing someone down to show them kindness, despite the odds. Cage is great (as he is, and can be), but Alex Wolff steals it for me, showing titanic range from Hereditary to this.<br />(streaming on hulu, rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>11. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Zola</i><b> (dir. Janicza Bravo)</b><br />"Adapted from a series of tweets" hardly inspires confidence, but but Bravo's astounding and green-eyed rendition of the worst girls' trip ever conjures a bizarro cage of expectations in which it's better to stay or be quiet, and hey, at least this is happening in Florida. Has there ever been a voiceover more welcome than Zola's side-eye counterpoint woven throughout the movie?<br />(rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>10. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Spencer</i><b> (dir. Pablo Larrain)<br /></b><i>Spencer</i>, a look at Princess Diana over the course of a weekend, is like a documentary made by aliens, or maybe a haunted house movie filmed by the handless things living between the walls. I honestly think Spencer's closest cousin is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: worlds where the future doesn't matter, the present is the reified and inescapable past, what matters most in the world is attending unbearable meals and consuming them without thinking, and the only thing to do is find whatever's jagged or brittle in front of you and use it to crack your own teeth.<br />(streaming on hulu, rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>9. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">This is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection</i><b> (dir. Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese)</b><br />Dazzling, hypnotic, moving from one minute to the next like the ocean, inevitable and with equal parts joy and malice, like Dario Argento on ketamine. A ragged, blue-tinged Lesotho-made fairy tale about the importance of community, or, barring that, the importance of screaming, burning, and being reborn.<br />(streaming on the Criterion channel, rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>8. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Parallel Mothers </i><b>(dir. Pedro Almodovar)<br /></b>A real joy to watch Almodovar take some of his most familiar pieces--complicated mothers, women who need to be actresses, naïve young women who learn to feel their pain freely, wisecracking assistants who will still hold your arm while you weep next to someone's grave, fucking off to another city as an escape, or a return--and shuffles them together with some real-world ugliness to create something vibrant and immediate. (In?)arguably the best Penelope Cruz has ever been, and with an upsetting and haunting ending of past and present folding into each other, neither finished with the other.<br />(rentable where things are rented for a hefty price, might still be playing at a theater near you)</p><p><b>7. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">West Side Story</i><b> (dir. Steven Spielberg)</b><br />The obvious question everyone asked about this movie was why anyone would remake the original, and the obvious answer this movie gave back was to do a bunch of things better, adding new contexts, new relationships, bold ideas, and--oh yeah--not having the lasting film legacy of a story about Puerto Rican characters be one done almost entirely in brownface. Tony Kushner/Stephen Sondheim/Steven Spielberg, plus Robbins Bernstein, is a ridiculously potent combo, and throwing all of their work in a blender with other ridiculously talented artists is a sight that deserves to be seen projected on a whole-ass skyscraper. It's not perfect (Ansel Elgort's participation notwithstanding, and a difficult pill to swallow), but it's full of lightning, and I'm glad it exists.<br />(not available online, might be playing near a theater near you)</p><p>(I got so far with the 2 sentence rule, and yet here we are. Time to go throw brevity in that tornado, as its ritualistic murder is also an important part of my year-end ritual.)</p><p><b>6. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Titane </i><b>(dir. Julia Ducournau)</b><br />Weirdly, I don't know if any cinematic moment this year brought me more joy than when <i>Titane</i>'s protagonist sits down on a very special stool (you'll know it when it happens), but it did and it will keep bringing me joy until I too motor off into the sunset, carried by my little motor babies. An absolutely bananas ride from start to finish, just an assault of music and wiggling parts. Your mind might first turn to the graphic violence, or the, uh, having sex with a car, but what really lingers are the musical interludes--Vincent Lindon teaching his new child how to dance, the frat boy firefighter raves, a no-strip striptease that leaves everyone, audience included, unsure how to feel. And the gentleness! The absolute goddamn kindness and humanity that <i>Titane</i> exudes while also containing violence so brutal that <i>several</i> people in my theater audibly gasped or were vocally uncomfortable when they happened. A great entry into the the We All Have Bodies, and What a Shame That Is movie pantheon, an assault on the senses, a sneaky dance movie, and a treatise on cars and family that Vin Diesel and co. could only dream about making. How is this only #6 on my list? Definitely a hard recommend--as long as you're ok with brutality and/or your brain melting a little.<br />(streaming on hulu--and also the Disney+ bundle, hilariously, rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Flee</i><b> (dir. Jonas Poner Rasmussen)</b><br />A late entry--I only saw this last week--but this documentary about a queer refugee trying to confront his past and himself (the film is animated, in part, to protect his identity) has been stuck in my head ever since. For whatever reason, the scene that hit me hardest was a small one, Amin talking about a crush he had on a boy he met while moving from one place to another, admiring the gold chain he wears, the way he looks while he's laying down across from him. I started crying for--the mundanity, I guess. The way simple, lovely, everyday things (like light-up sneakers or a soap opera) seep into the cracks of the brutal and extraordinary. How Amin's hands move to that necklace for the rest of the movie--the tokens we use to feel like a person, even if you have to lie about what it means for you. People and objects trying their best to keep those categories separate. A beautiful and surprising watch that always manages to move at a slight angle away from the direction you think it'll end up.<br />(streaming on hulu, rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Bergman Island </i><b>(dir. Mia Hansen-Love)</b><br />Fitting, maybe, how many of my top 5 (or the top 20, even) will have to do with remembering, or forgetting, and what to do with yourself as you close your eyes and wake up in the future as a different future. When, with this film as an example, you suspect you've been pretending that the things you have, or want, are off-white, or maybe beige, and have to wonder if this is a problem, and if it means everything, or nothing, or both simultaneously. <i>Bergman Island</i> combines two of my favorite subgenres: people having a few days of romance in exotic locales before parting forever, and movies about how people look at one another when they assume that person isn't looking back. Instances of small romance that add up to--nothing, maybe, or to something, but who has the time to parse them, and even if you do, who has a reason?<br />(streaming on hulu, rentable where things are rented)</p><p><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Power of the Dog</i><b> (dir. Jane Campion)</b><br />One of my favorite aspects of this movie is how impossible it is to place in a genre. It could be a western (it's got horses and ranches!), but doesn't move or breathe like one. It's not much of a thriller (unless you are thrilled by Kirsten Dunst playing the piano...and honestly who isn't), or a romance, though it's got elements of both. Very black comedy? Straightforward drama? All appropriate but not. An erotic thriller without sex, a western without the west, a thriller where none of the thrills are ever spoken aloud--all enacted by characters who look, speak, and behave vaguely like aliens. <i>The Power of the Dog</i> is, for lack of a better word, wacky as shit, and I love it. Very few working filmmakers can match Campion in understanding and exploiting the power of touch, of bodies, of textures that you rub your fingers against in lieu of other, more important things to rub against. Add Jonny Greenwood's score that throws a lit match into a lake of gasoline, a quartet of fantastic performances, and the other masterfully wrought crafts, and you get a dead-eyed unicorn of a movie. What a delirious and wonderful world we've created for this horny zombie nightmare to be the undisputed frontrunner for best picture.<br />(streaming on netflix)</p><p><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Days</i><b> (dir. Tsai Ming-liang)<br /></b>I freely admit that this movie--made entirely of long takes watching people do everyday things at length, with little in the way of big characterization and almost no dialogue (and what dialogue there is is in Mandarin without subtitles)--might not be for everyone. Even <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgG25_7BCIQ" target="_blank">the trailer</a> seems to know that there's no point trying to sell this movie--you already know if you're interested or not. But if you're looking for a little silence, try this movie on, which remains one of the most absorbing and deeply moving film experiences I had this year. I'm not sure I've ever seen a better filmic representation of how it feels to live a series of days and be aware of how time moves with them, each indistinguishable from the next but intricately bound to the way your life is developing on path from living to dying. And if someone can reach through and halt that progression, even for a moment--. This is a gorgeous and impactful movie, even if--or precisely because--it asks for a little patience.<br />(streaming on mubi, otherwise not available online, which, uh, kind of ruins the whole 'hey, go try this thing' angle of this entry)</p><p><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Drive My Car</i><b> (dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi)</b><br />I am honestly a little intimidated by where to start writing because this movie is so huge, so generous, so vibrant with life and thought and emotion. It's easy to say that the three hour runtime flies by faster a movie half its length, and that I could have watched it for another three hours without batting an eye. It's easy to point at the performances, or how cannily the screenplay weaves <i>Uncle Vanya</i> into Murakami's original short story (<i>Vanya</i> only being a throwaway detail in the original) to make the two texts speak to each other, and then again with Hamaguchi's film itself. Or point to the already-famous shot of the two cigarettes through the sunroof as a microcosm for the film's approach to grief, or pain, or being alive--better when shared, but the people around you are fundamentally unknowable, so whatever you do has to start with yourself. Sitting and silence as stand-ins for penitence, or maybe forgiveness, eventually, when the only other option is to say something again and again until it means nothing, or everything. And again, how time passes, or does but doesn't really, distinct piece of your life feeling like a frozen image trailing like kite-strings and everything in between is a motion blur, until it's not--or is--again. Simply put, nothing moved me this year like watching <i>Drive My Car</i>'s protagonists try to find their lives by driving, or speaking, or sitting in silence, or maybe finding something to create, some direction to go in so that, years later, when you are in a supermarket or doing some other meaningless meaningful thing, you can smile without thinking about it first. <br />(not available online right now, but coming to Hulu on March 2nd, I think. Also could be playing at a theater near you.)</p><p><br /></p><p>And there we are! I've been working for at least three hours (somehow, keeping up the brevity rule took me longer than just not being brief?), but I am going to stagger desperately around my garden shed for a minute and then soldier on with the best scenes and worst movies of the year.</p><p>(I'll try to link to a clip of the best scenes if possible.)<br />(Note: generally I try and avoid spoilers or picking endings here, but I haven't quite done that this time around. I'll mention which clips might be spoilers when I hit them, but still, be forewarned.)</p><p><b><u>Best Scenes of the Year</u></b></p><p><b>10. Firehouse Dance-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Titane</i><br />One of two <i>Titane </i>dance sequences on this list, this one's fairly late in the film, so don't read any further if you want to keep <i>Titane</i>'s surprises to yourself (which you ought to). But the main character's reluctant and than committed sexy dance atop a firetruck for her skeptical peers and then her 'father,' melding both of her personae into one shimmying body, is beautifully strange and strangely beautiful, just like the film itself.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDms1IXNI7A">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDms1IXNI7A</a></p><p><b>9. Stopping Time-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Worst Person in the World</i><br />In this kind-of romcom about a woman who's never sure what she wants, the protagonist stops time so she can run across a frozen Oslo to imagine life with the man she's considering leaving her boyfriend for. It's a dizzy, whimsical headlong rush:<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyT2jpyu3VY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyT2jpyu3VY</a></p><p><b>8. A Nice Night at the Movies-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lost Daughter</i><br />Leda, played by Olivia Colman, decides to spend the night at the movies, but shares the theater with some rowdy members of a family that she has secretly wronged. When the theater attendant comes to check, the kids quiet down--just long enough for her to leave. The unbroken closeup on Colman's face as she realizes how easily they'll get away with it, and how easy it is to leave her powerless, is pretty astounding. And then, of course, there's the part where she snaps and screams that she's going to cut all their dicks off. Fun times at the theater!<br />(no clip, unfortunately)</p><p><b>7. The Winner Takes it All-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Bergman Island</i><br />Who hasn't cryed while listening to/dancing to ABBA? Spoilers for the end of the story within a story in <i>Bergman Island</i>, but this moment, in which Mia Wasikowska seals her relationship's fate when she takes to the dancefloor, had me (and everyone) dancing and weeping in equal measure.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM-jdKw1ruQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM-jdKw1ruQ</a></p><p><b>6. A Crush-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Belle</i><br />There's no way that this scene plays without all the context before it, but within the confines of the movie this was one of the funniest scenes of the year. A whole comedy of errors featuring secrets coming to light (or not) and misinterpreted jokes from before coming back to bite people on the ass (again), all held in a dopey and perfect long take.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmdNo6D9agM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmdNo6D9agM</a></p><p><b>5. A Cool Platonic Dance with Dad-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Titane</i><br />Again, a few spoilers for <i>Titane </i>if you want to go in fresh, so stop reading now! The protagonist--a serial killer on the run, hiding with a man who believes she's his son who's been missing since childhood--is having trouble relating to their new father, and the father (god Vincent Lindon is <i>so good</i> in this role) is having trouble why his long-lost son doesn't seem to love him. It all comes to a head in one of the weirder dance/fight scenes I've ever seen.<br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heJlyo-Ziv4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heJlyo-Ziv4</a></span></p><p><b>4. Bus Fight-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings</i><br />I am as loath as anyone to send positive attention Disney's way these days--actually, strike that, I am much more loath than most everyone to do that--but I'm not going to pretend that I don't see quality if I see it, and the bus fight in <i>Shang Chi</i> (itself a strong movie) is one hell of a well-conceived and entertaining set piece.<br />(Not the entire scene, but you get the point:<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jFOrP5l1bE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jFOrP5l1bE</a></p><p><b>3. and 2. Scenes about Boys-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Flee</i><br />I rarely do two scenes from the same movie in these lists, and I avoid scenes without clips or with spoilers, but I'll break all of those rules to talk about two scenes from <i>Flee</i>--maybe recency bias is playing a role here, but I can't help that both represent some of the best moments the year has to offer. #2 I already discussed up above--the scene where Amin meets and crushes on another teenager while he is crossing borders. It's small but packs a huge punch, and moved me more than almost anything this year. #3 comes third because it has spoilers--skip ahead if you're not into that. When Amin comes out to his family, his brother wordlessly drives him to an undisclosed location, during which we all imagine the worst--until it's revealed that his brother has taken him to a gay club. He tells him they've always known, that it's fine, and presses some money into his hand, leaving him for the first time in a world where he can exhale--at least this part of himself, anyway.</p><p><b>1. Uncle Vanya-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Drive My Car</i><br />I know, I keep saying that I avoid endings and spoilers and then I keep putting them here. But I think this scene would make a strong contender if I were to pick a scene of the decade. Honestly, it's hard to think of many more scene <i>ever</i> that are as beautiful and moved me as much as this one. Even though this is almost the end of the movie, I'm not sure it actually spoils anything. Much of the film has been about staging a version of Vanya in which an international cast all performs in their native language. In the final scene, the woman who performs in Korean sign language gives the plays final monologue with her hands in front of Uncle Vanya (played by the main character), her arms acting like his arms, using his face to sign, while the emotions of the play, and the events of the film, run through them. It'll lack a punch if you haven't seen the movie and don't have the whole emotional context with it, but if you do, then I can't imagine this not knocking you off your feet. Hell, I've watched it like 8 times and I still tear up a little. <br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y77FELZaE6c">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y77FELZaE6c</a></p><p><br /></p><p>And finally, the worst movies of the year! While I don't want to dwell on negativity or end on a down note, there's some catharsis to be found in throwing the things that hurt you off of the proverbial cliff. So let's get to throwing! Note that I generally avoid movies that are supposed to be awful, so this can just as easily be seen as a list of most disappointing movies.</p><p><b>5. <i>Being the Ricardos<br /></i></b>If this had quietly shuffled out in August, I probably could have watched it as mediocre and harmless, but since it's out there selling itself as The Best Thing of the year, I've got to read it in that context, and as a potential Best Thing, this movie is dumb trash that only makes me angrier the further I get from it. Most everything (give or take some of the performances) a total catastrophe. Fundamentally a movie The same kind of historical revisionist bullshit ending that Sorkin did with <i>Trial of the Chicago 7</i>, where the flaws and ugliness of an era are trotted as a feel-good moment while the insipid soundtrack rises, everyone clapping themselves on the back.</p><p><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Single All the Way</i><br />Maybe it's too tough for me to relate to bougie family holidays, or families getting <i>*</i>really* excited about gay romance, but this felt like watching aliens, and not even interesting ones. I get that some kind of parity is due between straight and queer romance movies, including poorly made ones, but I don't know if it would cost anyone much to put even a little effort into this thing, even if it's clearly made as grist for the Netflix content mill. Not even the way Jennifer Coolidge says 'Maaaahh-rey' can save it.</p><p><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It</i><br />Yeah, no, the devil wouldn't put his name on anything this half-ass and lackadaisical. Look, we all love looking at Lorraine Warren's ruffled tops, and we all like looking at Patrick Wilson in his little pants, but can we just stop this train? Can the Warrens contend with something doesn't involve a loud noise and spooky cgi monster, just this once? At the very least can the next movie be about who the shit in Kansas or wherever had a haunted Samurai hat and why the Warrens ever took it away from them.</p><p><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Free Guy</i><br />I know, kicking <i>Free Guy</i> is like kicking a baby--too easy. But you *cannot* write a movie about how evil corporations are ruining art and then makes this goddamn movie. How is that not a jailable offense? Speaking of jail, I like Taika Waititi, and Ryan Reynolds totally exists, but maybe both of them don't spend any more time in front of a camera for a little while? An extra pox and a half for the unholy and stupifying places the romance element went, and for, jesus, I don't know, literally every piece of this stupid movie.</p><p><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Halloween Kills</i><br />It kind of pains me not to have <i>Free Guy</i> at the bottom, but <i>Halloween Kills</i> is the kind of movie that made me wish that I didn't like movies. I know the 'look how they massacred my boy' things has been done to death, but I don't know if it's ever been more appropriate to shriek into the wind than when thinking about <i>George Washington</i>, <i>Undertow</i>, and <i>All the Real Girls</i> and then going to see this execrable pile of stupid trash. I lay awake at night, unable to sleep because I'm worried that whatever happened to David Gordon Green might one day happen to me. Deeply stupid in a way you can tell it's proud of, its utterly inane mob justice metaphor (is it fair to call something a metaphor if that thing doesn't mean anything?) and truly remarkable character work (a very nice way to say that everyone is bad all the time). One of those movies that made me legitimately resent the concept of filmmaking.</p><p><br /></p><p>Well, there you have it, wherein 'it' means 'too many of my opinions and a ton of my time!' I'll be back tomorrow with directing, writing, and acting categories, and I'm sure each will be even more stupendous than the last. In the meantime, what are your thoughts? What did I miss? What deserves more of a chance?</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-52475158656580148192022-02-08T09:39:00.003-07:002022-02-08T11:36:11.749-07:00Oscar Nominations 2021: Get In Losers, We're Running Over Aaron Sorkin<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6YTIqLUi3pW1wum19ngzCXyGVDubOsNgvkiUTpEgFVmEu6eUeBqWjw0rxjFo42OS-UQttGBX-h99WWKAh6SzLChLgzWl1MBo0JSh6RucTxqhibKWcuf70kSP3GsFK-ta1n2IEeuCTIf9zZCZn4RDHl_nZoMCJtT-TaOuHxbNFtKF2YQxAfa776Sr-XA=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="1200" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6YTIqLUi3pW1wum19ngzCXyGVDubOsNgvkiUTpEgFVmEu6eUeBqWjw0rxjFo42OS-UQttGBX-h99WWKAh6SzLChLgzWl1MBo0JSh6RucTxqhibKWcuf70kSP3GsFK-ta1n2IEeuCTIf9zZCZn4RDHl_nZoMCJtT-TaOuHxbNFtKF2YQxAfa776Sr-XA=w400-h220" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> I--. You know what?</p><p>I'm not gonna complain.</p><p>That's right, after half a lifetime of powerlessly shrieking into the wind every time the Oscars roll around, a joyful little dance of rage I've committed to more strongly than anything else <i>in my entire life</i>, I'm just gonna shrug and nod a little. Because the Oscars...kind of got things right-ish this year? Granted, there are some egregious snubs, and some things I despise popping up where you'd least want the things you despise to pop up, I can't help but look at the list this morning and feel fine. You might be able to credit this to the Academy's years-long initiative to make its voters more diverse and international finally paying off and creating a voting body that's more willing to take a chance on slightly more challenging or interesting fare, or maybe after living through the past few years, we've all learned to carefully measure and spend our outrage. Or maybe I'm just in that warm, happy place that can only happen when <i>Being the Ricardos</i> falls on its face. Either way, if you've ever needed a little extra kick to wade into the Oscar conversation and see more of the nominees, this is the year to do it: there's plenty of gold (statues or otherwise) to find here.</p><p>Arguably, the biggest story of the morning is <i>The Power of the Dog</i> scoring in every conceivable place with 12 nominations (it's on netflix right now! go watch it!), or maybe it's the overperformance of international titles, with <i>Drive My Car, Flee, Parallel Mothers</i>, and <i>The Worst Person in the World </i>all thriving. Really, it's a wacky list, and one that feels as though it would have been vaguely inconceivable even a decade ago, so let's dive in!</p><p>I'll put an asterisk next to the nominations I predicted correctly, but maybe don't hold your breath for a ton of asterisks.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>Belfast*<br />Coda*<br />Don't Look Up*<br />Drive My Car*<br />King Richard*<br />Licorice Pizza*<br />Nightmare Alley<br />The Power of the Dog*<br />West Side Story*</i></p><p> I'm most thrilled for <i>Drive My Car</i>, which becomes only the 13th non-English language film to be nominated in this category, and was far from a sure thing, even though it absolutely deserves it. Almost as thrilled to see <i>Being the Ricardos</i> miss--something it did a fair amount of this morning. I don't have lots of love for <i>Don't Look Up, Belfast, </i>and <i>CODA</i>, but I can live with their being here. Also a surprise to see <i>Nightmare Alley</i>, a film not well loved by precursor awards, critics, or the box office, finding its way into this category--and without a nomination in any other major category. </p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director<br /></u>Paul Thomas Anderson-<i>Licorice Pizza</i>*<br />Kenneth Branagh-<i>Belfast*<br /></i>Jane Campion-<i>The Power of the Dog*</i><br />Ryusuke Hamaguchi-<i>Drive My Car</i><br />Steven Spielberg-<i>West Side Story</i>*</p><p>Despite Branagh, this is a great category, with Campion becoming the first woman to receive multiple directing nominations, and Hamaguchi extending the Academy's recent trend of nominating international directors here (see last year's Thomas Vinterberg/<i>Another Round</i> or the previous year's Pawel Pawlikowski/<i>Cold War</i>). Despite <i>Belfast</i> feeling like someone just discovered iMovie, Branagh becomes the first person ever to be nominated in 7 different categories across his career this morning (picture, director, actor, supporting actor, original screenplay, adapted screenplay, live action short).</p><p>Early winner prediction: Jane Campion-<i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Jessica Chastain-<i>The Eyes of Tammy Faye</i><br />Olivia Colman-<i>The Lost Daughter</i>*<br />Penelope Cruz-<i>Parallel Mothers</i><br />Nicole Kidman-<i>Being the Ricardos</i>*<br />Kristen Stewart-<i>Spencer</i>*</p><p>Olivia Colman! Penelope Cruz! Kristen-ass Stewart getting her long deserved first Oscar nomination! This category might have elicited the most wild snapping and air-punching from me this morning. A strong lineup, despite the <i>Ricardo</i>ness of it all.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Olivia Colman-<i>The Lost Daughter</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Javier Bardem-<i>Being the Ricardos</i><br />Benedict Cumberbatch-<i>The Power of the Dog*</i><br />Andrew Garfield-<i>Tick Tick Boom*</i><br />Will Smith-<i>King Richard</i>*<br />Denzel Washington-<i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i>*</p><p>Less than thrilled that Bardem's here--he's a great actor, and seems great, but is woefully miscast and never figures out what to do about it. All of this is fine, though, I guess? I'll always greet any Andrew Garfield nom to make up for his dumb <i>Social Network</i> snub all those years ago, and the rest of the field is strong enough. Fun fact: Bardem getting in here makes him the first of two married couples (with his wife Penelope Cruz) to get his and hers Oscar nominations this morning.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Will Smith-<i>King Richard</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Jessie Buckley-<i>The Lost Daughter</i><br />Ariana DeBose-<i>West Side Story*</i><br />Judi Dench-<i>Belfast</i><br />Kirsten Dunst-<i>The Power of the Dog*</i><br />Aunjanue Ellis-<i>King Richard</i>*</p><p>Maybe most surprising category of the morning, with Buckley showing up (almost) out of nowhere, and Dench knocking off her more heavily awarded co-star Caitrona Balfe. That kind of chaos might make this DeBose's to lose, which is only tradition, as every iteration of Anita in <i>West Side Story</i> on a major stage has won a Tony or an Oscar. Another fun fact: with this nomination, her eighth, Judi Dench has now been nominated in four consecutive decades.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Ariana DeBose-<i>West Side Story</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />Ciaran Hinds-<i>Belfast</i>*<br />Troy Kotsur-<i>CODA*</i><br />Jesse Plemons-<i>The Power of the Dog*</i><br />JK Simmons-<i>Being the Ricardos</i><br />Kodi Smit-McPhee-<i>The Power of the Dog*</i></p><p>Pleased that my long-shot Jesse Plemons prediction panned out--he's been doing stellar work for decades and deserves the recognition (and, as he's married to Kirsten Dunst, he completes the supporting set of his and hers nominations this morning).The exact opposite of pleased for JK Simmons (one reviewer--I can't remember who, sorry nameless, faceless hero reviewer--wrote that Simmons 'takes a role that he could do in his sleep and then does exactly that), but here we are. Kotsur becomes only the second deaf person nominated for an acting Oscar, and the first man to do so (the only other is Marlee Matlin--who co-starred in CODA--who won Best Actress for <i>Children of a Lesser God </i>in 1986). If Smit-McPhee wins (which he very well might), he would become the second youngest winner ever in this category, at 23 years old (the youngest remains Timothy Hutton, who won at 19 years old for <i>Ordinary People</i> in 1980).</p><p>Early winner prediction: Kodi Smit-McPhee-<i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>Belfast*<br />Don't Look Up*<br />King Richard*<br />Licorice Pizza*<br />The Worst Person in the World</i></p><p>(In?)arguably the biggest surprise of the morning as Norwegian hit <i>The Worst Person in the World</i> showing up here, when the debate leading up to nominations was if it would even have the strength to make it into International Feature. I haven't seen it yet, but other people seem thrilled--at any rate, I owe it a massive fruit basket every year from now until the heat death of the universe for denying <i>Being the Ricardos</i> a place here.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Licorice Pizza</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>CODA*<br />Drive My Car*<br />Dune*<br />The Lost Daughter*<br />The Power of the Dog*</i></p><p>Improbably, my '<i>Dune </i>gets screenplay but not director, and <i>West Side Story</i> gets director but not screenplay' gambit paid off--which is a real bummer, because <i>West Side Story </i>was a pretty impressive feat of adaptation from all-time great writer Tony Kushner. Well, we can't win them all (but how anyone voted for, hypothetically, <i>Coda</i> over <i>WSS</i> in this category will forever be a mystery to me). Still, this is a ridiculously strong category, and again, <i>Drive My Car</i>! Over the moon that it hit in basically every conceivable category.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>Dune*<br />Nightmare Alley*<br />The Power of the Dog*<br />The Tragedy of Macbeth<br />West Side Story*</i></p><p><i>Power of the Dog </i>scoring here shows off how strong it was going into nominations (as well as its Sound nomination coming up in a minute), and begins a long line of <i>Belfast</i> not being able to throw the same weight around (thank goodness). This category also begins the <i>Power of the Dog</i> vs. <i>Dune</i> throwdown in the craft categories that will continue right up until the envelopes are opened.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Dune</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Cruella*<br />Cyrano*<br />Dune*<br />Nightmare Alley<br />West Side Story</i></p><p>Gutted to see <i>The Green Knight </i>miss here (and everywhere), but that was always a long shot. <i>Nightmare Alley </i>pops up again in an unexpected place (though much less unexpected than in best picture--still reeling from that a bit), and <i>Cyrano</i> managing to grab something despite its release strategy of pretending not to exist. </p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Dune</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>Dune*<br />Free Guy*<br />No Time to Die*<br />Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings<br />Spider-Man: No Way Home*</i></p><p>Fans hoping to see <i>Spider-Man</i> in best picture will have to comfort themselves with its solitary nomination here (though, honestly...I have questions about your hopes). In any case, Marvel films very rarely get a nomination in anything other than this category: the only three that have managed were <i>Iron Man</i> with a sound editing nod, <i>Guardians of the Galaxy </i>getting in for Makeup, and <i>Black Panther</i>'s 7-nomination run, including best picture. Anyway, now I have to watch <i>Free Guy</i>.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Dune</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br /><i>Coming 2 America*<br />Cruella*<br />Dune*<br />The Eyes of Tammy Faye<br />House of Gucci*</i></p><p>This marks <i>House of Gucci</i>'s nomination--given I predicted it would be up for five Oscars, including best picture, it's definitely my biggest fumble of the morning. Neither shocked nor surprised, though a little hurt, that <i>Tammy Faye</i>'s intense and alien prosthetics snuck in here, but goodness knows this category loves a flashy transformation.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Dune</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>Don't Look Up*<br />Dune*<br />King Richard<br />The Power of the Dog*<br />Tick Tick Boom</i></p><p>Furious that I didn't follow my last-minute instinct to predict <i>Tick Tick Boom </i>and played it safe instead, but it's a fun choice here--and pretty atypical, as this category skew very close to the best picture race, and <i>Tick Tick Boom</i> won't be found there. As it is traditionally close to impossible to win best picture without a nomination in this category (it's only happened once in the past 40 years), your future best picture winner is almost definitely one of those movies up there.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>Dune*<br />Nightmare Alley<br />The Power of the Dog*<br />The Tragedy of Macbeth*<br />West Side Story*<br /></i></p><p>My second biggest cheer of the morning came when I realized that <i>Belfast</i> didn't score here, something that still fills me with glee. Really, <i>Belfast</i> lost most of the momentum it had this morning, not being able to clinch either two of its four possible acting noms and missing here and in production design and film editing. Not that I'm complaining, of course, but strange to think that it was the presumptive frontrunner for like three straight months.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Dune</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>Don't Look Up</i>*<br /><i>Dune*<br />Encanto<br />Parallel Mothers<br />The Power of the Dog*</i></p><p>I flew a little too close to the sun in predicting <i>Candyman</i>, but you have to have a dream or two. More surprising that <i>The French Dispatch</i> missed here (and everywhere else), making it the first Wes Anderson movie in 15 years not to be Oscar-nominated in some capacity. I ought to have read the tea leaves on Disney+ and included Encanto here, but I wrongfully assumed that the trend of nominating Disney movies for songs only (one that's persisted since the end of the 90s) would continue. Also a delight to see <i>Parallel Mothers </i>pop up somewhere else--one of my favorites of the year, but one I'd figured had no real shot at the Oscars.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>Belfast<br />Dune*<br />No Time to Die*<br />The Power of the Dog*<br />West Side Story*</i></p><p>Wild and bizarre that <i>Belfast</i> manages to hold on here despite all its other misses, but this category sometimes sticks pretty close to the buzzy titles. This is one of <i>No Time to Die</i>'s three nominations this morning, making it the second most nominated James Bond movie ever (behind <i>Skyfall</i>'s five nominations). And again, <i>The Power of the Dog</i> showing up here reiterates its, uh, power (its dog will have to be reiterated elsewhere).</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"Be Alive"-<i>King Richard*</i><br />"Dos Oruguitas"-<i>Encanto*</i><br />"Down to Joy"-<i>Belfast</i><br />"No Time to Die"-<i>No Time to Die*</i><br />"Somehow You Do"-<i>Four Good Days</i>*</p><p>God bless Diane Warren and her yearly tradition of getting nominated for a movie that no one has seen--I assume she's doing this via dark ritual, and would happily volunteer to get sealed in a sarcophagus or whatever for the Diane Warren cause. Oscar ceremony planners must be beside themselves with joy right now, given this category has nominated songs by Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, Van Morrison, and the most popular Disney album of the last 30 years. </p><p>Early winner prediction: "Dos Oruguitas"-<i>Encanto</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br /><i>Flee*<br />Encanto*<br />Luca*<br />The Mitchells vs. the Machines*<br />Raya and the Last Dragon</i></p><p>If <i>Belle </i>had beaten <i>Raya</i> to the finish line, this would have been an all-timer of a lineup, but instead we'll have to settle for four great movies and one lukewarm one. Absolutely thrilled for <i>Luca</i>, <i>Mitchells, </i>and <i>Flee</i> (the hand-wringing about how <i>Flee</i>'s campaigning in three categories was wildly off the mark, as you'll soon see).</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Encanto</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Film</u><br /><i>Drive My Car</i>-Japan*<br /><i>Flee</i>-Denmark*<br /><i>The Hand of God</i>-Italy*<br /><i>Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom-</i>Bhutan<br /><i>The Worst Person in the World</i>-Norway</p><p>This is another ridiculously strong category (or so I've heard, as I haven't seen all of these yet). Groovy to see a lesser known competitor like <i>Lunana</i> get in, netting Bhutan its first ever nomination, and equally groovy to see every other slot taken by a great movie. This might be my favorite category of the morning, and I haven't even seen two of them yet.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Drive My Car</i>-Denmark</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>Ascension<br />Attica*<br />Flee*<br />Summer of Soul*<br />Writing with Fire</i></p><p>Some chaos here, as presumptive frontrunners/strong competitors <i>Procession </i>and <i>The Rescue </i>miss, but I don't know if I can argue with the results (even if I haven't seen a few of these). I'll be curious if <i>Summer of Soul</i> walks to the finish from here, or the instability opens up the possibility of something wacky. With <i>Flee</i> scoring here, it becomes the only movie ever to be nominated in all three specialty categories--animated, international, and documentary. Previously, <i>Collective </i>and <i>Honeyland</i> were nominated in both international and documentary in 2020 and 2019, respectively.</p><p><br /></p><p>Of the non-specialty categories (i.e not animated, international, or documentary), I've seen most of the nominees already, missing only <i>The Worst Person in the World, Cruella, Coming 2 America, Free Guy, </i>and <i>Four Good Days, </i>all of which are either readily available online or opening soon at a theater near me. The harder to cover categories are a little tougher. I've seen everything in animated, but am still missing <i>The Worst Person in the World, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, Attica, Summer of Soul, </i>and <i>Writing with Fire</i>. Of those, both <i>Lunana</i> and <i>Writing with Fire</i> are nowhere to be found, but I'm hoping that will change now that they can add 'Oscar nominee' to their business cards. </p><p>Predictions-wise, I didn't thrive, but I didn't totally fall on my face. The only category I completely nailed was Adapted Screenplay (and only going five for five in one category has got to be a personal worst), but I also didn't totally mess up any categories, guessing three or four correctly everywhere else. </p><p>For those counting at home, here's a list of the most nominated movies:</p><p>1. The Power of the Dog-12<br />2. Dune-10<br />3. Belfast-7<br />4. West Side Story-7<br />5. King Richard-6<br />6. Drive My Car-4<br />7. Don't Look Up-4<br />8. Nightmare Alley-4<br />9. Licorice Pizza-3<br />10. CODA-3</p><p>Seeing it all laid out, it's kind of remarkable how spread out these nominations were, with only two movies really pushing the numbers and everything else pretty evenly distributed. The distinction of most nominated film that isn't nominated for best picture is a four-way tie between <i>Being the Ricardos</i>, <i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i>, <i>Flee</i>, and <i>No Time to Die</i>, each with three.</p><p>And here's a few movies that weren't nominated for anything: <i>Passing, The Last Duel, The French Dispatch, The Harder They Fall, Eternals, Pig, Red Rocket, Respect, The Tender Bar, A Hero, C'mon C'mon, Mass, The Matrix: Resurrections, Black Widow, Last Night in Soho, Great Freedom, Compartment No. 6, Prayers for the Stolen, I'm Your Man, Procession, The Rescue, Bergman Island, Titane, Zola, The Green Knight</i>. </p><p>You win some, you lose some.</p><p>And there's another year already! How did you react? What's great? What's terrible? What's missing? As always, no matter how good or bad the nominations are, I have to say that I love the Oscars and all the silly little things that come along with them, and every year before the nominations I have trouble sleeping, like a kid before Christmas. It's silly and dumb, but hey, so am I, so why not embrace it?<br /><br /></p><p><i><br /></i></p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-86526031626428345872022-02-06T16:41:00.004-07:002022-02-06T18:21:58.202-07:00Oscar Predictions 2021: Take Me, Gravity<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-NCH1DAdN3fGgVKnXXEHGP52sQTDJLvCeMB3F6v94iS7doRjsKwsoZxPQIfAjP11SMQ8lGs3l0ycrj6wbxFaDal4_X-e-x2MQsZ4_t8vN-NPS9KbEQbaMGwFb2Kw3_m3HrW-hixx57i-N6TkCRCMa6rSaNkmxuEjGbSwQzteKEpiAuPhC7R_H7kyT9g=s498" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="498" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-NCH1DAdN3fGgVKnXXEHGP52sQTDJLvCeMB3F6v94iS7doRjsKwsoZxPQIfAjP11SMQ8lGs3l0ycrj6wbxFaDal4_X-e-x2MQsZ4_t8vN-NPS9KbEQbaMGwFb2Kw3_m3HrW-hixx57i-N6TkCRCMa6rSaNkmxuEjGbSwQzteKEpiAuPhC7R_H7kyT9g=w400-h225" title="An artist's rendition of the approaching Oscar nominations" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">An artist's rendering of the impending Oscar nominations, </div><div style="text-align: center;">Pixels and Good Vibes, 2022</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://tenor.com/view/moon-rising-moonfall-full-moon-looking-at-the-moon-staring-at-the-moon-gif-23689989" target="_blank">(source)</a> </div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>And somehow, improbably, inevitably, another year is gone already--which seems ridiculous, given that it's still late 2019, and also that time no longer means anything. Last year, writing Oscar predictions in (what was supposed to be) the tail-end of the pandemic felt like a reclamation. If spring 2020 felt like the end of the world, then spring 2021 surely felt like a resurgence. The world was still ending, sure, but we were all used to it, and it could only end for so long, right? Well, smash-cut to spring 2022 and those feelings were maybe premature. Things are different, things are the same, and every day to some extent can be contained inside an apparently infinite spring afternoon on March 8th (or April 31st, or Junifer Lawrence the 10th, or any other day that is just as real as an inane dystopian sci-fi date like February 7th, 2022). </p><p>Point is, time is silly, and all the things that were same are different, and all the things that were different have stayed the same. One of these constants, obviously, is the Oscars, which, like time and the slow decline of all things on this and any other earth, have been happening since 1927 and show no signs of pumping the brakes. And luckily for all of us, the universe's capacity for entropy is only <i>slightly</i> greater than my frenzied dedication to chronicling the Oscars in all their sordid glory. So now, like in any late winter/early spring for almost 100 years, a massive, golden-plated naked man stands over the year with a scythe (a dream scenario for any true movie fan, or fan of life, really), ready to separate the strong from the weak--or, because it's Oscar, the challenging, interesting, and fun movies from <i>Being the Ricardos</i> (and no points for guessing which gets all the Oscar nominations) (take me, hounds of hell). </p><p>Honestly though, the slate of probable nominations to be expected this year isn't too bad, with plenty of interesting, challenging, and fun movies vying for the top prizes, and only a handful of dubious picks getting in their way. Hell, a full half of my own top 10 should (hopefully) show up somewhere in the morning, with only one of my bottom five similarly positioned (proving that last year, in which none of my least favorite movies of the year threatened for best picture, was a delight but an anomaly). And this feat--a strong slate of best picture contenders--already something of a rarity in itself, is even more impressive, given this is the shortest Oscar year in history. After last year's eligibility period was extended until February 28th, 2021, this year's Oscars honor films from March 1st-December 31st, 2021, the only Oscar year on the books that is a 'year' in name only. </p><p>The shortened time span, however, shouldn't suggest that the race is more settled, or has fewer contenders, as so many of the categories this year threaten to be absolutely <i>bananas</i>. While the Academy might err toward the familiar and stick with a few already heavily lauded favorites, they might also take a cue from Roland Emmerich's picture book and drop an entire-ass Moon onto the world (which, uh, is one surefire way to shake up the Oscar race). Point is, things--unlike the moon--are still up in the air. </p><p>Until the moon does come to claim us all, however, I'll go ahead and dump all my predictions at once in one profoundly upsetting dogpile. Bear in mind that I try to predict for fun as much as for accuracy--there are plenty of places to go on the internet if you're looking for mathematical precision, but only so many if you're looking for maudlin intros and <i>Moonfall</i> jokes followed by slack-jawed silliness. And let me tell you, I am all out of math, but I've got plenty of <i>Moonfall</i> left, so strap in.</p><p>(note: all the predictions are ranked in order of likelihood--so the first movie listed is the most likely, the second the next most likely, and so on.)</p><p><br /></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>The Power of the Dog</i><br /><i>Belfast</i><br /><i>West Side Story</i><br /><i>King Richard</i><br /><i>Licorice Pizza</i><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>CODA</i><br /><i>Don't Look Up</i><br /><i>Drive My Car</i><br /><i>House of Gucci</i><br />Alternate: <i>Being the Ricardos</i></p><p>This year will be the first year since 2010 that the Academy abandons its sliding scale method of nominations in this category, in which the number of nominees fluctuated between 5 and 10, based on the amount of voter passion (i.e. #1 votes) each film had. This year will have a guaranteed nominees, and it's tough to guess exactly how that'll effect proceedings. If there <i>were</i> a sliding number of nominees, then we could confidently predict that the top eight (<i>Power of the Dog</i> through <i>Don't Look Up</i>) would be the only eight moving forward. Given there are two more slots to fill, however, we get a Rollerball deathmatch for the final two slots between a solid half dozen movies, none of which feel entirely plausible. It's absolutely absurd of me to not predict <i>Being the Ricardos</i>, a film which has strong guild support and has Aaron Sorkin behind it--an Academy favorite. But I hate the film with a blinding passion, and this is my sandbox, so I get to un-manifest it's Oscar glory for as long as I can. The exact argument has be pushing <i>Drive My Car</i>, a film I deeply love, into the top 10, though its path to a nomination is certainly fraught. Lin-Manuel Miranda's <i>Tick Tick Boom </i>has a strong chance, based on its precursor award success, as does <i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i>, which is a critically well-received Coen movie (though that's something I think other Oscar bloggers are leaning into a little too hard, given there are plenty of acclaimed Coen movies lying dead at Oscar's gates). And you can flip a coin whether residual love for Guillermo Del Toro or respect for debut director Maggie Gyllenhaal will get either <i>Nightmare Alley</i> or <i>The Lost Daughter</i>, respectively, into the top 10. So why, then, am I campy shitshow punchline <i>House of Gucci</i> to beat them all? Because it would be funny, honestly. But also because (some) people still respect Ridley Scott, and it seems silly to talk about <i>Gucci</i> for all the nominations I'm about to without believing that it can land here, and because it was more or less the only financially successful non-genre theatrical release aimed at adults this year. Come on, you know you want to watch half the internet's brains melt when this happens.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />Jane Campion-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Paul Thomas Anderson-<i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Kenneth Branagh-<i>Belfast</i><br />Steven Spielberg-<i>West Side Story</i><br />Adam McKay-<i>Don't Look Up</i><br />Alternate: Denis Villeneuve-<i>Dune</i></p><p>It's probably extremely silly of me to predict a Villeneuve snub--the champion of the internet, the box office, and Arrakis--but none of those entities votes for Oscars (maybe Arrakis). But Campion is a lock, <i>Licorice Pizza</i> has had a huge surge, and people love the film, <i>Belfast</i> was the day-one frontrunner, and hasn't lost near as much steam as it ought to have. Spielberg could certainly be the surprise snub, <i>West Side Story</i> having performed much more poorly than expected in the precursor award circuit (and, to a lesser extent, at the box office). But I'm banking on respect for him and his style of filmmaking to carry the day. Which leaves McKay, a seemingly incomprehensible pick on my part. But hear me out: all of his 'serious' films have overperformed at the Oscars; remember <i>Vice</i> getting 8 Oscar noms? And Vice was much less respected or popular than <i>Don't Look Up</i>, which, somehow, captured some sliver of zeitgeist over the past couple months. And while <i>Dune </i>and <i>Don't Look Up</i> are <i>very</i> different iterations of sci-fi, I'm going out on a limb and guessing that they only have room for one, and they'll pick the guy they've showered with baffling attention before. Look for Ryuche Hamaguchi/<i>Drive My Car</i> or Joel Coen/<i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i> to surprise if there's a snub and McKay doesn't take the spot, but those seem like the only plausible choices. Beyond that, throw a dart (which is basically what the Academy did last year with Thomas Vinterberg, so you never know).</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Nicole Kidman-<i>Being the Ricardos</i><br />Olivia Colman-<i>The Lost Daughter</i><br />Lady Gaga-<i>House of Gucci</i><br />Kristen Stewart-<i>Diana</i><br />Alana Haim-<i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Alternate: Penelope Cruz-<i>Parallel Mothers</i></p><p>A combative and disturbed category, in which the top two women are safe, and everyone else is potentially food for the lions. <i>Diana</i>'s chances have been spiraling in every category, including and especially this one, with one-time frontrunner Stewart barely clinging on, but I'll vote with my heart and assume she gets in. It's trendy to have Cruz in the top 5, and I'd love to see it happen, but I think <i>Licorice Pizza</i> love brings Haim over the top (especially since there aren't too many places to plausibly honor that film). Jessica Chastain in <i>The Eyes of Tammy Faye</i> would be a stereotypically on-point choice for the Academy, as would Jennifer Hudson in <i>Respect</i>, both playing real people in the Academy's favorite genre (the biopic). I'm dubious about Chastain's chances, but less so about Hudson--hearing her name on Oscar morning wouldn't be a surprise.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Will Smith-<i>King Richard</i><br />Benedict Cumberbatch-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Andrew Garfield-<i>Tick Tick Boom</i><br />Denzel Washington-<i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i><br />Leonardo Dicaprio-<i>Don't Look Up</i><br />Alternate: Javier Bardem-<i>Being the Ricardos</i><br /></p><p>Reasonably confident about the first four slots, with the last being anyone's guess. Bardem has come perilously, unreasonably close to locking that spot up (anyone's guess why, I suppose), and it'd be smart to pick him, but I'll keep pushing the narrative that <i>Don't Look Up</i>'s is being underestimated. If the Academy feels like they want to sit at the cool kids' table, they might spring for Nicholas Cage/<i>Pig</i>, Hidetoshi Nishijima/<i>Drive My Car</i>, or Peter Dinklage/<i>Cyrano</i>, but I think any of those three men will have trouble muscling past the bigger prestige choices.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Ariana DeBose-<i>West Side Story</i><br />Kirsten Dunst-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Caitrona Balfe-<i>Belfast</i><br />Aunjanue Ellis-<i>King Richard</i><br />Ruth Negga-<i>Passing</i><br />Alternate: Marlee Matlin-<i>CODA</i><br /></p><p>Though I'm not entirely confident about the last three in that list, I'm even less confident in their competitors, so there you go. I almost went with a no guts/no glory pick with Meryl Streep in <i>Don't Look Up</i> (save us), but I figured that that film's love can (hopefully) only travel so far. Anne Dowd/<i>Mass</i> and Cate Blanchett/<i>Nightmare Alley</i> are both still plausible, certainly, but I can't help but assume that the best picture strength of the top four actresses' films (with Negga as the highbrow choice) is enough to keep this list of five set.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />Kodi Smit-McPhee-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Troy Kotsur-<i>CODA</i><br />Ciaran Hinds-<i>Belfast</i><br />Jared Leto-<i>House of Gucci</i><br />Jesse Plemons-<i>The Power of the Dog</i><br />Alternate: Bradley Cooper-<i>Licorice Pizza</i><br /></p><p>Ok, I came <i>this close</i> to yet again predicting another unlikely instance of Ben Affleck (<i>The Tender Bar</i>) sliding in just because he's Ben Affleck, and he looks like he's been through a lot and came out the other side living his best life, but I just couldn't believe it. So instead, I swapped him last minute with Jesse Plemons in <i>The Power of the Dog</i>, who could be barreling toward a Jacki Weaver-esque coattails nomination where the entire main cast gets nominated lI guess I should be mad that Jared Leto's Waluigi/Chefboyardee impression will get in here, but I'm just not. Cooper is a very likely choice to upset any of the bottom three I've listed. If you're looking for less obvious spoilers (and both Ciaran Hinds and Leto aren't as strong as they could be), Mike Faist/<i>West Side Story</i> has some real support, as does Jamie Dornan/<i>Belfast</i> (though there's no way that Dornan gets in without Hinds getting in as well). We'll just have to wait and see how hunky the acting branch wants this lineup to be.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>Licorice Pizza</i><br /><i>Don't Look Up</i><br /><i>Belfast</i><br /><i>King Richard</i><br /><i>Being the Ricardos</i><br />Alternate: <i>Parallel Mothers</i></p><p>This easily feels like the most locked category to me. Can't see any of the immediate contenders (the aforementioned <i>Mothers</i>, <i>A Hero, C'mon C'mon, Mass, The French Dispatch</i>) cracking the list without one of the top five having a hugely catastrophic morning--though <i>King Richard's </i>momentum has been flagging, and <i>Being the Ricardos</i> is dumb and bad, so that's not outside the realm of possibility.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>The Power of the Dog</i><br /><i>The Lost Daughter</i><br /><i>CODA</i><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>Drive My Car</i><br />Alternate: <i>West Side Story</i><br /></p><p>It makes no sense to predict that <i>Dune </i>gets in here, but not director, while <i>West Side Story</i> does the exact opposite (obviously I should pick one to get both), but I'm banking on how tough it can be for a musical to get recognition for its screenplay, and <i>West Side Story</i>'s chances have been looking a little wobbly of late. I had a horrible, tremulous impulse to predict <i>The Last Duel</i>, and almost acted on it, but in my old age I've learned a little impulse control, and will be doing my best not to speak that thought into reality.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>Nightmare Alley</i><br /><i>West Side Story</i><br /><i>The French Dispatch</i><br /><i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Alternate: <i>The Power of the Dog</i></p><p><i>Licorice Pizza</i> feels like the kind of loving, lived-in work on a best picture nominee that seems like an obvious nominee in retrospect, even if no one predicts it. Look for <i>Power of the Dog</i> or <i>Belfast</i> to score here if they have big mornings, or <i>The Tragedy of Macbeth, </i>which is my pick for the obvious nominee that gets left off come nominations morning.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Cruella</i><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>House of Gucci</i><br /><i>Cyrano</i><br /><i>The Green Knight</i><br />Alternate: <i>West Side Story</i></p><p>Have I gone a bit wacky here? Maybe, but this branch likes to get a little wacky. <i>Cyrano</i> feels like a likely sole nominee here, and I'm desperately hoping that the costumers feel like doing something cool and rewarding <i>The Green Knight</i>'s spectacular but little-discussed medieval duds. Maybe a mistake to leave out <i>West Side Story</i> here, but that movie's buzz has been disappearing like nobody's business. Look for <i>Spencer</i> or <i>Nightmare Alley </i>to be surprise-but-not-really-a-surprise nominees.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>Spider-Man: No Way Home</i><br /><i>Godzilla vs. Kong</i><br /><i>Free Guy</i><br /><i>No Time to Die</i><br />Alternate: <i>The Matrix Resurrections</i></p><p>Probably a fool's errand to bet against <i>Matrix </i>here, but I am a fool, and I have a <i>ton</i> of errands. Predicting/hoping that only one of the four Marvel films from this year gets in, though <i>Eternals </i>would be an easy pick. Note: this category has already been narrowed down to a 10 film shortlist. The other finalists are <i>Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings</i>, <i>Ghostbusters: Afterlife</i>, and <i>Black Widow</i>.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>Cruella</i><br /><i>House of Gucci</i><br /><i>Nightmare Alley</i><br /><i>Coming 2 America</i><br />Alternate: <i>The Eyes of Tammy Faye</i></p><p>Tough and arbitrary, like throwing jell-o so it lands on a ceiling fan. Only <i>Dune </i>really seems safe, though <i>Cruella </i>and <i>House of Gucci </i>are good bets. I'm picking <i>Coming 2 America</i> for this year's 'wait, what?' curveball that this category loves to throw, and am hoping that the malevolent Cabbage Patch antics of <i>Tammy Faye </i>will stay buried. I don't really believe <i>Nightmare Alley</i> gets the nom here, but honestly, I can't make a logical argument for anything else, based on the calls I've already made, so in it goes. Note: this category has also been narrowed down to a 10-film shortlist. The other finalists are <i>West Side Story, Cyrano, The Suicide Squad, </i>and <i>No Time to Die.</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>The Power of the Dog</i><br /><i>Don't Look Up</i><br /><i>West Side Story</i><br /><i>Licorice Pizza</i><br />Alternate: <i>Belfast</i></p><p>Betting that <i>West Side Story'</i>s impressive crafts save it here, despite its diminished best picture strength, and that <i>Belfast</i>'s slowing momentum shows itself. I desperately wanted to find a place for <i>Tick Tick Boom</i> in this category, but the editing branch almost never throws us surprise nominations--if it's not up for best picture, it's rarely here.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>The Power of the Dog</i><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i><br /><i>Belfast</i><br /><i>West Side Story</i><br />Alternate: <i>Nightmare Alley</i></p><p>Getting to be a similar story here: I'm not confident about <i>West Side Story</i> holding out in these categories, but I also don't necessarily believe that its competitors are strong enough to push past it. Is there enough love out there for <i>Nightmare Alley </i>or <i>No Time to Die</i>? Surely <i>The Green Knight, The French Dispatch, </i>and <i>Spencer</i> have all fallen by the wayside. Keep an eye on <i>Passing</i>, if the Academy wants to go whole hog for black and white lensing this year (joining <i>Belfast </i>and <i>The Tragedy of Macbeth</i> to make three black and white nominees, which would be the first time since....a while ago).</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>The Power of the Dog</i><br /><i>Don't Look Up</i><br /><i>The French Dispatch</i><br /><i>Candyman</i><br />Alternate: <i>Encanto</i></p><p>Going waaaay out on a limb here to pick <i>Candyman</i>, but why not? It's a gorgeous and surprising score, and it already made the 15-film list of finalists in this category. Some voters are clearly listening, and if enough hear it, they'll surely include it on their ballot. I was tempted to remove <i>The French Dispatch</i> for something more exciting, but reminded myself that this branch is notoriously insular, and never include more than one first-time nominee per year. Since I used all my big shock energy with <i>Candyman</i>, I've got to stick with <i>Dispatch</i>/Desplat, one of their favorite composers. Still, look to <i>Encanto, No Time to Die, </i>or <i>Parallel Mothers</i> to fill its place, or <i>Being the Ricardos</i> if all my worst nightmares come true.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>Dune</i><br /><i>West Side Story</i><br /><i>No Time to Die</i><br /><i>The Power of the Dog</i><br /><i>Last Night in Soho</i><br />Alternate: <i>A Quiet Place Part 2</i></p><p>That <i>Last Night in Soho</i> call is a risk, but it showed up at the BAFTAs, and I've got a hunch. Plus, I'd been predicting that <i>Belfast </i>limped in on best picture strength alone, but if it's missing in film editing, then surely it misses here as well. Note: this is another category that's been narrowed down to a 10-film list. The other finalists are <i>Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Matrix Resurrections, </i>and <i>Tick Tick Boom</i>.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"Be Alive"-<i>King Richard</i><br />"Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)"-<i>Respect</i><br />"Somehow You Do"-<i>Four Good Days</i><br />"No Time to Die"-<i>No Time to Die</i><br />"Dos Oruguitas"-<i>Encanto</i><br />Alternate: "Just Look Up"-<i>Don't Look Up</i></p><p>Honestly I've no idea in which direction to go with this category, so after spending a few minutes spinning around in circles under a blood moon, communing with the old gods, I've settled on a little chaos. Of course Diane Warren will appear for her latest crazed howl at the stars in <i>Four Good Days</i>, and good for her--I cherish Diane Warren's yearly opportunity to nourish herself on those sweet Oscar voter tears. Probably silly to have both <i>Don't Look Up</i> and <i>Belfast</i> missing here, but I feel fine about it.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br /><i>Encanto</i><br /><i>Luca</i><br /><i>The Mitchells vs. The Machines</i><br /><i>Belle</i><br /><i>Sing 2</i><br />Alternate: <i>Flee</i></p><p>Sheer perversity to pick <i>Sing 2</i> over <i>Flee</i>, one of the most acclaimed films of the year, but the narrative of the next three categories is whether or not <i>Flee </i>can score in all three, and I've decided to end the suspense early. Besides, <i>Sing 2</i> has had a shockingly big box office run, and has solid word of mouth too. Look for Disney's <i>Raya and the Last Dragon</i> or <i>Ron's Gone Wrong</i> to take one of the big studio slots, or for <i>The Summit of the Gods </i>or <i>Poupelle of Chimney Town</i> to take the international slot.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Film</u><br /><i>Drive My Car</i>-Japan<br /><i>Flee</i>-Denmark<br /><i>A Hero</i>-Iran<br /><i>The Hand of God-</i>Italy<br /><i>Great Freedom-</i>Austria<br />Alternate: <i>The Worst Person in the World-</i>Norway</p><p>A real embarrassment of riches in this category, with acclaimed and buzzy titles like Norway's entry, <i>Compartment No. 6</i>/Finland, <i>Prayers for the Stolen</i>/Mexico, and <i>I'm Your Man</i>/Germany potentially on the outside looking in, as well as spoilers like Bhutan's <i>Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom </i>or Panama's <i>Plaza Catedral</i>. I don't really feel confident in any of my picks but <i>Drive My Car, </i>which is probably cruising (heh) to a win. But other than that, it could be total chaos come nomination morning.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>Summer of Soul</i><br /><i>Procession</i><br /><i>The Rescue</i><br /><i>Flee</i><br /><i>Attica</i><br />Alternate: <i>Ascension</i></p><p>Like every year, this category is by far my weakest--in terms of how much I've seen, how much I know, and how much enthusiasm I can muster. Rooting for the good movies! Kind of hoping the Billie Eilish documentary makes it, just to see some of the stuffier types throw a chair or two about having to talk about the academy award nominated Billy Eilish doc.</p><p><br /></p><p>And there you have it! For those playing along at home, here are the movies I'm predicting will get the most nominations:</p><p><i>The Power of the Dog</i>-11<br /><i>Dune</i>-10<br /><i>West Side Story</i>-7<br /><i>Licorice Pizza</i>-6<br /><i>Belfast</i>-6</p><p>I am absolutely over-predicting <i>The Power of the Dog</i> and under-predicting <i>Belfast</i>, but sometimes, dreams really do come true, and sometimes those dreams have to start with me being low-key shady to Kenneth Branagh on my blog.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, I know it's silly verging on ridiculous to log so many words about the Oscars while I haven't talked about my own picks--and those are coming soon! Sooner than you might think! And if that sounds like a threat, it is. But for now, if I could guarantee any nomination, it'd be <i>Drive My Car </i>getting in anywhere (though I'd love to see a rogue best actor nomination), and if I could deny any nomination, it'd be Javier Bardem's for <i>Being the Ricardos</i> (though really, the less that movie scores, the better). </p><p>And that's it! Come tomorrow morning, all of these predictions will be meaningless, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll be back in the morning to unwrap the nominations and see how kind or cruel Academy Santa has been. Then we can see how wrong I was (very wrong, but that's kind of the point), and which movies the Academy will send me scrambling to watch before the ceremony!<br /><br /></p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-22944462821877507462021-04-23T15:35:00.003-06:002021-04-23T22:54:25.667-06:00Final 2020 Oscar Predictions: Sometimes the End of a Rainbow is Just Grass, or Maybe Dirt<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayW88lZxva_z8311p7O5qqioJ3nDJ5wppLLFwEbFFOrUbaiMxYVnvL9uwKBXEWrmb9vusiTyqHGrz8qTWHu0O8jFWh4USc34dVXkg4-LNYIx7NdG8JXnhvUbqqeHSyQqTUVZiJlR7ZM8g/s1371/finish+him+final.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1371" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayW88lZxva_z8311p7O5qqioJ3nDJ5wppLLFwEbFFOrUbaiMxYVnvL9uwKBXEWrmb9vusiTyqHGrz8qTWHu0O8jFWh4USc34dVXkg4-LNYIx7NdG8JXnhvUbqqeHSyQqTUVZiJlR7ZM8g/w400-h226/finish+him+final.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Surely, the first thing you're thinking is 'how can we still be talking the Oscars in April?', and I'm certainly right there with you--I love the Oscars more than anyone you know (I assume), and I'm a little awards-fatigued myself. But there was this little thing called The Apocalypse, and just over a year ago, the Academy assumed that adding a couple month to their eligibility period would make that go away. It didn't, surprisingly, and the extra months probably didn't do much to change nomination tallies or winner narratives (though, I suppose, ask me again about the winners on Monday), but it sure did make everyone very tired. I think part of it is that the whole world is desperate to climb out of the gunky, homebound morass of 2020, and taking a weekend to get really excited about all the movies you streamed in your bi-weekly psychotic break just isn't as exciting as it used to be. I'm not saying that the concept of awards (and movies at large) is obsolete, not by a long shot--just that everyone will breathe a sigh of relief when we can stop traipsing back to the 2020 theaters of our minds and move onto fresh new horrors like Mortal Kombat or the deluge of Marvel TV content. (The last Marvel movie to be released was <i>Spider-Man: Far from Home </i>in July of 2019, close to two years ago. The last time there was a two year gap between Marvel movies, George Bush was president. Imagine that. As a gentle reminder of their power, Disney will release 4 Marvel movies between July and December, and will probably also turn the oceans red, just for kicks. These are godless times.)</p><p>Point is--we all love the Oscars dearly, but it's ok to want to move past them. This is healthy and natural--but as I am neither of those things, it's time to drag my gold-plated gimp suit out of the closet and let the Oscars hurt me a little.<br /><br /></p><p>Now, all this lead-up isn't to say that the movies are the bad, or that the eventual winners are uninspired, or that the season has been uninteresting. In fact, this has been one of the more interesting seasons in recent memory, with a couple incredibly volatile categories, surrounding a stellar batch of movies, although they might be one of the most depressing lineups in Oscar history. (This has been underlined by (re-)watching the best picture nominees with my family, as we all settle in for whatever fresh hell the Oscars are about to unleash on us. Everyone was thrilled by <i>Minari</i> because, even though it's about an unhappy couple constantly on the edge of financial ruin and scared that their child is about to die, at least the maybe-dying child gets to do hijinks with his grandma.) Also, this is the first <i>ever</i> year that I've been able to see every nominee in every category, even the shorts. Obviously, covid has been an atrocity at every level, and we'll all be coping with the effects of it for years to come, but I can say that it's been lovely to see movies of all kinds become streaming-accessible in ways they never were before. I desperately miss theaters, like I was asked to burn my own house down and then scatter the ashes, and can't wait to get back, but I do hope that the wider streaming accessibility lasts beyond covid. My life thus far has been a narrative of not getting to see the movies I was interested in, as they would never release within 500 miles of me. And that's turned significantly for the better since I moved to where I am now, but I will eternally be for any changes that undo or circumvent the assumption that only people on the coasts watch movies.</p><p>Anyhow, long story long, I am tired but still managing to find ways to be grateful, and now let's talk about little gold men. Do note that I sometimes predict more for fun than for accuracy. There are lots of places online to help you ace your Oscar pool, but this is where we try to guess when the Academy is going to throw a shark in the water.</p><p><b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Best Picture</b><br />The nominees:<br /><i>The Father<br />Judas and the Black Messiah<br />Mank<br />Minari<br />Nomadland<br />Promising Young Woman<br />Sound of Metal<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7</i></p><p>This has been <i>Nomadland</i>'s award to lose for some months, and it still is, so I won't linger too long here. There are whispers of a <i>Minari</i> upset, or if early frontrunner <i>Trial of the Chicago 7</i> could still win, and these aren't impossible, but my thought is a) I am skeptical that the Academy would choose no non-English language films for 91 years, and then pick Korean language films two years in a row, and b) if <i>Trial</i> were going to win, it would have said so during the nominations. I agree that <i>Nomadland</i> is looking a little shakier than it was two months ago, but nothing looks like it has the juice to muscle ahead of it.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Nomadland</i><br />Could Win: <i>Minari</i><br />Should Win: <i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>First Cow</i></b></p><p><b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Director</b><b><u><br /></u></b>The nominees:<br />Lee Isaac Chung-<i>Minari<br /></i>Emerald Fennell-<i>Promising Young Woman<br /></i>David Fincher-<i>Mank<br /></i>Thomas Vinterberg-<i>Another Round<br /></i>Chloe Zhao-<i>Nomadland</i></p><p>Same narrative as above, but even less likely to change. It would be <i>deeply </i>shocking if anyone other than Zhao won here.</p><p><b>Will Win: Chloe Zhao-<i>Nomadland</i><br />Could Win: Lee Isaac Chung-<i>Minari</i><br />Should Win: Chloe Zhao-<i>Nomadland</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Darius Marder-<i>Sound of Metal</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />The nominees:<br />Viola Davis-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />Andra Day-<i>The United States vs. Billie Holliday</i><br />Vanessa Kirby-<i>Pieces of a Woman</i><br />Frances McDormand-<i>Nomadland</i><br />Carey Mulligan-<i>Promising Young Woman</i></p><p>Now we get to the good stuff--this category is more open and volatile than it has been at least in my life, and arguably ever? It's top 5, anyway. Any one of these nominees could win (other than Vanessa Kirby, bless), and the kicker is that they all *have* already. Davis too the Screen Actors Guild award, Andra Day took the Golden Globe, Carey Mulligan took the Critics Choice award (and, just last night, the Indie Spirit award), and Frances McDormand took the Bafta (British Academy)--essentially, all the televised awards have gone to different women.<br />So how do we parse this mess? Mulligan is the favorite by a hair. She'll be a lot of people's pick, and rightly so--the biggest argument against her was that her Critics Choice win was in December and then spent the next four months losing steam, but last night's Indie Spirit victory undoes that narrative. Still, <i>Promising Young Woman</i> is a difficult film, and it could easily turn softer voters off--particularly since they've hardly been generous with Mulligan over the years. Viola Davis and Frances McDormand both feel like 'safe' choices, such as they are--both are acting legends doing stellar work, and have each already won (McDormand has two Oscars, in fact). Additionally, they're playing either the best picture frontrunner or against one of the year's buzziest performances (more on that in a second), so they'll certainly have reached a wide audience. If this were either of their first wins, I'd call it in the bag, but the fact that they already have an Oscar (or two) hurts their chances. Finally, Andra Day was a surprise win at the Globes, but was she really? The Academy loves nothing more than a biopic, and god help us, they love musical biopics even more. Is it ridiculous to suggest that a huge debut in Oscar's favorite genre that is one of the most recent nominated movies to be released has a big night?<br />I've got no idea who I'm gonna predict. I'll just start writing it out and pretend that I'll know by the time I get to the end of this sentence. (oops, didn't work, chaos reigns)</p><p><b>Will Win: Andra Day-<i>The United States vs. Billie Holliday</i><br />Could Win: Viola Davis-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />(real dummy move not even having Mulligan in the top 2, but here we go)<br /></b><b>Should Win: Viola Davis-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom<br /></i></b><b>Should Have Been Here: Sidney Flanigan-<i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />The nominees:<br />Riz Ahmed-<i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Chadwick Boseman-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />Anthony Hopkins-<i>The Father</i><br />Gary Oldman-<i>Mank</i><br />Steven Yeun-<i>Minari</i></p><p>Less hand-wringing to be done here, as the chance to give an emotional send-off to much-loved actor after his tragically young passing for a role that showed a new side of his talent is just too tempting to pass up. Both Ahmed/<i>Sound of Metal</i> and Hopkins/<i>The Father</i> have been coming on awfully strong in the past few months (Hopkins took the Bafta, Ahmed just beat Boseman to the Indie Spirit award), but it's fairly difficult to imagine Boseman losing this. Not impossible, certainly, but real damn difficult.</p><p><b>Will Win: Chadwick Boseman-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />Could Win: Anthony Hopkins-<i>The Father</i><br />Should Win: Riz Ahmed-<i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Delroy Lindo-<i>Da 5 Bloods</i></b></p><p><u><b>Supporting Actress<br /></b></u>The nominees:<br />Maria Bakalova-<i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm<br /></i>Glenn Close-<i>Hillbilly Elegy<br /></i>Olivia Colman-<i>The Father<br /></i>Amanda Seyfried-<i>Mank<br /></i>Youn Yuh-Jung-<i>Minari</i></p><p>This category promised real chaos at the beginning of season, and again with nominations, the shadow of a Close/Colman heavy metal cage re-match dancing in our hearts, or, barring that, Bakalova bringing <i>Borat</i> its first gold statue, a truly bonkers concept (not that the performance isn't great--it's stellar, and deserves to be here, but the content and the way the movie was made alone make this one of the weirder Oscar nominations in recent memory). And all of that was lovely to imagine, easy to fall in love with, but, it turns out, a little out of reach, as power-grandma Youn stepped into the ring and kicked everyone else into space. I do think she's more vulnerable than any of the other frontrunners, but it still feels safe to call a <i>Minari</i> victory here, arguably the only place it can win.<br />(Fun fact: if Close loses this, she'll tie with Peter O'Toole for most nominations without a win, each racking up 8 over the course of their careers.)</p><p><b>Will Win: Youn Yuh-Jung-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Minari</i><br /><b>Could Win: Glenn Close-</b><b style="font-style: italic;">Hillbilly Elegy</b><br /><b>Should Win: Maria Bakalova-<i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Miranda Hart-<i>Emma</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />The nominees:<br />Sacha Baron Cohen-<i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br />Daniel Kaluuya-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i><br />Leslie Odom Jr.-<i>One Night in Miami</i><br />Paul Raci-<i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Lakeith Stanfield-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i></p><p>Another category that promised a little wildness at the beginning that's since found gentler pastures. Look, I don't know how you feel about category fraud (the idea that lead roles campaign as supporting because they'll have an easier time winning there), and I know it's a touchy subject with this particular category/winner, but I'm gonna sidestep all that and say that Kaluuya will almost definitely win for his great work in <i>Judas and the Black Messiah. </i>I suppose there's a last gasp question of a Baron Cohen upset, or maybe a Raci one (though I think that's more my fantasy than an actual possibility), but Kaluuya probably has this locked down.</p><p><b>Will Win: Paul Raci-<i>Sound of Metal</i> (screw it, I'm voting with my heart)<br />Could Win: Daniel Kaluuya-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i><br />Should Win: Paul Raci-<i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Should Have Been Here: Aldis Hodge-<i>One Night in Miami</i><br /></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Judas and the Black Messiah<br />Minari<br />Promising Young Woman<br />Sound of Metal<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7</i></p><p>Super exciting category--a three-way battle between former frontrunner <i>Chicago 7</i>, current spoiler <i>Minari</i>, and original heavyweight <i>Promising Young Woman</i>. There's an argument that this is the easiest or most appropriate place to recognize <i>any </i>of these films, with <i>Chicago</i> taking the slight advantage, as the other two films have obvious acting bids they hope to capitalize on. Does Sorkin's fame and clout carry the day for <i>Chicago</i>? Does <i>Promising Young Woman</i>'s flashiness help it over the finish line? Or does <i>Minari </i>ride a wave of goodwill to the finish line? If either <i>Minari </i>or <i>Chicago</i> does win here, look out for it in best picture. I'm also curious if the closeness of this race opens it up to the other nominees. Do we get a shocker <i>Judas </i>or <i>Metal </i>win? Probably not, but it's not unthinkable.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Promising Young Woman</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br />Should Win: <i>Sound of Metal </i>(sorry everyone, I just really liked this movie, ok)<br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm<br />The Father<br />Nomadland<br />One Night in Miami<br />The White Tiger</i></p><p>I want to pretend there's no intrigue here, but is that the case? <i>Nomadland</i> looks like it has this sewn up, but <i>The Father</i> has been gaining a ton of steam recently, and you could argue against <i>Nomadland</i> as an achievement in visuals/perceived naturalism than it is in dialogue or narrative structure, whereas <i>The Father</i> exists to flex its muscles in just those ways. I don't think I'm convinced enough to predict an upset, but I'll probably regret it.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Nomadland</i> (came *this* close to changing, but nope, not convinced)<br />Could Win: <i>The Father</i><br />Should Win: <i>Nomadland</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>First Cow</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>The Father<br />Ma Rainey's Black Bottom<br />Mank<br />News of the World<br />Tenet</i></p><p>A quiet, respectable, vaguely lackluster category. <i>Mank</i> probably takes it on virtue of having the 'most' and being Hollywood-centric, while <i>Ma Rainey</i> could swoop in by virtue of being the most <i>Ma Rainey</i>, whose primary role this season has been swooping, and I suppose <i>The Father </i>could capitalize on the last-second love, but it's also set entirely in a couple apartments--as innovatively as it uses its design, it's not the kind of work the Academy recognizes here.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Mank</i><br />Could Win: <i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />Should Win: <i>News of the World<br /></i>Should Have Been Here: <i>Promising Young Woman</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Emma<br />Ma Rainey's Black Bottom<br />Mank<br />Mulan<br />Pinocchio</i></p><p>Probably an easy win for <i>Ma Rainey</i>'s 89-year old Ann Roth. <i>Emma</i> looks to play spoiler if the Academy is looking to reward flamboyance.</p><p><b>Will Win: </b><b style="font-style: italic;">Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</b><br /><b>Could Win: <i>Emma</i><br />Should Win: <i>Emma<br /></i>Should Have Been Here: <i>Ammonite</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Love and Monsters</i><br /><i>The Midnight Sky</i><br /><i>Mulan</i><br /><i>The One and Only Ivan</i><br /><i>Tenet</i></p><p>A wacky little category in a year largely absent of the big blockbusters it loves. So, as basically the only big summer blockbuster to come out last year--and from Christopher Nolan, no less, whose films frequently triumph here--look to <i>Tenet </i>to win this in a backwards walk.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Tenet</i><br />Could Win: <i>The One and Only Ivan</i><br />Should Win: <i>Tenet</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Welcome to Chechnya</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Emma<br />Hillbilly Elegy<br />Ma Rainey's Black Bottom<br />Mank<br />Pinocchio</i></p><p>Another instance of <i>Ma Rainey</i> fighting off a scrappy competitor, this time the questionable looks in <i>Hillbilly Elegy</i>. It's <i>so</i> tempting to go for a <i>Hillbilly </i>party here, but I don't think this happens without Close winning in Supporting Actress, and <i>Ma Rainey's</i> got a ton of strength in these below the line categories. That said, if <i>Hillbilly</i> *does* win, cast a weary eye toward that Supporting Actress race.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />Could Win: <i>Hillbilly Elegy</i><br />Should Win: <i>Pinocchio</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Possessor</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>The Father<br />Promising Young Woman<br />Nomadland<br />Sound of Metal<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7</i></p><p>Here we are, another big ol fight-y category, with only <i>Promising Young Woman</i> seeming out of the running. Smart money says this is a duel between <i>Sound of Metal</i> and <i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i>, <i>Metal</i>'s unfussy pacing and repeating structures against <i>Trial</i>'s all-in style of cutting the whole movie like it's an action scene. Divide how much the Academy warms to either approach by both movies' Best Picture power, and there you go. Since the two of them are so close, it's totally plausible that <i>Nomadland</i> goes on a bit of a spree on its way to winning the big prizes, or that <i>The Father</i>'s late-breaking wave pays dividends here. Really, any of these four could take it and I wouldn't bat an eye.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Could Win: <i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br />Should Win: <i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Judas and the Black Messiah<br />Mank<br />News of the World<br />Nomadland<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7</i></p><p>A solid, handsome little category (with the exception of <i>Chicago 7</i>--god, its presence here traumatizes me anew) without much fight in it. There's a vague chance that <i>Mank</i>'s black and white cinematography carries the day, but it's hard for anyone to argue against <i>Nomadland </i>taking the crown here.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Nomadland</i><br />Could Win: <i>Mank</i><br />Should Win: <i>Nomadland</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Vitalina Varela</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Da 5 Bloods<br />Mank<br />Minari<br />News of the World<br />Soul</i></p><p>If <i>Minari</i> manages to unseat <i>Soul</i> here, look for it to go on a major run. Otherwise, <i>Soul</i> walks away with this and we'll all have to keep holding our breath a little longer.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Soul</i><br />Could Win: <i>Minari</i><br />Should Win: <i>Soul</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Tenet</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Greyhound<br />Mank<br />News of the World<br />Soul<br />Sound of Metal</i></p><p>This has to go to <i>Sound of Metal</i>--it's right there in the title. I suppose <i>Mank</i>'s 10 nomination-tally could mean that it demands a couple wins, and here is as good a place as any, but it's tough to imagine it being able to upend <i>Sound of Metal</i>'s best chance at recognition, and <i>Soul</i> has an argument as both an animated film and a movie about music, but only one animated movie has won an Oscar for its sound before (<i>The Incredibles </i>in 2004).</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Could Win: <i>Soul</i><br />Should Win: <i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>The Invisible Man</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />The nominees:<br />"Fight for You"-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah<br /></i>"Hear My Voice"-<i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br />"Husavik"-<i>Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga</i><br />"Io Si"-<i>The Life Ahead</i><br />"Speak Now"-<i>One Night in Miami</i><br /></p><p>By turns dull and fantastic, just like this category is meant to be! Nothing would melt my shriveled frozen heart than seeing Diane Warren, perennial Oscar chanteuse, kaiju in hiding, and that bitch, finally winning her Oscar at long last for the delightful caterwauling "Io Si." My heart would experience a similar level of climate change if "Husavik," the best ironic/unironic bop of the year, managed a win (which I could then pretend would go to Rachel McAdams). The rest of the options are a little bleaker, and also probably more likely to actually happen. "Speak Now" is solid, and is a good way to honor Regina King's film, as well as getting to give an Oscar to Hamilton by association, which I have to assume is something that the Academy has been doodling about. The others are less likely, but watch them give it to "Hear My Voice" and then hear my voice as I shoot into the heavens on pure rage alone.</p><p><b>Will Win: "Speak Now"-<i>One Night in Miami</i><br />Could Win: "Io Si"-<i>The Life Ahead</i><br />Should Win: "Husavik"-<i>Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga</i><br />Should Have Been Here: "Your Name Engraved Herein"-<i>Your Name Engraved Herein</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Onward<br />Over the Moon<br />A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon<br />Soul<br />Wolfwalkers</i></p><p>Very little intrigue here--<i>Soul </i>wins this, no contest. Which, while it's a lovely movie, is a bit of a shame. Pixar will have won 11 out of the 20 Oscars ever given in this category. And Pixar is great! But it's not the only game in town.</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Soul</i><br />Could Win: <i>Wolfwalkers</i><br />Should Win: <i>Wolfwalkers</i><br />Should Have Been Here: <i>Ride Your Wave</i></b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Film</u><br />The nominees: <br /><i>Another Round</i>-Denmark<br /><i>Better Days</i>-Hong Kong<br /><i>Collective</i>-Romania<br /><i>The Man Who Sold His Skin</i>-Tunisia<br /><i>Quo Vadis, Aida?</i>-Bosnia and Herzegovina</p><p>Again, a total steamroller category, this time benefitting apparent masterwork <i>Another Round</i>. (Sorry y'all, I'm sure this movie is actually great, but boy do I hate it and am salty that the world isn't exactly what I demand it should be.)</p><p><b>Will Win: <i>Another Round</i>-Denmark<br />Could Win: <i>Quo Vadis, Aida?</i>-Bosnia and Herzegovina<br />Should Win: <i>Quo Vadis, Aida?-</i>Bosnia and Herzegovina<br /></b><b>Should Have Been Here: <i>La Llorona</i>-Guatemala</b></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br />The nominees:<br /><i>Crip Camp<br />Collective<br />The Mole Agent<br />My Octopus Teacher<br />Time</i></p><p>Last September, a little film (ostensibly) about an octopus dropped on netflix with nary a splash, but people <i>loved </i>it, and it's ridden that wave all the way to the Oscar, drowning its competitors with its own popularity. Sunday night, it'll wash onto the stage, in hopes of making some bad water puns during the speech, I assume. Look, I won't pretend that all of the other movies in this category aren't superior (that <i>Time </i>and <i>Collective</i>, in particular, will lose to the sad boy octopus movie is...difficult), but I can't wait to watch the guy's speech go two minutes too long and then he has to dash back onstage because he forgot to thank the octopus.</p><p><br /></p><p>And there's that! I've got <i>Nomadland</i> as the biggest winner of the night with four wins, but I'm expecting the wealth to get spread fairly evenly. We'll see how it goes! I feel somehow both much more and much less confident about my predictions than I normally do, which, I suppose, is also how I feel about my life too. It's a mystery!</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-18314114894393627672021-03-15T09:41:00.004-06:002021-03-15T09:48:00.550-06:00Oscar Nominations: You know what that was? ...A start.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvwy7fKAP60f4fxXwkEIwcqHE6ho763dqgQSYCy1QCMwxmQAoD3InXGFg2rLfuJ8Lkzm9nfEri_7u3syvsgPWu4L69LtgD-6Ps1nbO34mvWxG4LILXneE4jFJp10IQNa4dIFgzE_CZPVp/s809/this+is+fine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="809" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvwy7fKAP60f4fxXwkEIwcqHE6ho763dqgQSYCy1QCMwxmQAoD3InXGFg2rLfuJ8Lkzm9nfEri_7u3syvsgPWu4L69LtgD-6Ps1nbO34mvWxG4LILXneE4jFJp10IQNa4dIFgzE_CZPVp/w400-h199/this+is+fine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/leeunkrich/status/1325284446937907200" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><br /> Have you ever been stuck in a solid gold washing machine? And it's kind of nice, cuz like hey, solid gold, but at the same time you're still stuck in a washing machine. This, improbably, is how I feel about the nominations today. Some wonderful things, some things make me furious, and no way to separate the two as we all marinate together in our own golden-plated tragedy. But honestly, things could have been <i>much</i> worse: no egregiously terrible movies in best picture (just a few mediocre ones)! No Jared Leto! And realistically, they couldn't have been much better, so we'll take what we can get. This year is an interesting contrast from last year, as well. Last year we had four movies with at least 10 nominations (the all-time record for that many movies hitting double digits in one year), showing how little the Academy shopped around. This year, however, we have one movie with 10 nominations and then a world-ending <i>seven-way</i> tie for second place, each with 6 nominations. I haven't done the research, but I have to assume this is the biggest ever tie for second most nominated film, and six nominations is an awfully low number to hold that place. (2005 is the only of the past 20-25 years I can think of that matches that (where <i>Brokeback Mountain</i> held the pole position with 8, and <i>Good Night and Good Luck</i> and <i>Crash</i> tied for second with six. But even low-nomination years like 2006 and 2007 had movies in first/second place with 8 and 7 nominations.) Anyway, the statistics point to an extremely diffuse year. No one could decide on what they loved, so they went ahead and loved almost everything. <p></p><p>So what happened? Let's take a look. I'll put an asterisk next to the nominees I predicted correctly, but, uh, there will not be a huge number of asterisks this year. (My silliness got in the way of my prudence, as per usual.)</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>The Father*<br />Judas and the Black Messiah<br />Mank*<br />Minari*<br />Nomadland*<br />Promising Young Woman*<br />Sound of Metal*<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7*</i></p><p>Absolutely thrilled for <i>Sound of Metal</i>, which had about as big a morning as it possibly could have, and I think that this lineup is generally strong--I don't love <i>Trial</i> or <i>Mank</i>, but you can't have everything. <i>Nomadland/Metal//Minari/Promising Young Woman</i><i> </i>are all great choices, and <i>Judas</i> is strong as well. I predicted yesterday that the <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i> momentum was being exaggerated, and <i>goodness</i> was I wrong. A solid lineup, though it's lowkey shocking to see <i>One Night in Miami</i> miss.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Nomadland</i></p><p><b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Director</b><br />Lee Isaac Chung-<i>Minari</i>*<br />Emerald Fennell-<i>Promising Young Woman</i>*<br />David Fincher-<i>Mank*</i><br />Thomas Vinterberg-<i>Another Round</i><br />Chloe Zhao-<i>Nomadland</i>*</p><p>Vinterberg is obviously the huge surprise here--I'd read a few people catching some <i>Cold War</i>/Pawlikowski vibes, but I didn't buy it. And I know people are celebrating this choice, but if I'm being honest, I kind of hate <i>Another Round</i>, so I'll stick myself and glower at everyone. Worth pointing out that this is the first ever year with two women in this category (and they now bring the final tally of women nominees here up to 7, meaning this year contains about 30% of all women every nominated for best director). Still, again, a solid lineup, though this Vinterberg nomination, coupled with last year's crime against decency/Todd Phillips for Joker nom, it's safe to say that the best way to score an unlikely best director nod is to get a middle-aged white man to dance around in public for your movie.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Chloe Zhao-<i>Nomadland</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Viola Davis-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom*</i><br />Andray Day-<i>The United States vs. Billie Holliday</i>*<br />Vanessa Kirby-<i>Pieces of a Woman</i>*<br />Frances McDormand-<i>Nomadland</i>*<br />Carey Mulligan-<i>Promising Young Woman*</i></p><p>This category zigged where we expected it to zig, and zagged where we expected it to do what we expected it to do, so here we are. Still, though the nominations were written on the wall some months ago, I don't want to undersell how volatile this category could be still. Almost any of these women could win (except Kirby)--it'll be neat to see how the narratives play out in the next month.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Carey Mulligan-<i>Promising Young Woman</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Riz Ahmed-<i>Sound of Metal*</i><br />Chadwick Boseman-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i>*<br />Anthony Hopkins-<i>The Father*</i><br />Gary Oldman-<i>Mank</i><br />Steven Yeun-<i>Minari</i></p><p>What an all-time bummer that we've got another lackadaisical Oldman campaign gently floating him into this category, like a baby's diaper drifting down the Mississippi. Otherwise, this is a stellar lineup. Extremely thrilled for Ahmed and Yeun, who are both fantastic and due, and for Boseman to get his recognition. Yeun becomes the first Asian-American ever nominated in this category.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Chadwick Boseman-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Maria Bakalova-<i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm*</i><br />Glenn Close-<i>Hillbilly Elegy</i>*<br />Olivia Colman-<i>The Father</i>*<br />Amanda Seyfried-<i>Mank</i>*<br />Youn Yuh-jung-<i>Minari</i>*<br /></p><p>Another category that played out as expected, but from here on out it's fireworks, nothing but fireworks. Anyone could win--and whereas in best actress, while that's <i>technically</i> true, someone's out ahead, every one of these women has about as good a shot as the others (...well, maybe not dear, blesséd Amanda Seyfried, for whom I am elated but Is probably running from 5th place). I've mentioned this before, but the only thing funnier than Glenn Close's storied and prestigious career culminating with a win for <i>Hillbilly</i>-ass <i>Elegy</i> is Olivia Colman beating to an Oscar twice in three years.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Glenn Close-<i>Hillbilly Elegy</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />Sacha Baron Cohen-<i>The Trial of the Chicago 7*</i><br />Daniel Kaluuya-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i>*<br />Leslie Odom Jr.-<i>One Night in Miami</i>*<br />Paul Raci-<i>Sound of Metal</i>*<br />Lakeith Stanfield-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i>*<br /></p><p>I don't think <i>anyone</i> saw that Lakeith Stanfield nomination coming at all. It shows how strong <i>Judas and the Black Messiah'</i>s energy is right now--we'll see how far that will carry it over the next month. Also maybe a very shady move on the Academy's part? One way to sidestep the 'Daniel Kaluuya is a leading role!' outcry online is to put literally everyone in the movie into supporting. Why not, I guess? Also, nothing made me punch the air in joy this morning more than hearing Raci's name called out. So, so deserving, and it wasn't at all guaranteed. Interesting note: if Chadwick Boseman had been nominated here for <i>Da 5 Bloods</i> (something I had predicted), he would have become the only actor other than James Dean to receive two posthumous nominations. As he didn't, James Dean keeps his record, which has stood for 65 years. <br />It's worth taking a moment to note the diversity in this year's nominations. There are 6 black actors nominated, which is a record, as well as three other people of color, showing that, for one year at least, the Academy found a way its general anti-Asian bias in the acting categories. While this is all great, I'm not sure we should pat the Academy's back too hard, in that they tend vote for what's in front of them. 2020's prestige movie narrative was dominated by films by and about people of color, as well as films directed by women, and that's reflected (to some extent) in these nominations. But it's all too easy to forget last year, in which those same kinds of films were just as available, but largely ignored in favor of safer choices. Or we can think back to 2018, when <i>Green Book </i>won best picture. Point being, we can applaud the Academy for trying to change how they view and shape the film community while still being clear-eyed about the fact that these nominations might have gone very differently if the Academy had had more options.</p><p>Early winner prediction: Daniel Kaluuya-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i><br /></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>Judas and the Black Messiah<br />Minari*<br />Promising Young Woman*<br />Sound of Metal*<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7</i>*</p><p>The runaway narrative of this morning/the past couple weeks of Oscar campaign has got to be the sleeper success of <i>Sound of Metal</i> and <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i>, which both ended up punching for over what their weight class seemed to be. And what a good-looking category it is! Shame the (arguably) least interesting entry will take it all.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm*</i><br /><i>The Father*<br />Nomadland*<br />One Night in Miami*<br />The White Tiger</i></p><p>Mostly as expected. I should have seen <i>The White Tiger</i> coming in this category, but went with my heart/<i>First Cow</i> (which went home empty-handed this morning--what movies are these voters watching?). While my very silly '<i>Borat</i> for best picture' narrative didn't pan out (which is really for the best), it did hit here, showing that it did have some real strength coming in.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Nomadland</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>The Father<br />Ma Rainey's Black Bottom*<br />Mank*<br />News of the World*<br />Tenet</i></p><p>It wouldn't be an Oscar year without a Chris Nolan movie showing up more times than you want it! No, that's unfair--<i>Tenet</i> did underperform, and I'd have been happy to see it show up in other categories. I just like celebrating Christopher Nolan's failures, and am still mad about the fact that he encouraged us all to go die/spread the plague in theaters <i>last summer</i> just so we could see this very stupid movie.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Mank</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Emma*<br />Ma Rainey's Black Bottom*<br />Mank*<br />Mulan*<br />Pinocchio</i></p><p><i>Mulan</i> keeps the Disney live-action remake tradition of getting a nomination for costumes so Disney can keep calling them Oscar-Nominated Classics (TM). Intrigued and vaguely unsettled by <i>Pinocchio</i>. I haven't seen the movie, and I'm sure it's very deserving, but hot damn, how many people watched this puppet movie without telling me.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>Love and Monsters<br />The Midnight Sky*<br />Mulan<br />The One and Only Ivan*<br />Tenet*</i></p><p>Feels atrocious on so many levels that <i>Welcome to Chechnya</i>'s work was left out in favor of <i>Mulan</i>'s, I dunno, flappy digital chicken. I did smile seeing <i>Love and Monsters </i>here, though. The effects are a little jenky, but they're a treat, and the film itself is lovely. Glad it got something that might widen its fanbase a little, or at least give it a reason not to fade into dust forever.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Tenet</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br /><i>Emma<br />Hillbilly Elegy*<br />Ma Rainey's Black Bottom*<br />Mank<br />Pinocchio*</i></p><p>Again with the uncanny puppet, though I've heard that the makeup really is staggering, so no complaints here. It's just fun to kick a puppet while it's (not) down. Tickled that <i>Hillbilly Elegy</i>'s legitimately ridiculous work is cited here, which means that it'll probably win.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Hillbilly Elegy</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>The Father<br />Nomadland*<br />Promising Young Woman*<br />Sound of Metal*<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7*</i></p><p><i>The Father </i>pops up again--another late-breaking success story that didn't have to go as hard as it did. Would love the opportunity to see it (without driving to an AMC 30 miles away or whatever and then stewing in that sweet maskless Southern air), but we'll have to wait for now. Fun fact--no movie, at least since the Academy firmed up their categories at the end of the 30s/beginning of the 40s, has ever won best picture without being nominated for at least three of the following categories: directing, writing, any acting, and film editing. Being nominated for all four is best, but not mandatory, but if you can't get at least three, you can't win (or would have to take an unprecedent win). This year, only <i>Nomadland </i>and <i>Promising Young Woman</i> are up in all four, making them your statistical frontrunners. <i>Sound of Metal, The Father, </i>and <i>Trial of the Chicago 7</i> each are only missing director, while <i>Minari</i> is only missing film editing. ...Then again, statistics aren't going to play too much of a role this year, as <i>Nomadland</i> probably already has the big win all sewn up.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Sound of Metal</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>Judas and the Black Messiah<br />News of the World*<br />Nomadland*<br />Mank*<br />The Trial of the Chicago 7</i></p><p>Absolutely liiiiviiid that <i>Trial of the Chicago 7 </i>scored here, but what can you do? But seriously, show me someone who watches that movie and <i>First Cow, Minari, Tenet, </i>or any of the dozens of less plausible candidates and then decides that <i>Trial</i> is the prettier movie, and I'll show you someone who needs to have spiders put in their lunchbox.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Nomadland</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>Da 5 Bloods<br />Mank*<br />Minari*<br />News of the World*<br />Soul*</i></p><p>Somewhat surprising to see <i>Da 5 Bloods </i>show up here, as it's the only nomination it managed this morning, and was hardly the likeliest place for it to score. Worth pointing out that <i>Da 5 Bloods</i> getting in meant leaving <i>The Midnight Sky</i> out in the old, and thank goodness for that! It's got to be one of the worst studio scores to come along in some time--shocking, in that light, that they managed to not nominate it. Kind of a shame that now they can't have Nick Jonas to play some wacky xylophone cues on stage in tribute to this movie though.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Soul</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>Greyhound<br />Mank*<br />News of the World*<br />Soul<br />Sound of Metal*</i></p><p>Should have seen <i>Soul </i>coming from a mile away. It's got music! Animation! Action sequences! So many things that this branch loves. Also, I guess this means I have to try and watch <i>Greyhound</i> now.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Sound of Metal</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"Fight for You"-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah*</i><br />"Hear My Voice"-<i>The Trial of the Chicago 7<br /></i>"Husavik"-<i>Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga*<br /></i>"Io si"-<i>The Life Behind*<br /></i>"Speak Now"-<i>One Night in Miami*</i></p><p>A somewhat dire referendum on this category that three out of five nominees are vaguely worded inspirational ballads that play over the credits. Nothing against those songs, per se, just that, despite the fixes they've tried with this category in the past few years, it's still one that only begrudgingly looks at songwriting as an art that contributes to filmmaking, and even then, only under duress. Still, I'm thrilled for "Husavik," and cannot wait to see Diane Warren manifest from a ball of screaming white light over zoom. (Honestly, I love Diane Warren, I love "Io si," and I just want to get her that Oscar. Remember when she almost won with Lady Gaga for "Til It Happens to You" and then lost to Sam Smith? Why have we not burned the world down yet)</p><p>Early winner prediction: "Speak Now"-<i>One Night in Miami</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br /><i>Onward*<br />Over the Moon*<br />A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon<br />Soul*<br />Wolfwalkers*</i></p><p>As suspected, they ended up avoiding the smaller international releases this year, though <i>Wolfwalkers</i> and <i>Farmageddon</i> get to retain their overseas cred. <i>Soul</i>'s gonna take this in a walk, but it is a real shame that <i>Wolfwalkers</i> doesn't have more of a chance. Maybe Cartoon Saloon, the Irish studio behind <i>Wolfwalkers</i> that has been churning out astounding, eye-popping work for over a decade with nary an Oscar to show for it, can team up with Diane Warren to destroy LA over zoom.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Soul</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Feature</u><br /><i>Another Round</i>-Denmark*<br /><i>Better Days</i>-Hong Kong<br /><i>Collective</i>-Romania*<br /><i>The Man Who Sold His Skin</i>-Tunisia<br /><i>Quo Vadis, Aida?</i>-Bosnia and Herzegovina*</p><p>Somehow, improbably, shockingly, this is Romania's first nomination, despite it being a hotbed of new and exciting film activity for more than two decades now. Heck, they changed the rules for this category after 2007 when Romania's <i>4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days</i> missed the final cut, and it's still taken this long to get Romania into the top 5. Better late than never, I suppose, but also better when it's supposed to happen than 14 years later.</p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Another Round</i>-Denmark</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>Collective*<br />Crip Camp*<br />The Mole Agent<br />My Octopus Teacher*<br />Time*</i></p><p>My <i>Octopus Teacher </i>hunch payed off, much to my own dismay. Something of a drab display here. Plenty of good (or even very good) movies, but it still feels like a let-down, with so many important, acclaimed, and/or strange movies left on the wayside. Interesting note: last year, we made a lot of noise about <i>Honeyland</i> being the first movie ever nominated for both international feature and documentary feature, and then <i>Collective </i>goes ahead and pulls the same trick the very next year. </p><p>Early winner prediction: <i>Time</i></p><p>Of the non-animated, international, or documentary nominees, I've seen most of what's nominated, missing only <i>The Father, The United States vs. Billie Holliday, The White Tiger, Pinocchio, The One and Only Ivan, </i>and <i>Greyhound, </i>all of which are pretty accessible (give or take <i>Ivan</i> and <i>Greyhound</i>, but that's what free trials are for). As for the tougher to cover categories, I'm still missing the majority: <i>Over the Moon, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Better Days, The Man Who Sold His Skin, Quo Vadis, Aida?, The Mole Agent, </i>and <i>My Octopus Teacher</i>. These are <i>mostly</i> accessible, though <i>The Man Who Sold His Skin</i> and <i>Quo Vadis, Aidia?</i> might prove troublesome. </p><p>Predictions-wise, I didn't do as poorly as I originally though. I only got actress, supporting actress, and supporting actor totally right, but also didn't totally fail anywhere (I got at least 3 or 4 correct in every category). </p><p>For those counting at home, here' a list of the most nominated movies:</p><p>1. Mank-10 (despite it clearly underperforming)</p><p>And then a six-way tie for second place, organized by a vague order of what categories are most important in my head:</p><p>2. Minari-6<br />3. Nomadland-6<br />4. The Father-6<br />5. Sound of Metal-6<br />6. Judas and the Black Messiah-6<br />7. The Trial of the Chicago 7-6<br />8. Promising Young Woman-5<br />9. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom-5<br />10. News of the World-4</p><p>And here's a few movies that weren't nominated for anything: <i>First Cow, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Dick Johnson is Dead, The Mauritanian, Bacurau, The Invisible Man, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Relic, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Wonder Woman 1984, Birds of Prey, The Forty-Year-Old Version, La Llorona, The Assistant, Miss Juneteenth, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, Welcome to Chechnya, Palm Springs</i>.</p><p>You win some, you lose some. </p><p>And there's another year sorted! How did you react? Which nominations are great? Which are awful? What's missing?<br />I will say that every year, no matter how good or bad the nominations are, I still love and have fun with the Oscars. Every year, no matter what, I have trouble sleeping through the night before Oscar nominations, like a kid before Christmas. (This year, I managed to sleep until 5.00 before saying 'that'll do' and starting my day.) It's silly and it's trash, but it's <i>my </i>silly trash, and I adore it.</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-70708520184874812222021-03-14T17:18:00.001-06:002021-03-14T17:18:59.600-06:00Oscar Predictions 2020: And the Waters (kind of) Receded<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-g9Q81oW9w11ZbcGlDVQDzdKNdckaMrk8DRydcVwesyhaQHqveVTFeUYFbiNexNt62VlATb_BzAzwcOwOtujzNZBWIxRXaCOV8MXPoN_UpVNjjZ_tK48HNho0Yd5QNpTBbMsjqKYmty6/s480/look+at+us.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-g9Q81oW9w11ZbcGlDVQDzdKNdckaMrk8DRydcVwesyhaQHqveVTFeUYFbiNexNt62VlATb_BzAzwcOwOtujzNZBWIxRXaCOV8MXPoN_UpVNjjZ_tK48HNho0Yd5QNpTBbMsjqKYmty6/w400-h225/look+at+us.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/paul-rudd-hot-ones-look-at-us-SUEjfSLaD6f77lyzH6" target="_blank">(source)</a><br /></div><br /><p></p><p>Look at us indeed. One year ago, back when the end of the world seemed fresh and scary, rather than something you have to do on the way to your outdoor spin class, the future of the Oscars seemed dire, and only got direr (more dire?) (real dumb and bad) as the year continued. How do we have Oscars in a year when movies disappear? Is there a point to framing cinematic excellence (a terrible word as is) for cinematic releases when everyone watched all of them on Netflix, one eye on their phone? How can we possibly have an awards ceremony where everyone gathers in one place?</p><p>Well, that was last March. We were young and unversed in the art of half-assing your way through a global crisis. The answers to the question above proved, if not easy, then at least doable. Movies went online! Everything was fine (except for everything that wasn't, which was most everything)! Awards ceremonies on zoom work fine! In fact, in a few ways they're better--seeing someone on a stage is great, but seeing them accept an award surrounded by their family, all crying happy tears, and then they have to pick up their cat, is something else. Point is, the Oscars are going to do what they always do: celebrate filmmaking by finding a whole host of milquetoast movies to applaud. (Who's ready to see another Oscar nomination for Jared Leto? Drench me, Lucifer!)</p><p>Despite the circumstances, the nominations we're looking at for tomorrow will probably no stranger or more upsetting than usual. The last Oscar ceremony was on February 9th, 2020, and the coming season will end at the Dolby Theater/in Chloe Zhao's living room on April 25th, which means that we find ourselves in the second longest Oscar season of all time. (Before 1933, Oscar years went from summer to summer, so the first ceremony celebrated 1928-29, the next 1929-30, etc. This was changed for the 1933 Oscars, which saw a gargantuan 17-month Oscar year from August of 1932 to March of 1933.) (I suppose both this year and the 32/33 season are dwarfed by the first Oscar season, which stretched from the invention of fire to 1927, and resulted in a shocking zero nominations for anyone.) Given the extra-long year, you'd be forgiven for thinking that pure chaos was about to descend on the Oscars, and we'd all love to believe it, but it looks as though the extra time has just given the nominations a little more time to solidify. Don't get me wrong, we're still primed for a little weirdness, and I desperately hope that some Academy members decided to cry havok and change their zoom backgrounds to the dogs of war, but we'll see. At the very least, it looks like we'll get mostly mediocre to good films up for the major awards, which is a privilege for which we should all be thankful (I will never, <i>never</i> get over 2018's <i>Green Book</i>/<i>Bohemian Rhapsody</i>/<i>Vice</i> perfect storm of horrors.) I think this is the first year in...3 years, maybe? that I'm not predicting one of my 5 least favorite movies of the year to be nominated for best picture. Truly, nature is healing. So let's see what ugly scars remain on Oscar's shiny little body after we pull the bandages off.</p><p>As is now tradition, I'm going to dump all of my predictions at once in a great unholy pile. Bear in mind that I try to predict for fun as much as for accuracy--there are places on the internet to go if you want mathematical precision, but all I've got to offer you is burning dumpsters and a can-do attitude. It's always more funny to be silly, and there's nothing I want more from my life than silliness.</p><p>(note: all predictions are ranked in order of likelihood--so the first movie is the most likely, and so on from there.)</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Picture</u><br /><i>Nomadland</i><br /><i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br /><i>Minari</i><br /><i>Promising Young Woman</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>One Night in Miami</i><br /><i>The Father</i><br /><i>Sound of Metal</i><br /><i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm</i><br />Alternate: <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i></p><p>Well, I promised you silliness, so I've gone ahead and started with a whole heaping dollop of it. The first six film (<i>Nomandland</i> through <i>One Night</i>...) are presumably locks, though I've heard some whispers of <i>Mank</i>'s flagging buzz causing it to miss out here. <i>The Father</i> is a risk, but I've heard enough people impressed about it that I'll include it, even if no one has seen it, and <i>Sound of Metal</i> has been building enough steam that I feel good about its chances (even if it's just because I want it to happen). Which leads us to a whole bevy of films to either fill the last slot or overtake one of the weaker films I'm predicting. <i>Judas and The Black Messiah </i>has a ton of momentum right now, and is probably the smart choice (even over <i>Sound of Metal</i>), but I've got a hunch. <i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i>, which once looked like a thoroughbred, now seems to be grasping at whatever it can. It could still appear here, but don't count on it. Critical favorites like <i>Da 5 Bloods </i>and <i>First Cow</i> could theoretically still surprise, as could <i>The Mauritanian</i>, which is another late-breaking movie with momentum. But my silly pick is for <i>Borat </i>to break through. It's got lots of heat in other categories, and it's been a part of the conversation for months, which means that Academy members have been side-eying their <i>Borat</i> screeners for months. Plus, it's fits the moment politically, and its Rudy Guliani moment made a whole lot of noise. Most people are predicting that <i>Judas</i> will be the 'political' nominee (a somewhat belittling slot for a strong movie, but hey), but I can't help but feel like the Academy's 'political' moment will manifest itself as replacing a furious BLM/racial inequity and injustice movie with a 'boy, Republicans suck' movie (I think there's more to <i>Borat</i> than that, but whatever). We'll see! Come lavish me, chaos hounds!</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u><br />Chloe Zhao-<i>Nomadland</i><br />Aaron Sorkin-<i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br />Lee Isaac Chung-<i>Minari</i><br />David Fincher-<i>Mank</i><br />Emerald Fennell-<i>Promising Young Woman</i><br />Alternate: Regina King-<i>One Night in Miami</i></p><p>Lots of potential for movement. I'm only <i>really</i> confident about Zhao, although is also probably locked in. Beyond that, <i>everyone</i> has arguments against them. <i>Mank</i> has run out of steam, the Academy can be strange and standoffish with cinema from Asia/Asians in general, which might hurt <i>Minari</i>, even though it seems like an across the board threat. Fennell is probably safer than I have her now, given the popularity of her movie, and how fiercely, visibly directed it is. King is a safe choice, and could edge someone out by virtue of that alone, and Spike Lee could always surprise, if they feel like making up for past snubs. Look for Florian Zeller/<i>The Father</i>, Darius Marder/<i>Sound of Metal</i>, and/or Shaka King/<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i> if any of their films have a bigger morning than I'm expecting.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actress</u><br />Frances McDormand-<i>Nomadland</i><br />Viola Davis-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />Carey Mulligan-<i>Promising Young Woman</i><br />Andra Day-<i>The United States vs. Billie Holliday</i><br />Vanessa Kirby-<i>Pieces of a Woman</i><br />Alternate: Yeri Han-<i>Minari</i></p><p>This category feels more locked than any other to me. People have been talking about how Vanessa Kirby's doesn't have enough voters behind it, but I don't buy it, and even if I did, I don't think any of her competitors can yield enough passion to give her the boot. Sophia Loren in <i>The Life Ahead</i>? Amy Adams in <i>Hillbilly Elegy</i>? None of these movies have had great seasons, so I'll pick a surprise Han nod as a spoiler.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />Chadwick Boseman-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />Anthony Hopkins-<i>The Father</i><br />Riz Ahmed-<i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Steven Yeun-<i>Minari</i><br />Ben Affleck-<i>The Way Back</i><br />Alternate: Gary Oldman-<i>Mank</i></p><p>The first four are probably safe (though say a prayer for Steven Yeun, despite his film's strength--there have been fewer than 15 Asian actors ever nominated in any acting category, and Yeun would be the first Asian-American ever nominated in this category). The last spot is a total free-for-all, so I've decided to swing for the fences and predict that Ben Affleck's attempts at a career renaissance pay off. Oldman's a much likelier pick, but I feel like the <i>Mank </i>fatigue, and the performance itself, will keep it out of the top 5. Look for Delroy Lindo/<i>Da 5 Bloods,</i> Tahar Rahim/<i>The Mauritanian, </i>or even Mads Mikkelsen/<i>Another Round</i> as surprises.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />Olivia Colman-<i>The Father</i><br />Youn Yuh-jung-<i>Minari<br /></i>Maria Bakalova-<i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm</i><br />Amanda Seyfried-<i>Mank</i><br />Glenn Close-<i>Hillbilly Elegy</i><br />Alternate: Dominique Fishback-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i></p><p>An absolutely bonkers category, in that <i>none</i> of the women here are locked, and any combination of seven woman wouldn't surprise me (throw in Jodie Foster/<i>The Mauritanian </i>to complete the set). It feels foolish not to predict Fishback, but I'm betting that the 'get Close an Oscar' furor is enough to carry her over the top for a ...dubious film and performance. And we haven't even discussed who's going to win (the answer, again, is literally any of these seven women)! What a wild year for this category.</p><p><u><b>Supporting Actor<br /></b></u>Daniel Kaluuya-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah<br /></i>Sacha Baron Cohen-<i>The Trial of the Chicago 7<br /></i>Leslie Odom Jr.-<i>One Night in Miami<br /></i>Chadwick Boseman-<i>Da 5 Bloods<br /></i>Paul Raci-<i>Sound of Metal<br /></i>Alternate: David Strathairn-<i>Nomadland</i></p><p>Another category I feel pretty confident about, though Boseman might be vulnerable (how far does the posthumous honoring go), as does Raci (not particularly famous, in a small-ish role in a film that may or may not have a big morning). Still, I'm not convinced by the strength of any of their competitors, though Strathairn and the pint-sized Alan Kim from <i>Minari</i> have the best chance. I'm trying not to speak anything good into the world for Jared Leto, so instead of discussing his Oscar chances here, I'll just imagine him getting chased by lions.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br /><i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br /><i>Minari</i><br /><i>Promising Young Woman</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Alternate: <i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i></p><p><i>Almost</i> decided to go for <i>Never Rarely</i> as a surprise nominee, but ultimately decided that I couldn't have <i>Sound of Metal</i> as a best picture nominee and still predict that it doesn't get in here. <i>Mank</i> is still weak, but it feels 'writerly' enough to get a pass. Look for <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i> to appear here if it's going to make a play for best picture, and look for <i>Palm Springs</i> as a huge surprise that doesn't look that surprising in retrospect.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br /><i>Nomadland</i><br /><i>One Night in Miami</i><br /><i>The Father</i><br /><i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm</i><br /><i>First Cow</i><br />Alternate: <i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i></p><p>Very irresponsible for me to have <i>First Cow</i> over <i>Ma Rainey</i> or <i>The White Tiger,</i> but what am I if not irresponsible? <i>Borat</i> is hardly guaranteed, but again, I couldn't predict it for best picture and then not predict it here. </p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Production Design</u><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>News of the World</i><br /><i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br /><i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br /><i>Mulan</i><br />Alternate: <i>The Father</i></p><p>Not feeling at all confident about this category, but it feels like it's primed for a bunch of surprises that I don't see right now. Look to <i>Tenet </i>or <i>The Midnight Sky </i>for genre nods, or <i>Emma </i>or <i>The Personal History of David Copperfield </i>if they're feeling period. Beyond that...? We'll see--it really does feel like there's an obvious surprise hovering just out of reach.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Costume Design</u><br /><i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br /><i>Emma</i><br /><i>Mulan</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>The Glorias</i><br />Alternate: <i>The Personal History of David Copperfield</i></p><p>Also not too confident about this one, but you never know. <i>The Glorias</i> is a somewhat left-field pick, but literally every movie Julie Taymor has ever made has been nominated in this category, so why stop now? <i>Ammonite </i>or <i>Promising Young Woman</i> would be lovely choices to upset, and <i>News of the World</i> or <i>Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey</i> could sneak up on us.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Visual Effects</u><br /><i>Tenet</i><br /><i>The Midnight Sky</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>The One and Only Ivan</i><br /><i>Welcome to Chechnya</i><br />Alternate: <i>Mulan</i><br /></p><p>Swapped out <i>Mulan</i> as a last-second whim, but it feels right. <i>Chechnya</i>'s a risk, and would be the first documentary ever nominated in this category, but we can dream, can't we? Note: this category has already been narrowed down to a 10 film shortlist. The other finalists are <i>Birds of Prey, Love and Monsters, Soul, </i>and <i>Bloodshot</i>.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br /><i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br /><i>Hillbilly Elegy</i><br /><i>Pinnochio</i><br /><i>Birds of Prey</i><br /><i>Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey</i><br />Alternate: <i>Mank</i><br /></p><p>Another chaotic category, so more darts thrown at the poor beleaguered wall. <i>Pinnochio</i> may be a little-seen Italian movie, but its prosthetic work is apparently phenomenal, so I feel like it's safe here (or as safe as any Italian movie about prosthetic puppet faces can be, for anyone). <i>Mank </i>and <i>Emma</i> feel like smarter guesses to me, but <i>Jingle Jangle </i>keeps showing up at industry awards, on longlists, etc.--people are clearly watching it, and I think it can capitalize on that at least somewhere. Also banking on this category/<i>Birds of Prey</i> to give the Academy its semiannual chance to be like 'we nominated a batman, we're not a regular Academy, we're a cool Academy.' Note: this category has also been narrowed down to a 10 film shortlist. The other finalists are <i>The Little Things, The Glorias</i>, and <i>One Night in Miami</i>.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Film Editing</u><br /><i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br /><i>Nomadland</i><br /><i>Minari</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>Promising Young Woman</i><br /><i>Sound of Metal</i><br />Alternate: <i>Mank</i></p><p>Nothing revelatory here--this category is the notoriously bound to best picture, so I've taken the frontrunners and added a movie that's got some snazzier editing. <i>Mank</i> would be an obvious pick for an upset here, and they could go for <i>Tenet/The Father</i> if they're feeling wacky, or <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i> if it's got more juice than I'm predicting it to have. </p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Cinematography</u><br /><i>Nomadland</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>News of the World</i><br /><i>Tenet</i><br /><i>First Cow</i><br />Alternate: <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i></p><p>Three locks and a free for all for the final two spots, so I opted for chaos again. Desperately hoping that <i>Trial of the Chicago 7</i> doesn't show up here, despite its many threats to that effect. Also hoping for a wacky surprise (like <i>Cherry</i> at the American Society of Cinematographers awards, but better). <i>First Cow</i> would already be that, kind of, but let's dream even bigger! <i>I'm No Longer Here!</i> <i>Possessor!</i> The world is this category's oyster!</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Score</u><br /><i>Soul</i><br /><i>The Midnight Sky</i><br /><i>News of the World</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>Minari</i><br />Alternate: <i>Tenet</i></p><p>After a few bouts of chaos, I've opted to play it safe here, though I suppose I could get safer yet (taking out <i>Minari</i> for <i>Trial of the Chicago 7</i>, as apparently every bland aspect of that movie is going to get its day in the sun). One movie to keep an eye on is <i>Blizzard of Souls</i>, a Latvian movie that made this category's longlist, and has gotten attention elsewhere. </p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Sound</u><br /><i>Sound of Metal</i><br /><i>Mank</i><br /><i>News of the World</i><br /><i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br /><i>Nomadland</i><br />Alternate: <i>Tenet</i></p><p>Assuming that the Academy's flattening of its sound awards (they condensed sound mixing and sound editing into one award this year) is going to result in the flattest possible category, in which best picture hopefuls get in by virtue of being best picture hopefuls (much like what had been happening with sound mixing previously). This is nothing against any of the predicted nominees, all of which have interesting sound designs in their own right, but.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Song</u><br />"Speak Now"-<i>One Night in Miami</i><br />"Io si"-<i>The Live Ahead</i><br />"Fight for You"-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i><br />"Husavik"-<i>Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga</i><br />"Make it Work"-<i>Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey</i><br />Alternate: "Turntables"-<i>All In: The Fight for Democracy</i></p><p>Choosing to dream here, with both past-pastiche musical yawp "Husavik" and Diane Warren's latest attempt to throw her ailing carapace at Oscar, "Io si." If you're expecting a nominee with less in the way of carapace/joie de vivre, then look for <i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i>'s "Hear My Voice" (again, how many categories are going to subject us to lifting up something middling from that film and pretending that it's solved politics forever).</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Animated Film</u><br /><i>Soul</i><br /><i>Wolfwalkers</i><br /><i>Onward</i><br /><i>Over the Moon</i><br /><i>The Croods: New Age</i><br />Alternate: <i>A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon</i></p><p>It would be awfully atypical for this branch to exclude all the international entries (like <i>Ride Your Wave</i>, <i>Bombay Rose, </i>or <i>The Willoughbys</i>) in favor of big American studio offerings and sequels, but none of the smaller titles feel like they've really got the juice this year. Plus, one of the category's locks, <i>Wolfwalkers</i>, is Irish, so maybe it feels worldwide enough for the branch to nominate it and then nominate <i>The Croods</i> and still sleep at night. (...I liked the first <i>Croods</i> movie, I'm sure this one would be a totally respectable nominee.)</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">International Feature</u><br /><i>Another Round</i>-Denmark<br /><i>Quo Vadis, Aida?</i>-Bosnia and Herzegovina<br /><i>Collective</i>-Romania<br /><i>Dear Comrades!</i>-Russia<br /><i>Night of the Kings</i>-Ivory Coast<br />Alternate: <i>A Sun</i>-Taiwan</p><p>Have I skewed too much toward Eastern Europe? Maybe. Have I made a mistake by leaving out both critical darling <i>La Llorona</i>/Guatemala and easy get <i>Two of Us</i>/France? Also maybe. But I have made my bed, and my bed is in the Ivory-ass Coast, so there.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Documentary Feature</u><br /><i>Time</i><br /><i>Crip Camp</i><br /><i>Collective</i><br /><i>Boys State</i><br /><i>My Octopus Teacher</i><br />Alternate: <i>Welcome to Chechnya</i></p><p>Big choice on my part to include <i>My Octopus Teacher </i>over critical successes like <i>Chechnya, Dick Johnson is Dead, </i>or <i>The Truffle Hunters</i>, but I'm trying it. I'm basing my prediction entirely on how popular the movie was over the summer, and that everyone who sees it seems to love it (or at least want to talk about it). That, and the novelty factor (that still isn't too much of a novelty to put people off--sorry, <i>Dick Johnson</i>, I love you anyway).</p><p><br /></p><p>And there you have it! For those of you playing along at home, here are the movies I'm predicting will get the most nominations:<br /><i>Mank-</i>10<br /><i>Minari</i>-7<br /><i>Nomadland</i>-7<br /><i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i>-6<br /><i>Sound of Metal-</i>6</p><p>In the meantime, if I could guarantee any nominations, it'd be either Paul Raci in supporting actor for <i>Sound of Metal</i> or Delroy Lindo in actor for <i>Da 5 Bloods</i>, though I'll also spare a thought for <i>First Cow </i>getting in anywhere. And If I could guarantee any one nomination didn't happen, I'd use my power to send Jared Leto to the watery abyss from whence he came, or, barring that, try and bring <i>Trial of the Chicago 7</i>'s final tally down a bit. </p><p>And that's that! In 13 hours, all of this will be meaningless! I'll be back tomorrow morning to unpack the actual nominations--it's like Christmas morning, only I have more fun than at actual Christmas, and everyone else has no fun at all! Then we'll see how wrong I was (<i>so</i> wrong), and how angry we all need to be!</p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-22271692100492744432021-03-13T16:11:00.000-07:002021-03-13T16:11:52.636-07:00Best of 2020, Part 3: Craft Categories<p>I know this is no secret, but listen up anyway: I <i>absolutely love</i> part 3 in this series. It's my favorite to write every year! Talking about my favorite movies is great, and talking about my favorite screenplays is a thing that has to happen, contractually, but they all pale in comparison to spending a few hours in a dizzy haze, dreaming about lighting rigs and creature prosthetics and innovative sound effects. And this isn't just something I do today, incidentally. My family can attest to the fact that I've gone on <i>at least</i> three different rants about why the lighting choices alone on my favorite Spanish soap opera qualify it to be considered high art, right next to James Joyce and Fergie. Point is, I love these things year round, and how could you not? None of the movies you love can exist without the craftspeople working to make them a reality. All the moments that make you feel something build whatever power they have on the aesthetic choices that are made and created to support them. So let's go on a goddamn cinematic journey.</p><p>In interest of putting a face on some of these things, I've added some visuals to the lists. They <i>should</i> enlarge when you click on them, but I make no promises, as my technical skills are less than garbage.</p><p>Note: I didn't include pictures or videos for film editing or the sound categories, because I don't really know how to capture film editing compellingly in a way that doesn't waste either my time or yours, and I don't have the resources to make audio clips for the sound categories (which I would love to do--particularly this year, since the Academy tossed out sound editing, my favorite category, the absolute monsters).</p><p><b style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Production Design</b><br /><b>5. <i>Love and Monsters</i></b>-where's it say that apocalypses can't be scary and twee at the same time? Seaside cave havens, rotted townscapes juxtaposing the better homes and bunkers underground, and a bevy of wacky mutant bugs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rQevAxlv2d24iwb_fIKPx78kfSHT3QuFZzIbpL6yWY0WTJ-2L6LvE9toAciurAunErSALPYXawyoKx9S33ju3dpyqnlAr26-EwWl2iQ0ku-FcRMvgvf7ubIKOczWhYf00b8jUXC4QFGG/s1280/love+and+monsters_production.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rQevAxlv2d24iwb_fIKPx78kfSHT3QuFZzIbpL6yWY0WTJ-2L6LvE9toAciurAunErSALPYXawyoKx9S33ju3dpyqnlAr26-EwWl2iQ0ku-FcRMvgvf7ubIKOczWhYf00b8jUXC4QFGG/w400-h225/love+and+monsters_production.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">(</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b7G1fD8xqo" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">source</a><span style="text-align: left;">)</span></div><p><b>4. <i>First Cow</i></b>-hard-won domesticity wrung from a stone and shaped into little things like wooden spatulas, drying racks, and rough-spun glass, surrounded by precarious stacked logs to to keep out the chill.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH3So_zmz-k6cu4FfM1fQsy_9-ZKrgZNwgIbvLSpxbP63wqpEF6OXA0eeMi7qC80mE1T6YkcDTFusRyQoepCJ-Cw9S60hzJeFQE_lYO_h9ep5DVLzTCjZ3KUPCThdcyQxMNJDO63flmRr/s1427/first+cow_production.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1427" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQH3So_zmz-k6cu4FfM1fQsy_9-ZKrgZNwgIbvLSpxbP63wqpEF6OXA0eeMi7qC80mE1T6YkcDTFusRyQoepCJ-Cw9S60hzJeFQE_lYO_h9ep5DVLzTCjZ3KUPCThdcyQxMNJDO63flmRr/w400-h264/first+cow_production.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><b>3. <i>Mank</i></b>-all the glamorous places where the rich go to die. Hearst's labyrinth estate is the obvious stand-out, or maybe the immaculate chaos of Mank's desert retreat, but I love the scenes filmed on movie sets (...in-film movie sets) best.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrobv9KZvKZ8xu0uuuxhoFJTB_z2lXkWfML8kojnn2UIdC2Id8ZmKeciQUc4d8ZlnY4NwlX-_sQXpyl7kyLfdXhh_UnpAtkJbm-Ah3VRU7WV0lYuFks-Lh3X1JOPG0i-DWGgX85RgxpXdC/s1125/mank_production.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1125" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrobv9KZvKZ8xu0uuuxhoFJTB_z2lXkWfML8kojnn2UIdC2Id8ZmKeciQUc4d8ZlnY4NwlX-_sQXpyl7kyLfdXhh_UnpAtkJbm-Ah3VRU7WV0lYuFks-Lh3X1JOPG0i-DWGgX85RgxpXdC/w400-h205/mank_production.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://the-avocado.org/2020/12/07/review-mank-draws-a-blank/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>2. <i>News of the World</i></b>-19th century Texas drawn as though from the nightmares of another dimension. The entire world feels empty--even the interiors defined by their open expanses--as the little frontier towns cling to the surface of the earth like they'll fall into the sky at any moment.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAkS7pxYA3BoN82wLZYSC-RaGyt0HU7xaL5Qnd5PP15G-3-RdAUkgOHnMlfKeev1SJCDEEyfl6XoyJDjCp89zbjJXZ8sksqkvmTuQCD-BzvnbrJncrEIVPUDVvfTgslFrkLJEjcm3J5PY/s1919/news+of+the+world_production.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1919" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAkS7pxYA3BoN82wLZYSC-RaGyt0HU7xaL5Qnd5PP15G-3-RdAUkgOHnMlfKeev1SJCDEEyfl6XoyJDjCp89zbjJXZ8sksqkvmTuQCD-BzvnbrJncrEIVPUDVvfTgslFrkLJEjcm3J5PY/w400-h168/news+of+the+world_production.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><b>1. <i>Promising Young Woman</i></b>-the most malevolent synergy of production design and framing I've seen all year (or in any recent year). Every space designed like a sick joke, a sentient, carnivorous thing looking to swallow characters whole after telling them exactly who they are. The series of bedrooms near the beginning are particularly telling, each given a second to define each male character/attempted abuser's life in a heartbeat. The overstuffed, desperate chintz of the Mulligan's/her parents' house is also memorable, as is the film's final major setting.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-QDDCrx41XgTvdK3KMoc9VCo2pgU1COX4p_Cew0LfWXxAJAooL_4xy-q7irs7MYrXrMdBdwnbY3R9A_ZqP37A41Byvqr6YvTCKhTCENGT1PhspDESUnneH9X8lyoiwOWUc54LxQjUp_Y/s500/promising+young+woman_production.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="500" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-QDDCrx41XgTvdK3KMoc9VCo2pgU1COX4p_Cew0LfWXxAJAooL_4xy-q7irs7MYrXrMdBdwnbY3R9A_ZqP37A41Byvqr6YvTCKhTCENGT1PhspDESUnneH9X8lyoiwOWUc54LxQjUp_Y/w400-h236/promising+young+woman_production.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.tumbral.com/blog/pulpfictionprincess" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p>Honorable mention: brutal futuristic spaces to mutilate people inside in <i>Possessor</i></p><p><b><u>Costume Design</u></b></p><p><b>5. <i>Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga</i></b>-somehow functions as a massive and silly parody of a Eurovision contest as well as a plausible collection of Eurovision outfits. Additional points to how much attention is paid to the nonperformance affair: think Ferrell and McAdams' collection of horrifying but comfy jumpers, McAdams' wild shiny plastic (?) dress she wears to the party, or Dan Stevens' plunging necklines.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP6wJdIw87f0VOxBOcPKH8EflqrawpyUqBFGBz0eS8xF541UfnbONjru0YG1k9IxECPx4UDQXLL90GhIpc8LtmuThORz_S96aIUmAYSE8YT2obz8dFVA6XpsY1virndsZpcSTmTtG0gUt/s768/eurovision_costumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP6wJdIw87f0VOxBOcPKH8EflqrawpyUqBFGBz0eS8xF541UfnbONjru0YG1k9IxECPx4UDQXLL90GhIpc8LtmuThORz_S96aIUmAYSE8YT2obz8dFVA6XpsY1virndsZpcSTmTtG0gUt/w400-h225/eurovision_costumes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fashionista.com/2020/06/netflix-eurovision-song-contest-the-story-of-fire-saga-costumes-outfits" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>4. <i>Birds of Prey</i></b>-high trash chic, from Harley's plastic, see-through jacket to Chris Messina and Ewan McGregor's vaguely lurid suits that look like they've been tailored with a hunting knife.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEblotuuRAT3q8YRLEbSUC_LduqWIBoD1GST_h0t3QkWdQv9w1v_gM-IYnO1CDhF_WGK_rGj6qgCChQM2Jcr1sEcTmDN-5i1w_9uEKjkHiI-h3ZJMxKQAJFoRvefppO-65zmZkBE-ou-j4/s1800/birds+of+prey_costumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1800" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEblotuuRAT3q8YRLEbSUC_LduqWIBoD1GST_h0t3QkWdQv9w1v_gM-IYnO1CDhF_WGK_rGj6qgCChQM2Jcr1sEcTmDN-5i1w_9uEKjkHiI-h3ZJMxKQAJFoRvefppO-65zmZkBE-ou-j4/w400-h211/birds+of+prey_costumes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://movieclothiers.com/blog/harley-quinn-birds-of-prey-costumes" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>3. <i>Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar</i></b>-impeccable, life-saving culottes, color palettes that look like they came from a mid-80s catalogue of innovate jello meals (cream of mushroom and sangria jello! mayonnaise and dragonfruit jello! Wear it on your chest forever!), and Hawaiian shirts that look like they know a secret. They're the funniest costumes of the year, but I would also like to own each and every one of them.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxli0hyCcr9-mvJjuFHsVgaA9BQ24YLmrFPVYR56OsillNaOx4rSs8r8ukR4rBJ6oGzo7gmj6hTb6LCZQmRDBCZE1DKgY4XCuX8HdcvUi4HjJQUS0wCnXpdRHzd8ZjUMvYmmN_Uoy2oY10/s600/barb+and+star_costumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxli0hyCcr9-mvJjuFHsVgaA9BQ24YLmrFPVYR56OsillNaOx4rSs8r8ukR4rBJ6oGzo7gmj6hTb6LCZQmRDBCZE1DKgY4XCuX8HdcvUi4HjJQUS0wCnXpdRHzd8ZjUMvYmmN_Uoy2oY10/w400-h200/barb+and+star_costumes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2562816/kristen-wiigs-jamie-dornan-barb-and-star-go-to-vista-del-mar-reviews-critics" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p></p><p><b>2. <i>Ammonite</i></b>-dresses like prisons, or prisons like dresses, that flip on their head when touched by a little light. Ronan's character gets the best outfits, tracing the micro-fluctuations of her mood while serving a huge, finely textured look on their own. Special shout-out to Kate Winslet's formal party dress, perfectly shaped to fit a person who gets ready for a party preparing to have a bad time but hoping not to. Really gorgeous work across the board.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicjSj-B6cpIWsVP0A2XBcdIsiPQOyIoBccc2B0FGZtGBlIbTRa0RAc9flu_OAwakgWk4QM6N3HtOXY4HaNLbGBZazc-h7I3e_p0XKjiTGOvCjupvvqgKZM3hARcdvz4_l0RIPgYg9absq/s722/ammonite_costumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="722" data-original-width="474" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicjSj-B6cpIWsVP0A2XBcdIsiPQOyIoBccc2B0FGZtGBlIbTRa0RAc9flu_OAwakgWk4QM6N3HtOXY4HaNLbGBZazc-h7I3e_p0XKjiTGOvCjupvvqgKZM3hARcdvz4_l0RIPgYg9absq/w263-h400/ammonite_costumes.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2562816/kristen-wiigs-jamie-dornan-barb-and-star-go-to-vista-del-mar-reviews-critics" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p></p><p><b>1. <i>Emma.</i></b>-While, on the surface, I might seem to be caving to my worst impulses, giving the top spot to the heavily costumed period romance like any other awards body, no movie contains looks so lavish, character-defining, and bonkers as this movie. The women drift from room to room like precarious, architectural birds, borne on the updrafts conjured by their own trains and frills. And the men do the exact same thing! Every <i>single</i> outfit in this movie boggled my mind, and there are hundreds of them. (Seriously, investigate the source down there, which has a spectacular collection of just <i>one </i>character's wardrobe.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MDyVHl6TeexliGWaHCXjW7X0Mcby_Ke0A8eEdxo7aLAnd-aFBvs5jlwqE4x8hOL4BAZGYjsxmk2lbFVJKr2DC0-VCfRZBTuPDwgz8fFDSYeQc55zIf0apxjD5Fv5HWoVJy7y6lGTMf-z/s500/emma_costumes.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="500" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2MDyVHl6TeexliGWaHCXjW7X0Mcby_Ke0A8eEdxo7aLAnd-aFBvs5jlwqE4x8hOL4BAZGYjsxmk2lbFVJKr2DC0-VCfRZBTuPDwgz8fFDSYeQc55zIf0apxjD5Fv5HWoVJy7y6lGTMf-z/w400-h223/emma_costumes.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lies.com/wp/tag/and-ive-now-finished/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p></p><p>Honorable mention: sExY drag and spider skirts in <i>Promising Young Woman</i></p><p><b><u>Visual Effects</u></b></p><p><b>5. <i>The Invisible Man</i></b>-effects defined by exclusion; a minimalist take on drawing the audience's attention to what might be in the room, what shouldn't be, and what is anyway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFKub_Q4GhIQ9hU8QKXigOt8RkDYbn29nhEPjiu0wYA1gLf4yhFm86AicW55fZHfefn_dHG1XiFYk432BmGhHRZjNDpJOpmWhwEKrNaBjfTQIfIeTeSBhgxwFtZ4UyMSczdv2qcMQBPM6/s975/invisible+man_effects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="975" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoFKub_Q4GhIQ9hU8QKXigOt8RkDYbn29nhEPjiu0wYA1gLf4yhFm86AicW55fZHfefn_dHG1XiFYk432BmGhHRZjNDpJOpmWhwEKrNaBjfTQIfIeTeSBhgxwFtZ4UyMSczdv2qcMQBPM6/w400-h200/invisible+man_effects.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.regmovies.com/static/en/us/blog/invisible-man-new-origin-powers-explained" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>4. <i>Birds of Prey</i></b>-over the top fluorescent wackiness, friendly pet hyenas, and a Gotham that gets that you don't have to be dead-eyed to be good.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUffmAPQtiN9bobW18E517zxOjqw0u0MiT5pE31uLXvXwR_AICfUNDa9AcL2qy_SUHgjIRcMhQetHiWTQR9BA1iSZx5WlfXyt6H_eqMEI5Umo6qPudnaVV8RudWxoocRsOplhwctOmIGB/s480/birds+of+prey_effects.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUffmAPQtiN9bobW18E517zxOjqw0u0MiT5pE31uLXvXwR_AICfUNDa9AcL2qy_SUHgjIRcMhQetHiWTQR9BA1iSZx5WlfXyt6H_eqMEI5Umo6qPudnaVV8RudWxoocRsOplhwctOmIGB/w400-h225/birds+of+prey_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://aminoapps.com/c/love-nikki-amino/amp/blog/go-off-a-bangnation-wars-theme-2/Zv6m_LDtBuqJZRJRwW3XvxNMKlMk18rvP" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>3. <i>Possessor</i></b>-difficult to capture this achievement in an image or a sentence, as the focus was on in-camera effects that suggest hallucinations. Back-projected images, strings of fragmented hallucinations (all done in camera!), stomach-churning interactions of bodies and technology.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5zEaRfZKeh-ikbYso3C7XQo3bju79BW6ohAb2WmYaBwNTQfv9FTqmpgygnwANA2RbGkCTtzWxtkRSI8PelVpGdBVKyPFCTCTTVXOlgMuMUlKnn00kI8oP-7_t-Wr07xMKuUz2GnJLrb6/s1164/possessor_effects.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1164" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5zEaRfZKeh-ikbYso3C7XQo3bju79BW6ohAb2WmYaBwNTQfv9FTqmpgygnwANA2RbGkCTtzWxtkRSI8PelVpGdBVKyPFCTCTTVXOlgMuMUlKnn00kI8oP-7_t-Wr07xMKuUz2GnJLrb6/w400-h217/possessor_effects.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.forgetfulfilmcritic.com/home/2020/12/04/possessor" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p><b>2. <i>Tenet</i></b>-speaking of in-camera! <i>Tenet</i> (allegedly) only has about 300 VFX shots, less than most movies of any genre. I don't love Christopher Nolan movies, and I think <i>Tenet</i> is pretty mediocre, even by his standards, but I can respect the monumental effort that went in to making this movie almost entirely with practical effects.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHCgIZOdKskpjfXfmpwYyhyphenhyphenjlSoWgDEHpR3LZITfLnUH6CS2qUo0HtihtZKYD_pg0GadW6ClNUNPQgzdfBRUHm2CkMPP73VYsmTSNKFMm2YzMC7Bd1RBv9Hfq5jUaZfh2czAfDTzfF4lz/s356/tenet_effects.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="356" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJHCgIZOdKskpjfXfmpwYyhyphenhyphenjlSoWgDEHpR3LZITfLnUH6CS2qUo0HtihtZKYD_pg0GadW6ClNUNPQgzdfBRUHm2CkMPP73VYsmTSNKFMm2YzMC7Bd1RBv9Hfq5jUaZfh2czAfDTzfF4lz/w400-h225/tenet_effects.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/STw16O2JRI6ruub0mf/html5" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>1. <i>Welcome to Chechnya</i></b>-the year's most vital and unsettling effects, in which the faces of gay/queer Chechen victims of the region's state-sanctioned violence are digitally masked to protect their identity. The result is both emotionally resonant (we see these people's eyes and emotions in a way that we couldn't with a simple face-blur or speaking in a dark room) and unsettling (any moment where they don't look 100% like natural human faces only underlines the self-effacement and state-forced erasure these people now experience).<br /></p><p>(There's no good gif or image that really shows the impact of the work, but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNC3hBCgERA" target="_blank">this scene that I posted</a> as one of the best of the year gets the point across.)</p><p>Honorable mention: I can't turn down spooky sea beasts, and <i>Underwater</i> delivers just that</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Makeup and Hairstyling</u><br /></p><p><b>5. <i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i></b>-period makeup, body transformations, and character details that seem both stylized and realistic.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AxPcgYZFzhSnsQe6EDphNobplpXN8SZULO6SxxII7BSb1aQDBw7jjrqN5AZ_RxmeWfvpAKHQQYfbWmlRZQr5wZRMgyKrSEidO4EAx0YVkBsAxpYXD9LwL4oFqJlr8DRrkSwQwDRERTc1/s800/ma+rainey_makeup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AxPcgYZFzhSnsQe6EDphNobplpXN8SZULO6SxxII7BSb1aQDBw7jjrqN5AZ_RxmeWfvpAKHQQYfbWmlRZQr5wZRMgyKrSEidO4EAx0YVkBsAxpYXD9LwL4oFqJlr8DRrkSwQwDRERTc1/w400-h225/ma+rainey_makeup.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://money.yahoo.com/away-making-viola-davis-disappear-140300717.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAeOcsj4D8pDZsOtHOfhIcUkkgge-v0lY_FgfOLqgcEgQoMNa93VqJ6HFEsQ0q8zIwbTMIIs0xX-JaaEyftPYsJvTodGjXVamJq7_y0rGgDEPgG2Kzy_2Mq4JkjfOSbr5DNulq1Deyf7vkKDUBnqoKg3Kba-dDPAKUTVevzTNW7c" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>4. <i>Relic</i></b>-rotted black mold brush dragged across your back. Very subtle, quiet work until it suddenly becomes anything but. <i>Relic</i> has one of the best endings of the year, and it only lands as hard as it does because of the deeply upsetting makeup work on display.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGCrplLWWEiBiC0e8uz2sOGUOD0E_pZTig4FI-LXx7rIfoWSyW-4KJBXIEY3Nj73Q96U2vrKIyguFij9HcmTJ7EnL6hr0Rrg_WUBlRW1x4oMQeYW6blCSwA9pXgYMn-XV_fobHTd9uaOK/s1400/relic_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGCrplLWWEiBiC0e8uz2sOGUOD0E_pZTig4FI-LXx7rIfoWSyW-4KJBXIEY3Nj73Q96U2vrKIyguFij9HcmTJ7EnL6hr0Rrg_WUBlRW1x4oMQeYW6blCSwA9pXgYMn-XV_fobHTd9uaOK/w400-h200/relic_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://asianmoviepulse.com/2020/10/film-review-relic-2020-by-natalie-erika-james/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>3. <i>Emma.</i></b>-for elaborate styles as far-flung and labored as the clothes. I don't know if 19th century British aristocracy actually spent hours festooning their hair into fancy proto-spaghetti, but I can't imagine anything else.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEvfZajlRA42myOSYykBgBkZke5krKDYb5AsGgNjn-r7Az3wpyZt2LBVRfjgPLqjpLGCw5H1dshLVlU6ektYfrzay7TwABbiCofvAwVNIhBDFfVB_OdSwPIjKZA8neT-pSSAGlL2KisPo/s1600/emma_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1600" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEvfZajlRA42myOSYykBgBkZke5krKDYb5AsGgNjn-r7Az3wpyZt2LBVRfjgPLqjpLGCw5H1dshLVlU6ektYfrzay7TwABbiCofvAwVNIhBDFfVB_OdSwPIjKZA8neT-pSSAGlL2KisPo/w400-h279/emma_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/emma-adaptation-beauty-anya-taylor-joy-transformation" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"><b>(source)</b></a></div><p></p><p><b>2. <i>Birds of Prey</i></b>-for Harley Quinn's newer, more carefree look (less Stockholm Syndrome, more Ann Taylor on mushrooms), for the Messina's grisly body mods, for Ewan McGregor's all-business coiffe, and for Mary Elizabeth Winstead's 'I stopped watching TV in the early 90s, and I assume nothing has changed since then) biker do. I see you, girl.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnEqxteyvI1WHHsKYUxtQKswBv4s3HyVjP90jKy66-vmXFmCrCWl8M0f8rbcj6sXVp6Jw-jKzbG5ZtN2UU-rFk9ksuryWDo4ME6ags7IW0ApXM42QLBGNW8VlUm_Z5_nq_4473__QD6Q0/s966/birds+of+prey_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="966" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGnEqxteyvI1WHHsKYUxtQKswBv4s3HyVjP90jKy66-vmXFmCrCWl8M0f8rbcj6sXVp6Jw-jKzbG5ZtN2UU-rFk9ksuryWDo4ME6ags7IW0ApXM42QLBGNW8VlUm_Z5_nq_4473__QD6Q0/w400-h400/birds+of+prey_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/birds-of-prey-reviewed-the-wasted-exertions-of-margot-robbie" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p></p><p><b>1. <i>Possessor</i></b>-simply put, for being so gross that I wanted it to stop. Expressive geysers of viscera, melting bodies and faces, and one of the simplest but most unnerving images of the year (below).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rF7i4RsTr_tij4hM1hCf1K5v5gRpb5Snp3QA-G3-xneTdH4tGPL-I3_DhOuZh_nvoj5n92dgqTzFf53KNlsKUQ5Silwy34CHRz6V1KyPYjkOVzS54t7iprgj01CgsaddCEZkmpakb73n/s948/possessor_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="948" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rF7i4RsTr_tij4hM1hCf1K5v5gRpb5Snp3QA-G3-xneTdH4tGPL-I3_DhOuZh_nvoj5n92dgqTzFf53KNlsKUQ5Silwy34CHRz6V1KyPYjkOVzS54t7iprgj01CgsaddCEZkmpakb73n/w400-h184/possessor_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2020/07/possessor-trailer-cronenberg-body-horror-1234574434/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honorable mention: witch makeup drawn with a straightedge in <i>Mulan</i></div><p><b><u>Film Editing</u></b></p><p><b>5. <i>The Invisible Man</i></b>-has the bravery (and gall) to force its audience to just <i>stare</i> for a while. Exceptionally tense and cruel construction and pacing, massive moments coming from nowhere and throwing themselves into our laps.</p><p><b>4. <i>Lingua Franca</i></b>-like <i>The Invisible Man</i>, an exceptionally patient movie, and one whose editing has similar goals of expressing the unbearable tension of being a person in a room.</p><p><b>3. <i>Sound of Metal</i></b>-moves forward as though it has to cut time with glass. Smart juxtapositions, momentum that rests like a snake before writhing forward.</p><p><b>2. <i>Time</i></b>-moments on moments on moments, the idea of linear time crushed into something less meaningless. A massive feat of shaping archival footage into something new.<br /></p><p><b>1. <i>Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets</i></b>-similarly, this documentary sifts through untold hours of footage to fashion something new. A movie that is born and dies in the editing room--before firing up the editing suite, the filmmakers had dozens (or hundreds) of hours of drunken conversations, and nothing else. An act of creation and recreation.</p><p>Honorable mention: I don't love this movie at all, but I figure abut 90% of the reason people are responding to <i>The Trial of the Chicago 7 </i>is how propulsive it manages to feel, so a big shout-out to the editor for building the illusion.</p><p><b><u>Cinematography</u></b></p><p><b>5. <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i></b>-lit as if the world were laminated and then held up to a forest fire. Sharp and muted, with a kinetic camera.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QEWbhNhaQm7Der1HIvVAZkw-fMtklLkyQPBHgSqOlqmdf19LB7sgF-9HJQdpSLQHX7yeGJWRkRqM6Ge_6gcoaihyG4EYcy3BEl5t78E0gSZSocxXiYedKL84yCL1J_QPNmSf3kpCk2K0/s498/judas_cinematography.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="498" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QEWbhNhaQm7Der1HIvVAZkw-fMtklLkyQPBHgSqOlqmdf19LB7sgF-9HJQdpSLQHX7yeGJWRkRqM6Ge_6gcoaihyG4EYcy3BEl5t78E0gSZSocxXiYedKL84yCL1J_QPNmSf3kpCk2K0/w400-h225/judas_cinematography.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://tenor.com/official/judasandtheblackmessiah" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>4. <i>Mank</i></b>-vacillates wildly between mostly period-accurate and looking like film noir had a love-child with 90s indie movies and then pushed that love child out of a plane. I think it's a good thing? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3wFXUYKQfUuBIz6kiOPRpnpma01HTJynqNVTX1Wopn9_N2TOxiB7XzeEa0oJLziN_xFO2zQmkwOHDnMEr9J9LTnL-tUVjKKFFr4idH2K_s8j0_cdrCGDpFEuclmW6KfS4tClTYUb_GMc/s540/mank_cinematography.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="540" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3wFXUYKQfUuBIz6kiOPRpnpma01HTJynqNVTX1Wopn9_N2TOxiB7XzeEa0oJLziN_xFO2zQmkwOHDnMEr9J9LTnL-tUVjKKFFr4idH2K_s8j0_cdrCGDpFEuclmW6KfS4tClTYUb_GMc/w400-h178/mank_cinematography.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://zacharylevis.tumblr.com/post/631448536706416640/mank-2020-directed-by-david-fincher-written" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>3. <i>Nomadland</i></b>-one of year's most expressive and lush films, conjuring gold fantasias from van interiors, empty fields, and roadside diners. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUT8g27uO1loba99ZZDftwrOrwlog5rKEdv8fZOMxcNMl1NZuzRYwmcRXbJr6XSBQn8TKLAcdz8oeINE7TWhTw34Q4QLci6LeXt5qV_YLXKWqfavJBuQ7avqADuv0bVMkDcb2eWy38erbu/s500/nomadland_cinematography.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="500" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUT8g27uO1loba99ZZDftwrOrwlog5rKEdv8fZOMxcNMl1NZuzRYwmcRXbJr6XSBQn8TKLAcdz8oeINE7TWhTw34Q4QLci6LeXt5qV_YLXKWqfavJBuQ7avqADuv0bVMkDcb2eWy38erbu/w400-h166/nomadland_cinematography.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/minari-and-the-father-you-can-finally-watch-the-best-movies-of-2020" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>2. <i>First Cow</i></b>-shoots the Pacific Northwest as a fairytale dystopia, all children peering out of pitch-black interiors into an unwelcoming light. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WkxHZ8drz5WXGaEjtrqaGfe2MULHljbNb2zRCqvwg89f1XShlGIxxF200dfM99wMxNseJ1PW5BmRZtkC0yZtQViMqyLKRznRgc7UGQ4bpQ9QC022ZB-uT2pOV0LTa4cv5sKrJ6nO78hK/s400/first+cow_cinematography.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WkxHZ8drz5WXGaEjtrqaGfe2MULHljbNb2zRCqvwg89f1XShlGIxxF200dfM99wMxNseJ1PW5BmRZtkC0yZtQViMqyLKRznRgc7UGQ4bpQ9QC022ZB-uT2pOV0LTa4cv5sKrJ6nO78hK/w400-h200/first+cow_cinematography.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/a24-first-cow-Qy2pWVs7cFZUfAAcxm" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p><b>1. <i>Vitalina Varela</i></b>-one of the most visually striking movies I've ever seen, and one whose merits have yet to be caught in what's available on google images. Maybe the darkest movie I've ever seen--just about every scene takes place in almost complete darkness, forcing the audience to spend the whole movie leaning forward, scanning the frame for just a bit of light. The result is a series of stunning, frustrating images, a descriptor that fits the titular character as well as the film itself.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_Wxhvcv6pioOemYcb6O5QAo8I5o7FfijIH5Wvd5yleYVf_USCYZRoiN50N6fkmJNUHZb_FRMiVzJgOT6jtQcxZ14uP6zgyOpgOWDB4c4emDn8jkHk94QFXIY_biD2epMvH24vWyLv-UG/s1400/vitalina+varela_cinematography.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_Wxhvcv6pioOemYcb6O5QAo8I5o7FfijIH5Wvd5yleYVf_USCYZRoiN50N6fkmJNUHZb_FRMiVzJgOT6jtQcxZ14uP6zgyOpgOWDB4c4emDn8jkHk94QFXIY_biD2epMvH24vWyLv-UG/w400-h300/vitalina+varela_cinematography.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/cinema-must-be-a-ritual-pedro-costa-discusses-vitalina-varela" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">(source)</a></div><p>Honorable mention: <i>Tenet</i>, dumb but pretty</p><p><b><u>Original Score</u></b></p><p><b>5. <i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i></b>-a knotted morass of nerves, suspicion and guilt, as written by aggressive percussion and a truly bizarre horn section.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGpuqSfCQCY" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGpuqSfCQCY</a></p><p><b>4. <i>The Vast of Night</i></b>-music like a whisper, until it builds like thunder. Delicate and a little outrageous.<br />(Note that this link has huge spoilers for the end of the movie, but this soundtrack is barely on youtube, and for some reason one of only two tracks also has the movie's ending playing.)<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2WeM7x4DdE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2WeM7x4DdE</a></p><p><b>3. <i>The Invisible Man</i></b>-sounds as though someone took the sound you make right before you throw up and stretched it far too long. Extremely tense and upsetting work, doing a lot of the heavy lifting to maintain the atmosphere and unease that the film needs.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6IcI0Sqls" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6IcI0Sqls</a><br /></p><p><b>2. <i>Tenet</i></b>-music for a rave at the end of the world. <i>Tenet</i> is something of a lumbering beast, shambling from plot point to plot point, but Ludwig Göransson's music is the caretaker pulling it forward. What a fun, squirrelly work this soundtrack is--most of my enjoyment of the movie itself came because I got to just sit there and vibe to the music.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yywzQbZcDL0" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yywzQbZcDL0</a><br /></p><p><b>1. <i>Soul</i></b>-somewhat cliché to name this as the best of the year, but sometimes I'm a cliché too, and sometimes clichés work. <i>Soul</i>'s musicscape is a singular achievement, using Jon Batiste's jazz compositions when characters are on Earth, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's pieces (living somewhere between <i>The Social Network</i> and Ludovico Einaudi) when they're elsewhere. Both halves of the score are worthy of the top in their own right, but the fact that both coexist and interact as well as they do within the same film is another thing entirely.<br />(two pieces: the first from Jon Baptiste's jazz score: <br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBWZN7Ju9pU" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBWZN7Ju9pU</a><br />and the second from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNXY1av-NUE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNXY1av-NUE</a>)</p><p>Honorable mention: <i>Wild Mountain Thyme</i>'s fittingly old-fashioned score</p><p><b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b></p><p><b>5. <i>First Cow</i></b>-makes the not-silence of the forest both toxic and welcoming, depending on the minute. Extra points for the lived-in sounds of the camps and the tenterhooks nighttime sequences.</p><p><b>4. </b><i><b>La Llorona</b>-</i>the loudest quiet movie of the year, or maybe the quietest loud movie. The past and present collide as sonic presences; the world is only quiet when someone is dying.</p><p><b>3. <i>Mank</i></b>-a canny mix designed to sound like films of the 40s, and succeeds. The way the film keeps a multitude of balls in there during moments of studio hubbub and captures the posh gone-here-to-die howl of the writing retreat both impress.</p><p><b>2. <i>The Invisible Man</i></b>-I've already written at length about this movie is one long straight razor scraped against a ragged nerve, and the sound is no exception. As what we see is meaningless, the film turns on a dime-sized fulcrum of what we can hear, throwing the audience from room to room, playing them like a particularly nervous piano.</p><p><b>1. <i>Sound of Metal</i></b>-there's no question about what goes at the top here--the way <i>Sound of Metal </i>uses sound to evoke space and experience is unparalleled this year. By interweaving audio tracks from a hearing perspective, the main character's muted experience, the sound of the world through aids, etc., <i>Sound of Metal</i> renders the world as a prism of sound, one in which peace is only available in stillness.</p><p>Honorable mention: video game chaos and impromptu band shenanigans in <i>We Are Little Zombies</i></p><p><b><u>Sound Editing</u></b></p><p><b>5. <i>Possessor</i></b>-for the industrial-strength splat!s of the blood geysers alone, but also for the determined hum of the machines, the cyclone hallucination sounds, and icepick melodies of all those stab wounds.</p><p><b>4. <i>We Are Little Zombies</i></b>-beeps, boops, zaps, flying jellyfish, 8-bit carnage and catharsis.</p><p><b>3. <i>Love and Monsters</i></b>-for the curious, stentorian grumbles of the monsters, the otherworldly sonic similarity of the new world to our old one, robots whose movements sound vaguely nostalgic, and the miniature tink! of a spear trying to kill a crab and failing.</p><p><b>2. <i>Birds of Prey</i></b>-funhouse hammer bops, overblown firework explosions, and gun battles like overexcited popcorn.</p><p><b>1. <i>Sound of Metal</i></b>-big copy/paste from the sound mixing category: what <i>Sound of Metal</i> does is revelatory, and deserves all the accolades it can get.</p><p>Honorable mention: fun and learning with Cthulu in <i>Underwater</i></p><p><b><u>Original Song</u></b></p><p><b>5. "Brand New Story"-<i>Ride Your Wave</i></b>-a bubblegum-pink pop ballad that will have you cheering or getting weepy, depending on the moment. Because of how it's used in the plot, I cannot imagine anyone leaving this film <i>not</i> singing 'ki mi KA' as they exit the (...virtual) theater.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFSLmGI7heg" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFSLmGI7heg</a><br /></p><p><b>4. "Io si"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Life Ahead</i>-look, I am a sucker for Diane Warren power ballads, just like the rest of the world. I can't help it. I had this song listed at like...14th place twenty minutes ago, and now here we are. I can't fight it.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imjSm7FNmwE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imjSm7FNmwE</a><br /></p><p><b>3. "Edgar's Prayer"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar</i>-it's such a bummer that I can't share this whole scene with you, as it's one of the great moments of cinematic silliness, but this'll have to do. This isn't even a musical! Jamie Dornan just turns to the camera and starts singing about how he's gonna spin himself into the ground like a baby ballerina! This movie is a masterpiece.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCe4votU-8A" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCe4votU-8A</a><br /></p><p><b>2. "Your Name Engraved Herein"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Your Name Engraved Herein</i>-comes as a real gut-punch in the context of the narrative, and then comes again as a *second* gut-punch as the slow, gentle version plays over the last moments of the movie. A great example of using a song as a narrative point to stellar effect, and the song itself is lovely as well.<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PThAcbA8z6I" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PThAcbA8z6I</a><br /></p><p><b>1. "Husavik"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga</i>-there are just far too many things that I can't resist. A massive power ballad! Silly, wonderful costumes! Rachel McAdams! The movie's conflict being solved by a Talent Show (basically)! A dramatic switch to Icelandic! And only one thing I don't (what is the half-life of a Will Ferrell, and when is it safe to put him in the side of a mountain forever?)! Be still my heart.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjuphuG3ndw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjuphuG3ndw</a><br /></p><p>Honorable mention: Leslie Odom Jr.'s impassioned "Speak Now" from <i>One Night in Miami</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>And that's for year-end lists, if you can believe it (and I <i>definitely </i>can, since my hands feel like they are made of butter and tears). You're not done with me yet, as I'll be posting Oscar predictions tomorrow, and nomination reactions the day after (it's a busy time for this blog, so get ready to shelter in place), but that's it for the lists! They've taken plenty out of me this year, but I'm glad, as always, that I made the time and energy to do it. </p><p>For those playing along at home, these were the movies that showed up most frequently on the lists:</p><p><i>Sound of Metal</i>-8<br /><i>First Cow</i>-6<br /><i>Minari</i>-6<br /><i>Nomadland</i>-5<br /><i>The Invisible Man</i>-5</p><p>As for wins, <i>Sound of Metal</i> was the only movie to win more than one category, winning five (Picture, Director, Supporting Actor, Sound Mixing, and Sound Editing). </p><p>So that's that! As always, thanks so much for reading (if you are, and even if you haven't!). I very much appreciate it. </p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-42996751463738374122021-03-11T17:10:00.001-07:002021-03-11T17:10:22.032-07:00Best of 2020, Part 2: Acting, Directing, Screenplays<p> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dfqP96sXI4kOR_fXdc4_TYfGBLHsp42UedKuSJkBKuasMVvdF04v_ekXg93r6VUcTPpALAicCNpuSWk4sfH805t8YGCVFt42nKM1hyypQZheDZr0oGPfO8Cc4CUiUalr0owBCL2oV2iX/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1095" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_dfqP96sXI4kOR_fXdc4_TYfGBLHsp42UedKuSJkBKuasMVvdF04v_ekXg93r6VUcTPpALAicCNpuSWk4sfH805t8YGCVFt42nKM1hyypQZheDZr0oGPfO8Cc4CUiUalr0owBCL2oV2iX/w269-h320/image.png" width="269" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ACTING</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Year in and year out, I find myself in a bit of a mid-list rut that has persisted since I decided to sit down and write every best-of moment at once and then post it on myspace (I gave best actor to Clint Eastwood. It was a dark time). For whatever reason, I just don't know what to say about all the big name categories. Like, I have <i>so much</i> to share with you about the spurt-y blood effects in <i>Possessor</i> or weird birdcage dresses in <i>Emma </i>or the carnivorous sets in <i>Promising Young Woman</i>, but I can't say I've got much impart about actors or writers or directors. It's a mystery, and you'd think I'd have accepted it by now, rather than complaining about it anew every year, but I am who I am (and who I am is stubborn trash).</p><p>So here's the deal: if you're looking for a punishingly long movie rundown in which you get to read lovingly crafted mini-essays about all the below-the-line aspects of filmmaking, come down tomorrow and you won't be disappointed. For now, however, rather than trying to say something about everyone, I'm just going to present my five nominees in the acting, writing, and directing categories, followed by some brief thoughts on the category at large. Which means this might only take you 10 minutes to read, rather than the rest of the year, and it'll only take me an hour or two to write, rather than until the heat death of the universe! What a concept. So let's get to it--I shall gird my loins and grit my teeth and all those other important gestures I apparently need to say nice things about acting.</p><p>Note: I've scattered a few youtube clips of the performances throughout. No rhyme or reason, just whatever I felt like going to find, whenever I felt like finding it.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Best Actress</u><br />5. Frances McDormand-<i>Nomadland</i><br />4. Wunmi Mosaku-<i>His House</i><br />3. Rachel McAdams-<i>Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga</i><br />2. Sidney Flanigan-<i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i><br />1. Viola Davis-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Radha Blank-<i>The Forty-Year-Old Version</i></p><p>A wacky kind of category this year, in that I legitimately played with all of the top 4 the #1 spot, and I think my ranking would change all over again if you asked me tomorrow. How do you deny Wunmi Masaku's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiXzUbw56RU" target="_blank">haunted stoicism</a>, or Rachel McAdams carrying the whole film on her sunny ridiculous shoulders? (Nothing this year made me laugh harder than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUl2K0Aos10" target="_blank">"the elves went too far!"</a>) It's <i>so</i> tempting to give the whole deal to McAdams--she falls in love with Will Ferrell and makes it seem real! How's that not Oscar-worthy? Still, the real contest is probably between Flanigan and Davis, and it's difficult to deny the way Flanigan moves and speaks like an embankment, right up to the moment she crumbles and then re-assembles herself (definitely check out the scene from <i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i> that won the best scene of the year in the post from yesterday). But ultimately I had to stick with Davis's megalith of a woman, all gestures and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cpzh-56bz0" target="_blank">ambitions</a> and flouted love compressed like a neutron star.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Actor</u><br />5. Clarke Peters-<i>Da 5 Bloods</i><br />4. Steven Yeun-<i>Minari</i><br />3. Chadwick Boseman-<i>Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</i><br />2. Riz Ahmed-<i>Sound of Metal</i><br />1. Delroy Lindo-<i>Da 5 Bloods</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Kingsley Ben-Adir-<i>One Night in Miami</i></p><p>Another great category here. Particularly happy to give Clarke Peters a shout-out, since awards bodies don't seem to be interested--absolutely nothing in <i>Da 5 Bloods </i>would work if it didn't have Peters as the gentle beating heart at its center. Also love to see Steven Yeun in this post <i>Walking Dead</i> phase of his career, where he continues to deliver difficult, nuanced performances. Chadwick Boseman has been winning the lion's share of prizes this year, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3fTu0BSBso" target="_blank">with good reason</a>: his turn in <i>Ma Rainey</i> is as ferocious and dedicated as anything you'll see this year. I <i>almost</i> went with Riz Ahmed, who would easily win this category in another year--what a masterclass of restraint and interiority (shame there aren't any great youtube clips, but seriously, go watch the movie--but not this week, as I am re-re-encouraging you to participate in the Amazon boycott that lasts until the 13th). But I couldn't put anyone above Delroy Lindo this year, who navigates the wildest turns of an already wild movie with grace. Lindo's character sees ghosts, he says, and it's not difficult to take him at face value. And remember that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyGrsPzyR5o" target="_blank">impossible, minutes-long monologue</a> to the camera near the end of the film? How difficult it must have been to pull that off <i>at all</i>, much less sell it with the energy and conviction that Lindo brings. Just a fantastic, charismatic, lived-in performance, and it'll be a real bummer if he gets passed over by the Academy.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actress</u><br />5. Youn Yuh-jung-<i>Minari</i><br />4. Yeri Han-<i>Minari</i><br />3. Maria Bakalova-<i>Borat Subsequent Moviefilm</i><br />2. Candice Bergen-<i>Let Them All Talk</i><br />1. Miranda Hart-<i>Emma.</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Molly Parker-<i>Pieces of a Woman</i></p><p>Another strong showing for <i>Minari</i>'s stellar ensemble--couldn't decide between Youn Yuh-jung's scrappy grandma and Yeri Han's mix of defeat and tenacity, so I just went with both. Bakalova is ridiculous but undeniable--somehow, improbably, this <i>Borat </i>sequel has a legitimate emotional arc <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCcJidq9ov4" target="_blank">whose power</a> comes entirely from Bakalova's giddiness and loyalty. Plus, she's doing improv comedy in a second language with people who literally might start shooting if they knew what was going on. I know we don't grade on degree of difficulty, but come on. (Also, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fOIjEPl7cE" target="_blank">"I swallowed the baby"</a> made me aspirate half of my entire meal.) (Uh, tw: talk of abortion, implied incest in that clip, because it's a Borat movie.) Candice Bergen never plays down, even when the film is playing down on her, playing the broke palimpsest queen of the cruise ship. My top choice, though, has gone completely under the radar. Maybe I've got a very specific Miranda Hart-related weakness? Every time I see her in a movie, I want to toss a bunch of golden statues at her, but nobody else every joins me on that particular train. But Hart is such a joy to watch here: silly, clever, kind, and confused, the kind of woman who has already forgiven life for what it has done to her, but still doesn't quite know what to do in return. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF2QheaP4vk&t=50s" target="_blank">This picnic scene</a> is the clear Oscar clip (if that were happening, which it's not, tragically), but it doesn't necessarily convey the way she radiates her own warm into the rest of an (intentionally) chilly movie.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Supporting Actor</u><br />5. Daniel Kaluuya-<i>Judas and the Black Messiah</i><br />4. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II-<i>The Trial of the Chicago 7</i><br />3. Chris Lowell-<i>Promising Young Woman</i><br />2. Aldis Hodge-<i>One Night in Miami</i><br />1. Paul Raci-<i>Sound of Metal</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Bo Burnham-<i>Promising Young Woman</i></p><p>Some very off-consensus picks here and some very on-consensus ones. Kaluuya, arguably the Oscar frontrunner, makes for a stirring Fred Hampton--the oration sequences alone are worth the price of admission. Abdul-Mateen II and Hodge feel like the clear standouts of their respective large ensembles to me, but the conversation at large hasn't really mirrored that (and both are missing on Youtube as well, with their more famous screen partners burning all the available oxygen). I might be courting controversy by including Chris Lowell; I don't want to spoil the film if you haven't seen it, but I freely acknowledge that singling him out over every performance in the film is...a choice. But the petulance and the pathetic way he screws up his face to cry have stuck with me, and it's my party, so here he is. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdsvDsOn-zw" target="_blank">Here's a scene,</a> but definitely don't click on it if you haven't seen the movie already.) Which brings us to Paul Raci, who's the clear and obvious winner, and is probably my pick for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Wqw02_cp0" target="_blank">performance of the year</a> (give or take Delroy Lindo). </p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Director</u></p><p>5. Kelly Reichardt-<i>First Cow</i><br />4. Emerald Fennell-<i>Promising Young Woman</i><br />3. Chloe Zhao-<i>Nomadland</i><br />2. Eliza Hittman-<i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i><br />1. Darius Marder-<i>Sound of Metal</i></p><p>Honorable mention: Isabel Sandoval-<i>Lingua Franca</i></p><p>Lots of wonderful choices this year, from Reichardt's stew of control and intuition, the wild provocations and immaculate framing that Emerald Fennell threw into <i>Promising Young Woman</i>, and soon-to-be Oscar winner Chloe Zhao's keen eye for lives lived circling the margins in <i>Nomadland</i>. It would have been easy to give #1 to Eliza Hittman, whose even-handedness and dogged downplaying of real-life horrors are a real achievement. But the choice was ultimately (a little too) easy for me, as Marder put together one of the most well-crafted and observed movies of the year and made it sing, if only to itself.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Original Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>Relic</i><br />4. <i>Becurau</i><br />3. <i>Minari</i><br />2. <i>Sound of Metal</i><br />1. <i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>The Forty-Year-Old Version</i></p><p>Eclectic group of nominees here, from the labyrinthine memory horror of <i>Relic</i> to the genre-mashing antics of <i>Bacurau</i>. I don't necessarily love <i>Minari</i> as much as everyone else (though you'd be hard-pressed to see that, given all its mentions thus far), but I couldn't deny the grace and depth with which it blends childhood and migration narratives. Almost put <i>Sound of Metal</i> at the top, as my love for that movie is clearly just a little out of control, but decided at the last minute on <i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i>'s immaculate structure and heavy silences.</p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">Adapted Screenplay</u><br />5. <i>The Invisible Man</i><br />4. <i>Emma.</i><br />3. <i>One Night in Miami</i><br />2. <i>Nomadland</i><br />1. <i>First Cow</i></p><p>Honorable mention: <i>News of the World</i></p><p>I've been struggling all year to fill this category--somehow most of what I watched wasn't adapted, and if it was, I didn't love it. So I've rounded out my nominees somewhat by default, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to be found here, like <i>Invisible Man</i>'s clever genre reworking or the way that <i>Emma</i>. skips over its source material like a rock sliding over ice. <i>One Night in Miami</i> is a great example of how to adapt a stage play, if you're looking for something that is both loyal to the theater experience and a successful piece of film. <i>Nomadland</i> would be a great call, I'm giving it to <i>First Cow</i>'s look at frontier entrepreneurship, the possibility of dreams, and the inevitable ugliness baked into the founding American myths.</p><p><br /></p><p>And once again, that's it for tonight! I'll be back tomorrow (or Saturday, depending on real-world responsibilities) to wax poetic about CGI faces sci-fi laser sounds, and I'll be back again on Sunday to offer up some predictions for Monday's Oscar predictions. </p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-55359575131390048092021-03-10T18:11:00.004-07:002021-03-10T21:28:04.194-07:00Best of 2020, Part 1: The Top 20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-VqZChhYsOmUy-XH2H52vL5EuNAScvPFe-vVjj-ltNHTHYoeRa0-ghuS2zzg71k-sw81mxSfMhYljQSSTo-QNhQtrYLcTkR0sgOiWQq-KksvrO2bijBp9NN3HYvf8X-GQQ3dNN74n9Za/s1280/wild+mountain+thyme+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-VqZChhYsOmUy-XH2H52vL5EuNAScvPFe-vVjj-ltNHTHYoeRa0-ghuS2zzg71k-sw81mxSfMhYljQSSTo-QNhQtrYLcTkR0sgOiWQq-KksvrO2bijBp9NN3HYvf8X-GQQ3dNN74n9Za/w400-h225/wild+mountain+thyme+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Well then.</p><p>What a <i>goddamn year</i> we have all had since the last time I posted something here. It feels gauche to try and sum up everything that's happened in some pithy but respectful way before pivoting to something miniature like my movie year, but it also feels gauche to pretend that nothing happened at all, so I'll split the difference by trying to mime the apocalypse and then sitting quietly in my apartment for a year and assume that y'all get what I mean.</p><p>Now, my year in movies is certainly a tiny little drop in a large and very sad bucket, but it's my drop, and this space is my own dumb bucket, so I assume that if you're here, you're willing to shrink your world to a scale in which all this can feel relevant. And what a year for movies it was and wasn't, where the question of whether or not cinema was going to scrape through 2020 in any kind of meaningful form reared its ugly head. Well, yes and no. It turns out that cinema, like roaches, cargo shorts, and Denny's, is here to stay, no matter how hard we all try to make them go away. The dire predictions that movies themselves would cease to be, dissolving into the ether with one final, defeated wail, seem to be have been exaggerated. That said, moviegoing as a concept might still be on its last legs. There's a debate to be had on streaming vs. the theater experience, but I don't want to have it, so I'm gonna just cross my fingers and hope.</p><p>As to the year itself: I acknowledge that posting a dump of 'Best of 2020' lists in mid-March seems poorly timed, but movie schedules (and my own silly whims) are inevitable, so here we are. Partly, this delay comes from multiple release date delays, where the biggest prestige-y releases moved from November-December to January-February (some of which still haven't opened yet in an accessible way) (I am glaring at you, <i>The Father</i>--I'm rooting against all your Oscar hopes just because making people wait til April is a heinous crime). Partly, the delay mirrors the Oscar/prestige movie season calendar. Normally, I'd post these lists a couple weeks before the Oscars (mid-February) and call it good. Following that metric, I theoretically have until mid-April to match my own yearly traditions, but I didn't want the grim specter of these lists and the very minor pressures they exert following me around another month (truly, I have the hardest life).</p><p>But the biggest delay was me. Simply stated, this year took away most of my movie-loving oomph. I know that I have an <i>immense</i> level of privilege to have been paid to work from home for the past year, and that neither the violence perpetrated by the past regime's policies, nor the social inequities (currents that were always there) fought over last year were targeted at a cis white man like me. My shit was easy, and I recognize that, but nevertheless the general malaise of being a person in 2020 was enough to take me out of the movies, enough so that I legitimately believed that I wasn't going to do these for 2020. But then, something dumb and wondrous happened: the Golden Globes released their nominations at the beginning of February, and I realized that I'd hardly seen anything nominated. And I would be damned all the way to Mega-Hell before I let the Golden Globes have more informed opinions than I did about the movie year. Imagine. </p><p>So, I got my ass in gear. At the start of February, I'd seen 19 movies from the 2020 calendar year. Now, 5-ish weeks later, I'm sitting on 74. Which, strangely, is tied for the second highest number of movies I've seen from a year when it's time to sit down and write some lists (thus definitively proving, for now and all time, that grad school has had a stronger negative effect on me than the actual apocalypse). While there are still some glaring omissions in my viewing, I feel great about how far I've come, and am thrilled to have resurrected something that I loved. The world is gonna have to try a whole lot harder to keep me from wasting your time and mine with thousands of words about why <i>Barb and Star</i> is masterpiece we need right now. (Note to the universe: this is not an invitation. I am very tired and am doing my best.)</p><p>2020 was an...eclectic movie year, to say the least (and should we expect anything less?), so I imagine and hope that these lists will also be a little goofy. But horrific year or no, there were plenty of stellar options if you were willing to look around--and since the multiplexes were swallowed by the earth and the big blockbusters and Marvel movies shrunk into the night, the only way you saw anything at all this year is if you were willing to look. And if you didn't know where to start, then it's your lucky day! I have a metric shit-ton of opinions, and all of them are objectively correct. And what's out there is really wonderful--I've got 25 movies that all feel like they need to be in the top 20 (or even top 10), and no idea which ones make it in. Chaos!</p><p>If you're new here (which is certainly not the case, as the only people still reading already signed a blood pact with me decades ago that requires them to come back), then here's how the format works. I'll rattle off my top 20 of the year, while doing my very best not to lovingly drown brevity in my bathtub. This means I've imposed a two-sentence limit on myself per film, because a) I am very old, and my withered hands can only type for so long before blowing away in the wind, and b) I will at least pretend to respect your time, if not my own. All that said, I break this rule every single year (and have already disrespected brevity to an upsetting degree), so we'll see how it goes. After that, I'll offer some more thoughts on the best scenes and the worst movies of the year, if you still need something to read.</p><p>(You know what? We are all sitting in our homes in quiet desperation, begging for any kind of distraction for even a moment. I gotta stop apologizing for giving you something to read. You're welcome. I have venmo and cashapp.)</p><p>In interest of transparency, here's a list of the movies I saw this year. It's difficult to identify exactly where the holes in my viewing are (though international fare is always a big sticking point), given the whole movie year could be reduced a flat list on a couple streaming websites, but here we are. Sorry to <i>Driveways, The Father, Beanpole, Shirley, She Dies Tomorrow, French Exit, Kajillionaire, Swallow, </i>etc. Also, a note on <i>Small Axe</i>: I've decided that, since it was conceived of as a TV offering and was made as such, and director Steve McQueen is on record saying that he intended it to be TV, I'm gonna go ahead and call it TV and say none of the individual films of the series are eligible here. And I think that's fine? Lately, we seem to do this thing where if something on TV is good enough, we stop saying it's TV and give it honorary film status. Why? I think it's ok for things to be themselves. There may be a perception that TV implies a lesser quality, but I don't know if we need to perpetuate that. And, of course, the distinction (or lack thereof) between streaming and theatrical releases further confuses this, particularly in a year where all theatrical releases are hypothetical. I'm definitely not saying that if you've got <i>Small Axe</i> as a film or films, you're wrong. You're probably right! But I'm an obstinate young thing, so here we are. This also applies to TV films like <i>Bad Education</i>, miniseries like <i>I May Destroy You </i>or <i>It's a Sin</i>, etc.</p><p>Here's what I saw:</p><p><i>#Alive, </i><i>Ammonite, Amulet, And Then We Danced, Another Round, The Assistant, </i><i>Bacurau, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Birds of Prey,</i><i> Black Bear, </i><i>Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, </i><i>Calm with Horses, Collective, Crip Camp, Da 5 Bloods, </i><i>Dick Johnson is Dead, </i><i>Emma., Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, </i><i>First Cow, The Forty-Year-Old Version, Gretel and Hansel,Happiest Season, Hillbilly Elegy, His House, I'm No Longer Here, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, </i><i>The Invisible Man, Judas and the Black Messiah, Let Them All Talk, The Life Ahead, </i><i>Lingua Franca, The Little Things,</i><i> La Llorona, Love and Monsters, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Mank, The Midnight Sky, </i><i>Minari, Miss Juneteenth, </i><i>Monsoon, Mulan, </i><i>Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The New Mutants, </i><i>News of the World, Nomadland, Onward, One Night in Miami, Palm Springs, Pieces of a Woman, </i><i>Possessor, The Prom, </i><i>Promising Young Woman, Relic, The Rental, </i><i>Ride Your Wave, Sorry We Missed You, </i><i>Soul, </i><i>Sound of Metal, A Sun, Tenet, </i><i>Time, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Underwater, </i><i>Undine, The Vast of Night, Vitalina Varela, The Way Back, </i><i>We Are Little Zombies, </i><i>Welcome to Chechnya, </i><i>Wild Mountain Thyme, </i><i>Wolfwalkers, Your Name Engraved Herein</i></p><p><br />Alright, without further ado (a crushing blow to big fans of ado), let's get to it!</p><p>(just a heads up: a piece of these here and there might be stolen from my letterboxd review, because either a) I liked what I wrote there and thought it would add something here or b) was being very lazy)</p><p>(second heads up: I'll list where these movies are available to stream. Some of these titles are available to rent on Amazon, but I'd like to take a second to encourage you to observe the Amazon boycott in support of unionizing workers that lasts through Saturday, March 13th.)</p><p><br /></p><p>Honorable mentions: I'm going to break tradition this year and give five, five! honorable mentions ("what?" you shriek, clutching your pearls), because movies #25-12 are all at basically the same level, and could switch orders at the slightest provocation. So, although they didn't grab a somewhat arbitrary top 20 slot, I'm still grateful for the stillness and horrific accountability of <i>La Llorona, </i>the warmth and character of <i>Miss Juneteenth</i>, the wounded placelessness of <i>Monsoon</i>, the romance and motion of <i>And Then We Danced</i>, and the night terrors of <i>His House</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><b>20. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Vast of Night</i><b> (dir. Andrew Patterson)</b><br />A comforting (maybe too comforting?) blend of intimacy and spookiness, complete with a couple of long takes (and an ending) that are pretty dazzling in their confidence and execution. I admire the ambition of this small-scale sci-fi, drifting somewhere between a radio play and a one-take movie.<br />(streaming on Amazon Prime)</p><p><b>19. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Invisible Man </i><span style="font-weight: bold;">(</span><b>dir. Leigh Whannell)</b><br />Lots of horror films carrying the weight of their own allegories this year (two of which, <i>His House</i> and <i>La Llorona, </i>are in the honorable mentions and absolutely deserve your time) vying for attention, but I've given the slightest edge to this claustrophobic take domestic abuse (and maybe that edge only comes from the fact that I saw this in theaters). A claustrophobic and ingenious spin on the source material that contains some of the most shocking moments of the year.<br />(streaming on HBO max, rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, etc.)</p><p><b>18. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Wolfwalkers</i><b> (dir. Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart)</b><br />One of the most beautiful animated movies I've ever seen--the rare kind of work that feels like it's taught you things about your imagination that you didn't know. The color, the music, the expressive lines that melt into abstractions during emotional scenes, all pulling together to create remarkable and distinctive constellations.<br />(streaming only on Apple TV, unfortunately)</p><p><b>17. <i>Minari</i> (dir. Lee Isaac Chung</b>)<br />Such an intimate and striking portrait of a family doing their best--cliché to call something quintessentially American, but it fits here. Remarkable work from one of the best ensembles of the year: can't recall anything that's quietly taken my breath away like the way Steven Yeun and Yeri Han look at each other/the camera in a crucial scene near the end.<br />(rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, etc., for a hefty fee)</p><p><b>16. <i>Emma. </i>(dir. Autumn de Wilde</b>)<br />Surprised by the staying power of this sassy Easter basket Jane Austen adaptation, but it's stuck with me all year: the way it 'opens up' Jane Austen and makes it modern without seeming to strain for it, the way it braids music into and out of the onscreen action, the way it navigates multiple tonal shifts from farce to romance to (light) tragedy and back in the space of a single scene. Throw in the precarious, eye-popping costumes and the most ravishable male cast this side of <i>Magic Mike</i> and there you go.<br />(streaming on HBO max, rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, etc.)</p><p><b>15. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar</i> <b>(dir. Josh Greenbaum</b>)<br />The unhinged, wholesome antics we all needed from a 2020 comedy, where the beaches are magic, the hair is big, and Jamie Dornan sings to seagulls and it feels right. Like Trish rising from the sea, <i>Barb and Star</i> gave us a world of goofy wonder when those qualities were needed most.<br />(rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, etc., but for a fairly significant fee)</p><p><b>14. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Wild Mountain Thyme </i><b>(dir. John Patrick Shanley)</b><br />Why yes, I <i>do</i> have 2020's lurid, critically reviled fever dream about horny sad farmers with destinies in my top 20--you can thank your lucky goddamn stars that it's not in my top 10. A totally singular experience that I started watching and enjoying ironically, but soon forgot to be ironic about it--very stupid, very silly, very overwrought, puzzling, romantic (I guess), and totally perfect, with what is arguably the single most surprising sentence in the history of film, or possibly the English language.(rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, etc.)</p><p><b>13. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Forty-Year-Old Version</i><b> (dir. Radha Blank)</b><br />What a total delight this movie is, and a singular effort from Radha Blank, who writes, directs, produces, acts, raps, and rocks the hell out of an evening gown/tux jacket combo. One of the funniest movies of the year, and one of the sweetest, all while never losing the little seeds of anger and grief that motivate the protagonist.<br />(streaming on Netflix)</p><p><b>12. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">One Night in Miami </i><b>(dir. Regina King)</b><br />Another movie anchored by a fantastic cast, this one essentially a four-hander playing four icons taking a moment to sit and reflect. A little stagy, but the staginess preserves and accentuates how the energy ebbs and flows between everyone, different peaks and match-ups growing organically out of the last.<br />(streaming on Amazon Prime)</p><p><b>11. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Relic</i><b> (dir. Natalie Erika James)</b><br />Such an ugly and upsetting movie that nevertheless retains a degree of tenderness, crawling over broken glass and down a well to find itself again. An taut and hideous horror movie, a look at love across generations, and the closest we'll probably ever get to a Danielewski/<i>House of Leaves</i> adaptation--plus one of the best endings of the year.<br />(rentable on Google Play and Youtube)</p><p><b>10. <i>Promising Young Woman</i> (dir. Emerald Fennell</b>)<br />Where to even start with this one? The casting is fantastic, the kind of casting that illustrates what an invisible art looks like when it screams at you, and the whole ensemble is great, the framing/costuming/color choices are wild, and every single needle drop is on point. So how the hell do I feel about the rest of it? I'm honestly not sure. We can debate if the ending is successful or if it's wish fulfillment (or if it's successful <i>because</i> it's wish fulfillment), and we can talk about the film's ratio of respectful to exploitative in regards to using sexual abuse to drive a storyline, and we can talk about whether the movie wants to give us a girl-power revenge fantasy, or if that's just what the advertising tried to sell--we can talk about all these things, but I don't know that it makes a difference. It's ridiculous to say that the conversation, and not its content, is the point, but to an extent...maybe? Love it or hate it, people who see this movie have <i>thoughts</i>. It's a scream of thereness about something that makes people avert their eyes. Massive, strange, disturbed and disturbing. I don't even know if I like this movie, but I've thought about it more than most of the movies I've seen in the past year. Go get it Paris Hilton!<br />(rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, etc. for a hefty fee)</p><p>(Take that brevity! Get in my bathtub and start drinking!)<br />(I don't know.)</p><p><b>9. <i>Lingua Franca</i> (dir. Isabel Sandoval</b>)<br />A lovely lowkey movie in which warmth and anxiety sleep in the same bed. I love how sensual and observant this movie is, due no doubt to Sandoval's careful attention to the choreography of bodies, individually or together, and attention to the holes in a life that stillness fills, for better or worse. <br />(streaming on Netflix)</p><p><b>8. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Nomadland</i><b> (dir. Chloe Zhao)</b><br />A gorgeous and delicate portait that Zhao carves out of the silent spaces of the American West. It's tough to make big and empty feel positive and necessary, and even more tough to do so with a series of little moments of fullness. <i>Nomadland</i> is a kinetoscope of grief, of the way that endings grow out of beginnings, and vice versa, and deserves all the accolades it's been receiving. The way we experience so little of the people on screen beyond the little events of their day--what it's like to refurbish a van, to be a line cook, or to sit quietly in the desert and wait for nothing. There's a quietness here that feels rare, both in movies and in the world at large. Plus, it's one of the most visually stunning movies of the year: I think this is the first movie I've seen from last year where I felt truly gutted that I didn't see it on a big screen.<br />(streaming on Hulu)</p><p><b>7. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Bacurau </i><b>(dir. Juliano Dornelles and Kleber Mendonca Filho)</b><br />Absolutely bonkers: what a joy to get something this angry and unhinged. I hesitate to say anything at all about this movie, since it's best experienced when you've got absolutely no idea what you're in for, but if you want some idea, gird your loins for a murderous Udo Keir, UFO drones, sudden horrific violence, soup, corruption, drugs, etc. (not necessarily in that order). The kind of movie where you need to scrape your jaw off the floor every few minutes. It's drunk on its own audacity, and rightfully so--a furious festering wound scraped into the landscape by the colonial legacy, the influence of a gleefully corrupt and and despotic government, erupting in a moment that lasts a second and a century.<br />(streaming on the Criterion Channel, rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, etc.)</p><p><b>6. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets</i><b> (dir. Bill Ross, Turner Ross)</b><br />I'm still staggered and astounded by this one, which I rented on a whim months ago. A documentary about a local bar closing at the height of the recession (that was filmed recently in a bar that is not closing, populated by non-actors found in other bars), <i>Bloody Nose</i>... has more authenticity and empathy growing out of its pockets than it knows what to do with. This isn't to say that the bar, or its patrons, gets romanticized or idealized, just that they occupy space, and all the monstrosities and joys that that entails, at least for one night.<br />(rentable on amazon, google play, youtube, etc.)</p><p><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dick Johnson is Dead</i><b> (dir. Kirsten Johnson)</b><br />Another documentary with a tightrope premise: what if the filmmaker films her aging father until he dies for real? Holding time in your hands like it's made of silk, and trying not to let it wrap around your hands, in case you start to believe that it can stay there. For whatever reason, I think about the old TV stars and their families all the time--how nice, or maybe not, it must be to have hours and hours of proof of who they or their loved one used to be. Or maybe watching it makes the passage of time just a little too sharp. Or hey, maybe no one has actually ever gotten any catharsis from watching, I dunno, the the 70s run of All My Children. Anyway. More documentaries with a dancing Jesus in them.<br />(streaming on Netflix)</p><p><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Time</i><b> (dir. Garrett Bradley)</b><br />Three documentaries in the top 10 is certainly a rarity for me, but that's the kind of year it is. Astounding how an 82-minute movie can make time and waiting so tangible. No, maybe that's not entirely accurate. It's not that the film makes the passage of time manifest; it destroys it entirely, crushing it under an industrial press, so that children rub shoulders with teens rub shoulders with adults, and the distinctions don't matter because they all happen in the same hypothetical negative space. Bradley's look at the punishing effects of incarceration on one family underline the utter injustice of what its subjects experience by feats of subtraction. I've read reviews that wanted this movie to show the passage of time more concretely and chronologically, but why? The footage we see shot across decades spills into two pools--waiting and not waiting--and every moment that belongs to waiting sutures itself to the rest. At any rate, it's a poignant and necessary movie--take 90 minutes and watch it.<br />(streaming on amazon prime)<br /></p><p>(Just wanted to step in and marvel not only at the relative strangeness of having three documentaries in a row, but also at how they're all, in their own way, about figuring out how to pass time, or to let time pass you)</p><p><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i><b> (dir. Eliza Hittman)</b><br />Another movie to make you feel quietly angry and bolstered, but at what cost, on a Friday night (and what does anyone want, if not that?). The film's "Rural Teen Abortion Odyssey" logline doesn't really do much work as far as selling it is concerned, and I can't honestly claim that the movie isn't essentially what you're expecting. Still, if you're in the mood for some bracing realism, you'd be hard-pressed to find something better than Hittman's muted journey out of hell to a slightly larger hell, and then back again. <i>Never Rarely</i>... never overstates its case, nor tries to sensationalize things to get the audience inside. Instead, quiet moments cascade like a tidal wave in a snow globe--there's no real escape to be had, but you do what you can. But when the movie does decide to punch, it punches <i>hard</i>: the scene from which the movie gets its title is as powerful and upsetting as anything I saw in movies this year. And for all the exploitation and the pain, there are tiny moments of strength, if not joy. Holding a friend's pinkie around a corner isn't nothing, and the film sings when its two teenage protagonists see and understand each other.<br />(streaming on HBO max, rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube etc.)</p><p><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">First Cow</i><b> (dir. Kelly Reichardt)</b><br />Dreams, like baking, are hard: everything has to go exactly right at the exact right moment, with the exact right materials, and even then, it still might not matter. This is even more true when trying to bake (or dream) in a world excited to watch you fail, and ready to help you along the way. If <i>Minari</i> is the year's quintessentially American movie, then <i>First Cow</i> is its relative from 200 years prior, old bones waiting in the dirt to remind people of their own size. Reichardt's film is one of the most precisely controlled and carefully observed of the year: think of the way the entire film changes when Toby Jones looks sideways toward the camera, nothing emphasized or underlined except the way that slide re-builds a hierarchy that had been coming down, or the way the camera lingers on a crestfallen young worker who doesn't get to buy himself a biscuit, and how this moment of spontaneous empathy curdles into something worse as the film progresses. Throw in the evocative, minimalist design and some disgustingly pretty cinematography, and you've got the recipe (heh) (I've got to drop this already tenuous baking thing) for something truly special. I do wish that the film allowed itself to be more explicitly queer (the director herself said that she only sees the two men at the center of the movie as friends, but like...I don't know), but I still love it for what it is: a lonely forest poem about what it's like to get crushed by capitalism.<br />(streaming on Showtime, rentable on Amazon, Google Play, Youtube etc.)</p><p><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Sound of Metal</i><b> (dir. Darius Marder)</b><br />At first, I wondered if I only loved this movie because it happened to be the right movie at the right time. And certainly, that contributed: it was the first movie I watched to break my months-long movie slump, and deals with a character who loses something he loves, and has to learn how to love it differently, or find something new. Granted, I'm not in any way comparing anything that's happened in my life to the challenges that this character, or anyone in the deaf community, have faced; I just mean that this movie was well primed to reach someone who was feeling a little empty, and was wondering how to re-examine that emptiness. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the immersive sound design (surely one of the technical achievements of the year), or the skull sessions between Paul Raci and Riz Ahmed's characters, or the film's large ensemble of deaf actors. <i>Sound of Metal</i> is a ragged, driven, frenetic work that is totally absorbing from the first shot to the note-perfect ending. But if we're being honest, I mostly just want to talk about how I felt watching it. How it helped me remember what I love about movies, and how to step outside of and then back into myself, and how happy and thankful I am that something got me there. Thinking about when I was baptized as a kid, standing in chest-high water and thinking on the way down that the pastor could easily drown me if he wanted to, everyone looking on and me with no way to stop it. Anyway, I don't know that the experience made me better or worse, but I didn't drown, at least not on that day.</p><p>(streaming on Amazon Prime)</p><p><br /></p><p>Well there we go! I've only been working for three-ish hours! It's worth briefly pointing out how films have directed by women have dominated the conversation this year. For my part, this is the first year where films directed by women have made up the majority of my top 20. <br />Now, I'm going to grab a snack, and then, if you've got more in you (and you've left already, so why wouldn't you?), I'll run through the best scenes and worst movies of the year.</p><p>(I'll try to link to the scenes on Youtube, but no promises)<br />(Also: I generally avoid endings on this list, so as to avoid spoilers, but I've ended up picking a few with spoilers anyhow, so watch out--I'll mention the ones that I think give away too much)</p><p><b>10. Face Reveal-</b><b style="font-style: italic;">Welcome to Chechnya</b><br />Because of the danger that openly queer Russians/people from Chechnya if their identities were made public, <i>Welcome to Chechnya</i> employs digital face-masking effects, allowing the emotions and expressions of its subjects to come through without compromising their safety. When one of the subjects decides to go public with the story of the abused he faced at the hands of Chechen authorities, his disguise melts away--it's a powerful and upsetting moment that underlines what's at stake.<br />(The only version of this available on youtube was recorded directly off of someone's TV, but here you go: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNC3hBCgERA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNC3hBCgERA</a>)</p><p><b>9. Stars are Blind-</b><b style="font-style: italic;">Promising Young Woman</b><br />On first blush, it's a total oasis--a ridiculous pharmacy singalong to Paris Hilton's "Stars are Blind" that is unapologetically joyful in a difficult film. In retrospect, it's...something else, but I love it both for the silliness and the way it morphs into a different experience later.<br />(No clip, sadly, but hey, go listen to the song! It's a banger.)</p><p><b>8. They're Up There Right Now-</b><b style="font-style: italic;">The Vast of Night</b><br />This movie is great at sticking its audience in a tense or uncomfortable situation and then making them stew in it for a while, and this late-movie confession, in which our intrepid investigators visit an old woman who claims to know about aliens. It's a great mix of paranoia and possibility--neither the characters nor the audience knows how seriously we should take this story. It helps that actress Gail Cronauer sells the absolute shit out of this moment.<br />(A brief clip of a long scene. Maybe a little spoilery? But I think it's fine--it doesn't give away anything I didn't already write. Also, I, uh, do not co-sign the description at this link, but it's the only version on Youtube, so: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKP1xp8AZ7A" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKP1xp8AZ7A </a>)</p><p><b>7. Human Resources-</b><b style="font-style: italic;">The Assistant</b><br />An infuriating and defeating piece of an angry, upsetting movie. Believing that her boss (a Harvey Weinstein stand-in) is taking advantage of a new young hire, Julia Garner's character goes to human resources to see what it is she can do. It's a masterclass in how entire systems are built to protect and maintain abusers, and how easy it is to be trampled underneath them.<br />(The second half of the scene, in which the HR guy stomps down on her complaint: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=972P9XLWyoE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=972P9XLWyoE</a></p><p><b>6. The Restaurant-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Invisible Man</i><br />Huuuuuge spoilers here, but I couldn't not include it, so. One of the more surprising scenes of the year.<br />(Again, big spoilers: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGHpgXgpSh4" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGHpgXgpSh4</a>)</p><p><b>5. Edgar's Song-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar</i><br />Look, when Jamie Dornan bursts into song about scampering up a palm tree, I have no choice. <br />(Tragically, the scene itself isn't on youtube, which is a bummer, cuz it's great, but here's the song itself, anyway: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCe4votU-8A" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCe4votU-8A</a>)</p><p><b>4. Chain Gang-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">One Night in Miami</i><br />Leslie Odom Jr.'s Sam Cooke flips a disastrous concert on its head. Such a great moment--the ensemble gets to shine together, Leslie Odom Jr. gets to flex his vocal muscles, and the moment itself, Cooke reconciling with Malcolm X, is indelible. <br />(<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMP_a1MhANA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMP_a1MhANA</a>)</p><p><b>3. Real Stillness-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Sound of Metal</i><br />Near the end of the second act, Riz Ahmed's character makes a decision that leads into direct conflict with Paul Raci's mentor. I won't talk about the details (spoilers), but this scene is a showcase of some of the year's most powerful acting. If you haven't seen this movie, go watch it! (...but not right away, as it's only available on Amazon, and I'll re-encourage you to participate in the Amazon boycott that lasts until the 13th.)<br />(no clip)</p><p><b>2. A Funeral-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dick Johnson is Dead</i><br />Going against my no end/near end scenes principle to include this one. I won't say anything, for fear of spoiling it, but I'll just say that it made me cry like a baby, and then laugh, and then cry again. What a great movie.<br />(no clip)</p><p><b>1. The Titular Scene-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Never Rarely Sometimes Always</i><br />This scene hits like a truck. Sidney Flanigan's pregnant teen has to answer some personal questions with 'never,' 'rarely,' 'sometimes,' and 'always.' What follows is a rare moment of emotional vulnerability (intended or not), and a window in the world that pushed her into the place she is now. It's a massive and painful feat of writing and acting.<br />(clip tw: discussions of physical/sexual assault. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfZ15TaQ3ZM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfZ15TaQ3ZM</a>)</p><p><br /></p><p>And finally, the worst movies of the year! While I don't want to dwell in negativity, there can be some joyful catharsis in burning down the things that don't spark joy. So let's burn some things! Do note that I avoided a lot of the movies that were widely regarded as bad, so this can just as easily stand as a most disappointing list. Still, shockingly, <i>Hillbilly Elegy</i> isn't gonna make this list. I'm flabbergasted too. But rest assured--it'd probably be #6. </p><p><b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Black Bear</i><br />How did this happen, and more importantly, what does anyone see in this? I hate calling a movie pretentious (lots of movies are pretentious, and so am I), but it's hard to think of a movie more obsessed with how great it is. Dumb, self-assured, weird about women. Not even Aubrey Plaza can save this.</p><p><b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The New Mutants</i><br />Look, the X-Men were such a pivotal part of childhood and adolescence that I'm gonna drag myself to every last one of these--I trudged out to a multiplex in Prague in February to catch an 11.00 pm showing of Logan just so I didn't miss it in theaters--but why does that have to be a punishment? What a waste of a decent premise and interesting and underused characters this movie is.</p><p><b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Little Things</i><br />This is apparently Oscar-bound, and I have trouble classifying what kind of crime against humanity that is, as it fits so many categories of crime against humanity. Terrible acting! Hopelessly derivative! Only in death can women be good! I swear if Jared Leto gets an Oscar nom for this I am going to eat my own arm.</p><p><b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Mulan</i><br />Is this a better film than <i>The Little Things</i>? ...Maybe, but it is still atrocious, and Disney deserves to be punished, so here we are. These live-action remakes are inherently artistically bankrupt, but this version also has the good/bad sense to remove everything that was interesting and worthwhile about the original and replace it with literally nothing. Throw in a <i>deeply</i> unnecessary chosen-one narrative: Mulan isn't special because she's loyal, or brave, or caring, she's special because she is literally the most magical person in China, and always has been. Just thinking about this makes my heart race with righteous fury.</p><p><b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Prom</i><br />Speaking of righteous fury: what the ACTUAL GODDAMN SHIT was anyone involved with this thinking? I'm not gonna beat a dead talentless comedian by reiterating that James Corden's performance is one of the worst in the history of cinema, and how you can see little gold statues dancing in his eyes during his big crying moment, what a monstrosity, and telling Ryan Murphy that his stuff is bad only makes him stronger. But like...had no one edited a feature film before being involved with this movie? Or been near music? God I hate this movie so much. It is so, so stupid. And so poorly made! Someone put Ryan Murphy in timeout, wherein 'timeout' means 'inside an active volcano.'</p><p><br /></p><p>And there you have it! I'll be back tomorrow with performances, screenplays, and directing, wherein I'm sure I will use too many words to say either too much or too little. But in the meantime--what do you think? What movies did I miss? What deserves another chance? </p><p><br /></p>Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-8794671285157799542020-02-08T12:09:00.001-07:002020-02-08T12:09:07.463-07:00Final 2019 Oscar PredictionsIf you're feeling vaguely blogged out, I can't say I blame you. I also tend to feel the exhaustion down into my overworked fingertips by the time I get to the end of the big February blog week, with Oscar rearing its inevitable leviathan head, forcing me to keep my own deadlines. But what can I say? For better or worse, spending entirely too much time writing overly elaborate movie posts in February is who I am. This is my <i>fifteenth</i> year of doing it, and no force on this or any other earth can stop me. And why should it? The Oscars are silly, they're serious, they're too much and not enough and why should anyone care? But for all their flaws, they set the pace, and the wild-eyed, movie-crazed community that has sprung up around them is one of the best parts of my day (because yes, you can in fact follow the Oscars every single day of the year! Count your lucky stars that I'm not inflicting that on you). So here I am. I've got a whole bunch of thoughts about my precious little gold men, and I'm ready to unleash them in a confetti and red carpet-laden torrent.<br />
<br />
So let's do it! If you're here, you know what you're in for, and what we're all in for is <i>glorious</i>. Do note that I tend to predict more for fun than I do accuracy. There are plenty of places online if you want the best odds on what wins every category, but over here we try and guess when the Academy might release the hounds.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Best Picture</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>Ford v Ferrari</i><br />
<i>The Irishman</i><br />
<i>Jojo Rabbit</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Little Women</i><br />
<i>Marriage Story</i><br />
<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i>Parasite</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Still some uncertainty here, despite what some sources might tell you. Easy money says that <i>1917</i>, the last movie out of the gate and the one that built its momentum at the perfect time, takes a quick win here. And that's certainly likely--the movie is obviously well-liked, it the right shade of noble manliness to appeal to the Academy, and it's got a snazzy technical hook to keep it in the conversation. <i>But</i> there are a number of nominations that a movie is <i>supposed</i> to get if it wants to win best picture (specifically, best director, screenplay, film editing, any acting nomination, and the Screen Actors Guild best ensemble category). Plenty of movies have won best picture after missing one of these nods, but no movie has ever won having missed more than one. And, wouldn't you know it, <i>1917</i> missed <u>three</u>. So bear in mind that if you call <i>1917</i> for the top prize, you're predicting something completely unprecedented.<br />
Of course it only complicates matters that <i>1917</i>'s biggest competition, <i>Parasite</i>, would be equally unprecedented, as no film not in English has ever won best picture. Still, <i>Parasite</i> has *huge* pockets of support (it won the Screen Actors Guild ensemble prize as well as the American Cinema Editors prize--the first time a non-English film has won either of those prizes). If we want to spend any time talking about the old/new Academy (i.e. the pre-#oscarssowhite Academy and the 3.000 new members they've invited in the past few years in an attempt to diversify), here's where we do it, as voting for <i>Parasite </i>now--an already beloved movie--would make a huge statement about the kind of institution the Academy wants to be.<br />
Other than these two? There's a sliver of a chance that <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i>, once the presumed frontrunner, ekes out a win based on its overall likeability (voters vote for best picture with a ranked system, which means that being well liked is just as important as having a lot of passionate support). And <i>Jojo Rabbit</i>, for whatever infernal reason, has had a huge energy surge in the past 10-ish days (aka exactly when the ballots were due). I don't think it'll happen, but we still (for now) live in the shadow of a <i>Jojo Rabbit</i> best picture win.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Little Women</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>One Cut of the Dead</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Director</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
Bong Joon-Ho-<i>Parasite</i><br />
Sam Mendes-<i>1917</i><br />
Todd Phillips-<i>Joker</i><br />
Martin Scorsese-<i>The Irishman</i><br />
Quentin Tarantino-<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>1917</i>'s flashy one-take concept probably guarantees Mendes his second Oscar, but if the Academy really gets in a <i>Parasite</i> mood, Bong Joon-ho could become just the second person to win best director for a non-English film (after last year's Alfonso Cuaron/<i>Roma</i>). Tarantino's also a vague threat for the sentimental vote, but this is mostly Mendes' award to lose.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: Sam Mendes-<i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: Bong Joon-Ho-<i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: Bong Joon-Ho-<i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: Nadav Lapid-<i>Synonyms</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Actress</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
Cynthia Erivo-<i>Harriet</i><br />
Scarlet Johansson-<i>Marriage Story</i><br />
Saoirse Ronan-<i>Little Women</i><br />
Charlize Theron-<i>Bombshell</i><br />
Renee Zellweger-<i>Judy</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The narrative will be the same for all the acting categories: there's one ironclad frontrunner, and any of them missing would be a huge upset. Each of them has won all of the four major televised awards thus far (critics choice award, golden globe, screen actors guild award, british academy award), and only one person has ever lost the Oscar after doing so. Your frontrunner here is Zellweger--so strange that no other narrative got any breathing room this year, given she already has an Oscar, and neither she nor the film is particularly beloved. Still, what can you do?<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: Renee Zellweger-<i>Judy</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: Scarlet Johansson-<i>Marriage Story</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: Scarlet Johansson-<i>Marriage Story</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: Lupita N'yongo-<i>Us</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Actor</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
Antonio Banderas-<i>Pain and Glory</i><br />
Leonardo Dicaprio-<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
Adam Driver-<i>Marriage Story</i><br />
Joaquin Phoenix-<i>Joker</i><br />
Jonathan Pryce-<i>The Two Popes</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
One of the only mercies this year is that, despite its monstrous nomination tally, <i>Joker</i> is unlikely to win that much. That said, the ones it might win are categories it will probably steamroll. Case in point: Phoenix here.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix-<i>Joker</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: Adam Driver-<i>Marriage Story</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: Adam Driver-<i>Marriage Story</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: Willem Dafoe-<i>The Lighthouse</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Supporting Actress</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
Kathy Bates-<i>Richard Jewell</i><br />
Laura Dern-<i>Marriage Story</i><br />
Scarlet Johansson-<i>Jojo Rabbit</i><br />
Florence Pugh-<i>Little Women</i><br />
Margot Robbie-<i>Bombshelll</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Ok, this is the one place where we might anticipate a bit of nasty, nasty chaos. Laura Dern's Oscar seems assured, and you'd be silly not to predict her. <i>However.</i> <i>Marriage Story </i>has taken a <u>huge</u> dive--once the frontrunner, now no one seems to talk about it, or even like it. And some people are mystified that Dern's role is the Oscar-winning performance. Enter <i>Jojo Rabbit</i>, a movie that has been gaining steam, and Scarlet Johansson, who is nominated twice this year (and 7 out of 11 double nominees have won Oscars in their year). So...who's to say? It's not smart to bet against any of the acting frontrunners, but this might be the place for anarchy.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: Laura Dern-<i>Marriage Story</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: Scarlett Johansson-<i>Jojo Rabbit </i>(though I was planning on predicting a surprise Scarjo win until the last possible second--I'm just not brave enough)</b><br />
<b>Should Win: Laura Dern-<i>Marriage Story</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: Jennifer Lopez-<i>Hustlers</i> (shoulda been you, Jen)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><u>Supporting Actor</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
Tom Hanks-<i>A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood</i><br />
Anthony Hopkins-<i>The Two Popes</i><br />
Al Pacino-<i>The Irishman</i><br />
Joe Pesci-<i>The Irishman</i><br />
Brad Pitt-<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
No intrigue here. Pitt wins in a lazy walk.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: Brad Pitt-<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: Joe Pesci-<i>The Irishman</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: Brad Pitt-<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: Song Kang-Ho-<i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Original Screenplay</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>Knives Out</i><br />
<i>Marriage Story</i><br />
<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i>Parasite</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Probably a fight between <i>Parasite</i> and <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i>, depending on which the Academy decides needs more recognition. I don't imagine that <i>1917</i> will win here, but watch out if it looks to sweep.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>One Cut of the Dead</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Adapted Screenplay</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>The Irishman</i><br />
<i>Jojo Rabbit</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Little Women</i><br />
<i>The Two Popes</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Another tough-ish call. Do we get to see Greta Gerwig with an Oscar in her hands, or does <i>Jojo Rabbit</i>'s late-breaking energy win the day? Or does <i>The Irishman</i> rally at the last minute? It's probably one of the first two, but just flip a coin.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Jojo Rabbit</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Little Women</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Little Women</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Hustlers</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Production Design</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>The Irishman</i><br />
<i>Jojo Rabbit</i><br />
<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i>Parasite</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
One big question for all the craft categories--should we expect <i>1917 </i>to sweep, or should we expect some of the other best picture nominees to give it trouble? If we believe the second option is true, then look for <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i>'s big LA '69 vibes to carry the day here when pitted against the mostly outdoor shenanigans of <i>1917</i>. It'd be nice to dream that <i>Parasite</i> has a chance, but it might be too contemporary, and the Academy rarely looks at non-period pieces in the design categories.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Midsommar</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Costume Design</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>The Irishman</i><br />
<i>Jojo Rabbit</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Little Women</i><br />
<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Once again we've got <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i> looking to unseat another best picture nominee, this time the big civil war gowns in <i>Little Women</i>. As is becoming a theme, look for <i>Jojo Rabbit</i> to upset here if its big energy translates into actual wins.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Little Women</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Little Women</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Booksmart</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Visual Effects</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>Avengers: Endgame</i><br />
<i>The Irishman</i><br />
<i>The Lion King</i><br />
<i>Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Maybe one of the toughest categories to predict? Or at least one with the widest possible spread of winners. Generally, if a best picture nominee gets in here, it wins, <i>unless</i> more than one best picture nominee gets in (like this year's <i>1917 </i>and <i>The Irishman</i>), in which case all bets are off. Still, either of those could carry the day, based on how popular they are (and <i>1917 </i>is looking to be popular). That said, neither even remotely resembles the bigger, effects-driven pictures that tend to win here. <i>The Lion King </i>could echo <i>The Jungle Book</i>'s 2016 victory for essentially the same concept (photoreal animals), and it's easy to forget that, despite being an atrocity against all cinema, <i>The Lion King</i> is one of the highest grossing and widely seen films of the year. Which brings us to <i>Avengers</i>: wildly popular, obscenely profitable, and never embraced by the Academy. Maybe Oscar decides that now's the time to reward the Marvel gang, or maybe they decide to continue their decade-long indifference.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>The Lion King</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Avengers: Endgame</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Detective Pikachu</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><u>Makeup and Hairstyling</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>Bombshell</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Judy</i><br />
<i>Maleficent: Mistress of Evil</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
This is presumably <i>Bombshell</i>'s to lose? Celebrity lookalike makeup and showy prosthetics tend to win out here, and <i>Bombshell</i> has both in spades. Look for <i>1917</i> to upset here--if it wins this, then be prepared for it to have a huge night.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Bombshell</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Midsommar</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Film Editing</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>Ford v Ferrari</i><br />
<i>The Irishman</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Jojo Rabbit</i><br />
<i>Parasite</i><br />
<br />
Ok, this is *definitely* one of the hardest of the night, as any one of these movies could win. Look to <i>Ford v Ferrari</i> for the easiest answer--it's got lots of showy car-race scenes, and apparently enough people loved it to get it a best picture nom, so. Editing giant and legend Thelma Schoonmaker cut <i>The Irishman</i>, and the Thelma love/the respect for the immense degree of difficulty involved in shaping a 210-minute movie might win out. <i>Parasite</i> might have the showiest editing, and everyone who sees it praises it for its pacing and suspense. <i>Joker </i>could take the award on account of a vague pro-action movie bias in this category, and <i>Jojo Rabbit, </i>like in so many other categories, could capitalize on its late-breaking popularity here. So watch your screens! If <i>Ford </i>or <i>Irishman </i>(and probably <i>Joker </i>as well) wins this, it means nothing for the big races. <i>Parasite</i> winning this doesn't automatically mean it'll win best picture, but it's hard to imagine <i>Parasite</i> winning best picture without triumphing here first. And if <i>Jojo Rabbit </i>wins, then all bets are off--go hug the ones you love, because <i>Jojo </i>will be coming for all the big awards.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Joker</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Uncut Gems</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Cinematography</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>The Irishman</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>The Lighthouse</i><br />
<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Finally, after the tough categories, something easy: <i>1917</i> wins this in a walk. No way anything else takes it down.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>The Lighthouse</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>The Last Black Man in San Francisco</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Original Score</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Little Women</i><br />
<i>Marriage Story</i><br />
<i>Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Also a (fairly) easy call? <i>Joker</i>'s got all the steam it needs to come out on top. Again, if <i>1917 </i>is going to dominate the evening, than a win here would be an early indicator.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Joker</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>The Last Black Man in San Francisco</i></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>Ad Astra</i><br />
<i>Ford v Ferrari</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The only question--are <i>Ford v Ferrari</i>'s very loud car races enough to push past <i>1917, </i>the best picture frontrunner in a category that is traditionally very war-friendly? Maybe, but probably not.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Ford v Ferrari</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>The Lighthouse</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Sound Editing</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<i>Ford v Ferrari</i><br />
<i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Once Upon a Time in Hollywood</i><br />
<i>Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Copy and paste the argument from above. It's always tempting to call a split in this situation, with each movie taking one sound award, but there's no easier way to screw over your prediction success than to all the wrong split, so I'll stick with <i>1917</i> and call it good.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>1917</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Ford v Ferrari</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>The Lighthouse</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Original Song</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
"I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away"-<i>Toy Story 4</i><br />
"I'm Gonna Love Me Again"-<i>Rocketman</i><br />
"I'm Standing with You"-<i>Breakthrough</i><br />
"Into the Unknown"-<i>Frozen 2</i><br />
"Stand Up"-<i>Harriet</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Oof, what an atrocious batch of nominees (and tough luck this year for song titles not starting with "I"). Conventional wisdom suggests that the <i>Rocketman</i> song wins, both for Elton John love and to recognize a movie that might have seemed under-recognized. I suppose "Stand Up" could win as a 'we're not voting for you for best actress, but we still like you" prize for Cynthia Erivo (who co-wrote the song), and "Into the Unknown" might win by default in a year with no particularly exciting options.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: "I'm Gonna Love Me Again"-<i>Rocketman</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: "Stand Up"-<i>Harriet</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: "Stand Up"-<i>Harriet</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: "Glasgow"-<i>Wild Rose</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u>Animated Film</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World</i><br />
<i>I Lost My Body</i><br />
<i>Klaus</i><br />
<i>Missing Link</i><br />
<i>Toy Story 4</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Another tough category--anything but <i>How to Train Your Dragon</i> has a shot. <i>Toy Story</i> was the lackluster frontrunner for most of the season, with most people assuming that voters would autopilot-vote for Pixar in a year without a clear frontrunner. But then <i>Missing Link</i> won the golden globe, <i>Klaus</i> won the British academy, and <i>I Lost My Body</i> and <i>Klaus </i>dominated the Annies (the Oscars of animated movies) while <i>Toy Story </i>was shut out entirely. So now who knows? It's a free for all, and when there's a free for all, the winner is all too often the easiest choice. But who knows?<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Klaus</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Toy Story 4</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>I Lost My Body</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Frozen 2</i> (which wasn't great, but I liked it and you can't stop me)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><u>International Film</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>Corpus Christi</i>-Poland<br />
<i>Honeyland</i>-North Macedonia<br />
<i>Les Miserables</i>-France<br />
<i>Pain and Glory</i>-Spain<br />
<i>Parasite</i>-South Korea<br />
<br />
Easy choice--whenever a non-English language film is has a shot in the major categories, the win here is a given.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Parasite</i>-South Korea</b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>Pain and Glory-</i>Spain</b><br />
<b>Should Win: <i>Parasite*</i></b><br />
<b>Should Have Been Here: <i>Atlantics</i>-Senegal</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
*I haven't seen <i>Les Miserables</i> or <i>Corpus Christi</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><u>Documentary Feature</u></b><br />
The nominees:<br />
<i>American Factory</i><br />
<i>The Cave</i><br />
<i>The Edge of Democracy</i><br />
<i>For Sama</i><br />
<i>Honeyland</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Whooo boy, no idea. <i>Honeyland</i> might have the edge, as it's the only movie here nominated in any other category, and it's critically beloved. But both <i>For Sama</i> and <i>American Factory </i>have won the lion's share of industry awards. Search me.<br />
<br />
<b>Will Win: <i>Honeyland</i></b><br />
<b>Could Win: <i>American Factory</i></b><br />
<b>Should Win: abstain (I've only seen <i>Honeyland </i>and <i>American Factory</i>, despite all of these being readily available online. I'm so bad at watching documentaries.)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
And there's that! I've got <i>1917</i> as the big winner of the night with six Oscars to its name, and with at least two more possible wins waiting in the wings. Still, I've got <i>Joker </i>winning three just to remind us that everything is terrible.<br />
We'll see how it turns out! The Oscars begin on Sunday at 6 PM mountain time, so tune in then to see how furious or happy we all get to be!Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4542254453206136875.post-9189157273938675832020-02-07T10:50:00.000-07:002020-02-07T10:50:42.080-07:00Best of 2019, part 3; craft categoriesAnd now the part we've all been waiting for (wherein 'we' means me and 'have been waiting for' means 'have been putting off or unable to do because of other work'): that blessed moment of the year where I get to sing all of you sweet songs about weeping cellos, oozing prosthetic fantasias, and alphabet sets sutured together with white midnight lights. I am talking, of course, about all the movie stuff that everyone needs but never gets the amount of ink it deserves: the crafts! Do you love <i>Star Wars</i>? What kind of movie would it be without the loudest and most jubilant opening score in movie history? You say you want to watch Marvel movies? Where would you be without the army of patient artists spending hours of their life casually animating realistic Incredible Hulk dick physics? We don't have movies without all the people below the line, their names lighting up empty theaters after we've all ducked out of the credits. Well, the hell with that. I deeply, <i>deeply</i> love these parts of moviemaking, and what's more, I love writing about them more than all other parts. Don't ask me why I liked a screenplay or a performance, but <b>please</b> ask me what my favorite dress in <i>Little Women</i> was, or why I want the makeup crew for <i>Us</i> to do all my Halloween looks. Ask me these questions every time you see me, and I will be your very best friend. Until you see me next, however, allow me to take a minute (or many minutes) of your time to regale you with all the movie details that I loved this year. And there were so many of them, so get ready for me to be <i>really goddamn positive.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
In interest of putting a face on some of these things, I've added some visuals to the lists. They <i>should</i> enlarge when you click on them, but I make no promises, as my technical skills are less than garbage.<br />
<br />
Note: I didn't include pictures or videos for film editing or the sound categories, because I don't <i>really</i> know how to capture film editing compellingly in a way that didn't wast either my time or yours, and I don't have the resources to make audio clips for the sound categories (which I would love to do every year #soundeditingforever).<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Production Design</u></b><br />
<b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Shadow</i>-monochrome yin-yang fantasies, a perpetually cold and dripping world, everything falling off a jet black cliff at sharp angles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aVTyPNGyLS9bALAFtBioh2TWkbNQinbFtnU8v0LanMBBsMDPy4mpmKA7Op-aRveucitm_Vx-7beiIRwYoQguE5t94zE0C36F7ybwoGWT3-lu_AnfAVcT49DWL7XCNINVMnezSpUiTtMg/s1600/shadow_design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aVTyPNGyLS9bALAFtBioh2TWkbNQinbFtnU8v0LanMBBsMDPy4mpmKA7Op-aRveucitm_Vx-7beiIRwYoQguE5t94zE0C36F7ybwoGWT3-lu_AnfAVcT49DWL7XCNINVMnezSpUiTtMg/s400/shadow_design.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://www.newcityfilm.com/2019/05/08/the-wash-of-history-a-review-of-zhang-yimous-shadow/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br />
<br />
<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lighthouse</i>-much credit has been given to another film whose sets were famously built from scratch (which we'll certainly get to in a moment), but less has been said about the equally mind-boggling achievement of construction for <i>The Lighthouse</i>, in which <i>everything</i> you see on screen was physically constructed for the movie. It's a proper little maritime hell, full of coal dust and fetid mattresses, pocketed by walls built to let the wind in.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRFhfnXeCURJnvhI6e_Rv-qps6fQK2s6Hv84f23c2A_9J4wdq5RIXa97e9nY4Yl1waFBBpPlsP3y1FFiowuC9Slz_wJa5JEkroiOo68I7SvlowA6S9qQGkiqxuqMHlGNOCC5vLwxhI9ez/s1600/lighthouse_design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="1466" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRFhfnXeCURJnvhI6e_Rv-qps6fQK2s6Hv84f23c2A_9J4wdq5RIXa97e9nY4Yl1waFBBpPlsP3y1FFiowuC9Slz_wJa5JEkroiOo68I7SvlowA6S9qQGkiqxuqMHlGNOCC5vLwxhI9ez/s400/lighthouse_design.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/willem-dafoe-robert-pattinson-the-lighthouse-movie-robert-eggers-interview" target="_blank">source)</a><br />
<br />
<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">1917</i>-gets that the world needs to feel like a primordial hellscape, all mud and bones and rats trapped in coiled wires. It's somewhat rare to get a war movie that feels as lived-in and as resolutely hideous as this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhgFP_-hp5w7B7yDyxMPtA6I1SaQ2PrBj_LZqzS4Z9WKwSKHB6Mec81pY5AGLOY8feT6a2NE_sk3K6BceHtooSlRS2YTN8WN8iD7Cwga1nI_mNqTNWjdBkNuUifj4_cfG9xeAndSdExcX/s1600/191_design.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhgFP_-hp5w7B7yDyxMPtA6I1SaQ2PrBj_LZqzS4Z9WKwSKHB6Mec81pY5AGLOY8feT6a2NE_sk3K6BceHtooSlRS2YTN8WN8iD7Cwga1nI_mNqTNWjdBkNuUifj4_cfG9xeAndSdExcX/s400/191_design.webp" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.warhistoryonline.com/news/1917-2.html" target="_blank">source)</a><br />
<br />
<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Midsommar</i>-incredible detail on each wall, an entire history of sunny sacrifice and ursine frolics on every surface, combined with those malevolent arches and the ubiquitous and unknowable Great Big Yellow Triangle.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08n6x1uAe9GzjV7KDuVUsrtEQqeZKO_H-BJRMfg6sts0tW6cWLzcNBnKHrXl3HJOxBz9igrvbL_YEQWBh1l1WlrmvXQZSU3O2UASowRQ5ab-PRA28nWfgCeWqS1iDbJjLzL5ogto-Lhgv/s1600/midsommar_design.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1600" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08n6x1uAe9GzjV7KDuVUsrtEQqeZKO_H-BJRMfg6sts0tW6cWLzcNBnKHrXl3HJOxBz9igrvbL_YEQWBh1l1WlrmvXQZSU3O2UASowRQ5ab-PRA28nWfgCeWqS1iDbJjLzL5ogto-Lhgv/s400/midsommar_design.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Parasite</i>-the biggest design story of the year, when it was revealed that <i>all</i> of the spaces in this movie, from the massive Kim home to the entire (floodable) street on which the Parks live, were built from scratch for the movie. That wouldn't be as impressive as it is, of course, if the spaces themselves aren't the character-defining horror opuses that they are--the Kim house's cube monstrosities and the grey sewage chains that float that linger in the walls of the Park apartment.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlUrJ7dhxgt-jDi3ghEJy234_UdDgwAvaRB5K2E4bHrfaZzUPwiJrHo6e4GHh_deqQJpfwNPkFd0gh1X3m3PkE869y5YgVJkmR7vilEU5VrXf9sa5YHPk2l_6fNCLAP3rAOLmM-Fovfiw/s1600/parasite_design.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlUrJ7dhxgt-jDi3ghEJy234_UdDgwAvaRB5K2E4bHrfaZzUPwiJrHo6e4GHh_deqQJpfwNPkFd0gh1X3m3PkE869y5YgVJkmR7vilEU5VrXf9sa5YHPk2l_6fNCLAP3rAOLmM-Fovfiw/s400/parasite_design.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://www.awardscircuit.com/film-fest-919-audience-award-goes-to-parasite/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br />
<br />
Honorable mention: the wonderfully over-decorated murder mystery mansion of <i>Knives Out</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><u>Costume Design</u></b><br />
<b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Little Women</i>-beautiful character work here, tracking Emma Watson's fancy/not-fancy/fancy-but-apologetic finery, Florence Pugh's growth from resident chaos spirit/foot model to debutante, and Saoirse Ronan's vaguely mannish anti-marriage duds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh6yJkleCwkcewSG1baCnoCYRX7k03Fq-6sv47LkhFKPdvu_DbqYAFL1ubml_nw5iZH4L39Ct5ZpT8i68Wi2FIXjzivz84iGq8L-GN_WNdDFit65qr2jbfdH_Ya14MJBRCvL2AaML7Tm7/s1600/little+women_costumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh6yJkleCwkcewSG1baCnoCYRX7k03Fq-6sv47LkhFKPdvu_DbqYAFL1ubml_nw5iZH4L39Ct5ZpT8i68Wi2FIXjzivz84iGq8L-GN_WNdDFit65qr2jbfdH_Ya14MJBRCvL2AaML7Tm7/s400/little+women_costumes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Little-Women-novel-by-Alcott" target="_blank">source</a>)<br />
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<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Shadow</i>-again, totally astounding what this movie accomplishes with its colorless palette-dragon armor, mentally unstable robes, and peasant guerilla chic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqGKOTZ7c4yM4dgdOGGnwfUKQmRRKI0zRaqBi2maMgmA4Bk77N6cAz7vKKd3p1LdhsY0fjM3mH8JpX4l12BfNz5WOYM1IueQEim5opnF1FDsZfk4SYo1QgqnahLbFDqQLeBLmP9sV7PGP/s1600/shadow_costumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="585" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqGKOTZ7c4yM4dgdOGGnwfUKQmRRKI0zRaqBi2maMgmA4Bk77N6cAz7vKKd3p1LdhsY0fjM3mH8JpX4l12BfNz5WOYM1IueQEim5opnF1FDsZfk4SYo1QgqnahLbFDqQLeBLmP9sV7PGP/s400/shadow_costumes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://www.oneangrygamer.net/tag/shadow-2019/" target="_blank">source</a>)<br />
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<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Hustlers</i>-a decade's worth of finery for multiple colliding worlds--the pop performative panache of the club, the undercover evening gown armor when out on the take, and <i>that</i> fur coat. Plus, SWIMONA.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1qIDtCGyrxnyV_kCHHDBuxbpli1XeTYoGk45GkHXdvrRQC-MWeoRRFCRRHhM0I7y9slsd_000L_cPuqL57HCDEVoQxc5Uk_GiQaWQhgVQmi120AMHQav7H16L6iBzWfVAqkhaE9N-Msy/s1600/hustlers_costumes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="900" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1qIDtCGyrxnyV_kCHHDBuxbpli1XeTYoGk45GkHXdvrRQC-MWeoRRFCRRHhM0I7y9slsd_000L_cPuqL57HCDEVoQxc5Uk_GiQaWQhgVQmi120AMHQav7H16L6iBzWfVAqkhaE9N-Msy/s400/hustlers_costumes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://www.dazeddigital.com/film-tv/article/45989/1/hustlers-lorene-scafaria-makes-the-story-of-scamming-strippers-authentic-j-lo" target="_blank">source</a>)<br />
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<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dolemite is My Name</i>-Zany, bordering on totally insane work here. The colors like an unhinged easter basket! The hats the size of several planets! Garish and vibrant peacockish and strangely practical--a color wheel rioting across the highway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHBEtv_9Jd3dDZ7joA9xW6g3izmMB6-DYDqdRqhaNkOr7ZZkrxCnPfMx3Vlm66_pu_V3f1Cg3INlQEuv18SiepzKn9xW9LrHken0WGQYYUHPHypwa4p_9n9dLNqGEID_iEXf6AWRIl-4b/s1600/dolemite_costumes.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="780" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHBEtv_9Jd3dDZ7joA9xW6g3izmMB6-DYDqdRqhaNkOr7ZZkrxCnPfMx3Vlm66_pu_V3f1Cg3INlQEuv18SiepzKn9xW9LrHken0WGQYYUHPHypwa4p_9n9dLNqGEID_iEXf6AWRIl-4b/s400/dolemite_costumes.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://slate.com/culture/2019/10/dolemite-is-my-name-eddie-murphy-movie-netflix.html" target="_blank">source</a>)<br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Booksmart</i>-'the costumes are the jokes' is an *extremely* difficult concept to land, but <i>Booksmart</i> manages to let its audience know exactly who and what they're dealing with every time we see a new outfit, while still managing to be one of the funniest parts of the movie. And what costumes! Who wouldn't want to go out for a night on the town in one of those navy jumpsuits, or the dresses that look like they were bedazzled by the devil, or the slinky vintage murder mystery gown with the plunging neckline, or a Jareds, Jareds all the way down T-shirt?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcwCujrRFn_wKm-PyX4QvSY3f6kZ2A9VAg0Ga6ByFbaOcLQiVsh_tB6MImj5WcHm-6NNA-sju-319qiQJUd1cNRl9V9dxa2bGefmLhV-6yub4mNKfXhG2wM4UO5kEF_tqz1ub3pwpS6_-/s1600/booksmart_costume+1.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpcwCujrRFn_wKm-PyX4QvSY3f6kZ2A9VAg0Ga6ByFbaOcLQiVsh_tB6MImj5WcHm-6NNA-sju-319qiQJUd1cNRl9V9dxa2bGefmLhV-6yub4mNKfXhG2wM4UO5kEF_tqz1ub3pwpS6_-/s400/booksmart_costume+1.webp" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXb4blGv8_z9XbEXlrqUJZOu8khYuS1gw7s1hbBPAurB088fgXvJfgjkesPEOkfVnw6IU9un8n8OI6AAbH1kpFRWlnamiePhMFKxhbvyJZhpCkS92kTI_UNHfSKapPpQekSaiAvlbxw2F/s1600/booksmart_costume+2.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1120" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXb4blGv8_z9XbEXlrqUJZOu8khYuS1gw7s1hbBPAurB088fgXvJfgjkesPEOkfVnw6IU9un8n8OI6AAbH1kpFRWlnamiePhMFKxhbvyJZhpCkS92kTI_UNHfSKapPpQekSaiAvlbxw2F/s400/booksmart_costume+2.webp" width="400" /></a></div>
(<a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/5/30/18645970/booksmart-movie-olivia-wilde-beanie-feldstein-costumes" target="_blank">source</a>) (which is a good read on costuming for high school comedies, incidentally)<br />
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<div>
Honorable mention: festive murder-wear and the massive May Queen dress in <i>Midsommar</i></div>
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<div>
<b><u>Visual Effects</u></b></div>
<div>
<b>5. <i>1917</i>--</b>subtle but essential: all the planes, tanks, explosions, and nightmares stretching into infinity needed--as well as all the careful painting to remove all the film-making apparatuses--to create the look the movie's going for. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkes_Q_d-RSPbYuP47Jab5gFUv7uPohy7w8_tG6SIfWKD0Fdv882XSjOOmKLNa5pGM7J9jsIY0nqfwOovntQxMJr6D-TLmkYBPQ7nndrELf8mDt3mdjCg4svHDu5xcU71HmMjzefnJV1Fl/s1600/1917_effects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1280" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkes_Q_d-RSPbYuP47Jab5gFUv7uPohy7w8_tG6SIfWKD0Fdv882XSjOOmKLNa5pGM7J9jsIY0nqfwOovntQxMJr6D-TLmkYBPQ7nndrELf8mDt3mdjCg4svHDu5xcU71HmMjzefnJV1Fl/s400/1917_effects.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.artofvfx.com/1917-2/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Ad Astra</i>-atmosphere swan dives, moon fights, mars launches, and edge-of-the-system man caves--everything you need to sort out your daddy issues in space.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kO2KvLetZJ8FSkVDZsbop0AaTZSxMy-LbRZAFb58Q0MaO7z6uO9Rp5RMBjA194_iWLadn082xxFeWWJr8-Wu7J29cfCQDAQ0a6RCvy0GpMTopbbyeVsuiMG1cKy9_868XCI6LqrUKuOS/s1600/ad+astra_effects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="1400" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kO2KvLetZJ8FSkVDZsbop0AaTZSxMy-LbRZAFb58Q0MaO7z6uO9Rp5RMBjA194_iWLadn082xxFeWWJr8-Wu7J29cfCQDAQ0a6RCvy0GpMTopbbyeVsuiMG1cKy9_868XCI6LqrUKuOS/s400/ad+astra_effects.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.artofvfx.com/ad-astra-olaf-wendt-vfx-supervisor-mr-x/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Godzilla: King of the Monsters</i>-I'm sorry, like I'm <i>not</i> gonna get real excited about watching Godzilla slap King Ghidorah with an entire city? I can only be who I am, and who I am <i>loves</i> watching big ol' monsters slap each other in glorious HD.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirI0zl0LipglI_-58w54VjF8Cntr8APFTWQ90DNiKRkJm9zfCvN95-HQUP9oZLc2XofrUYlyoYkJVDYs3lmYuPyQH4Uqwnm7OUXDcqEbyq5Xl90CeLxb5uCdbLSbB1IKHqQtzXGPxxaiZa/s1600/godzilla_effects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirI0zl0LipglI_-58w54VjF8Cntr8APFTWQ90DNiKRkJm9zfCvN95-HQUP9oZLc2XofrUYlyoYkJVDYs3lmYuPyQH4Uqwnm7OUXDcqEbyq5Xl90CeLxb5uCdbLSbB1IKHqQtzXGPxxaiZa/s400/godzilla_effects.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/godzilla-king-of-the-monsters-review-1203224659/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Detective Pikachu</i>-I was initially skeptical about this movie's look, but the finished project ended up with just the right combination of cuddliness, plausibility, and the sweet sweet dreams of a 10-year old me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4d6pUczCXUbxwxFMonojEIwSU2I1PO_mn6LYUihTWPB24DriJrBiL1XY0dLJyvqvsGr2vq6QpHkjx45e2hGU8cEf30QywgnsRcweCN9hJRQf0-xL9nVpyPiVSpSXZtZAztOyoqdcbF6oT/s1600/pikachu_effects.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="390" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4d6pUczCXUbxwxFMonojEIwSU2I1PO_mn6LYUihTWPB24DriJrBiL1XY0dLJyvqvsGr2vq6QpHkjx45e2hGU8cEf30QywgnsRcweCN9hJRQf0-xL9nVpyPiVSpSXZtZAztOyoqdcbF6oT/s400/pikachu_effects.gif" width="395" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://tenor.com/view/jigglypuff-pokemon-detective-pikachu-cross-angry-gif-12879851" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Avengers: Endgame</i>-Was there any other choice? It's a bit of a week year for this category, but that doesn't mean the capper for (this part of) the Avengers era is any less deserving of the accolades. There's so much muchness, but it's always legible and, at its best, kind of breathtaking.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKx35uy8ISKakCNvxGe4C90C6ABGlQoT8SaRvdCStI6ivURnrqtZ6AZHiUPqGQxBNugrms0lXjk_gapEpExnM92qm3a_4mi4uyFLUmmE_jS5S9YlhI-8f3B72DgLNDssi3fdwD60jIJlW1/s1600/avengers+endgame_effects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="580" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKx35uy8ISKakCNvxGe4C90C6ABGlQoT8SaRvdCStI6ivURnrqtZ6AZHiUPqGQxBNugrms0lXjk_gapEpExnM92qm3a_4mi4uyFLUmmE_jS5S9YlhI-8f3B72DgLNDssi3fdwD60jIJlW1/s400/avengers+endgame_effects.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="http://www.cgw.com/Press-Center/In-Focus/2019/Avengers-Endgame-A-VFX-Wonder.aspx" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<div>
Honorable mention: I dunno, the spaceships, I guess, in <i>Star Wars: Episode IX--The Rise of Skywalker</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b><u>Makeup and Hairstyling</u></b></div>
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<b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Captain Marvel</i>-another vaguely underpopulated category this year, but I'll make some room for the crunchy popcorn skrull effects. Brie Larson's 90s feathering, and Annette Bening's functional computer haircuts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7gvPyIhqcbe1BXppZt7ANAZ-RYsx23UV7GTRQCL8k_wlB3yOjL1EXrGlnCO-wMeSe5daSc3glyRmhDMemIY9K64FnbNUi5c6RxQ4tkc9HXM2LG4Oi0__NCf_kp5h_bEKNTLlA74-HmOE/s1600/captain+marvel_makeup.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7gvPyIhqcbe1BXppZt7ANAZ-RYsx23UV7GTRQCL8k_wlB3yOjL1EXrGlnCO-wMeSe5daSc3glyRmhDMemIY9K64FnbNUi5c6RxQ4tkc9HXM2LG4Oi0__NCf_kp5h_bEKNTLlA74-HmOE/s400/captain+marvel_makeup.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://comicbook.com/marvel/2018/09/07/new-captain-marvel-details-skrulls/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Judy</i>-I'll admit that it is fully weird that we're two in and I've yet to find something I'm super passionate about? Maybe I haven't looked hard enough, or maybe it's an off year. But sure, I'll pay my respects to <i>Judy</i>'s Judy transformation.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJBU6JduTJr-b0Jo0G9slM-myXXhyphenhyphenNZd7Tgh-9icbt91CtNOVCo4oqi5Bjh8FrWLk2ZMzGs3I6qjfivIO5zYqu4Ef9Vu8dPAshjDDdFTWHTso0BcyxAT1eovte1eQJcwAAx0aXP0b6W02/s1600/judy_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJBU6JduTJr-b0Jo0G9slM-myXXhyphenhyphenNZd7Tgh-9icbt91CtNOVCo4oqi5Bjh8FrWLk2ZMzGs3I6qjfivIO5zYqu4Ef9Vu8dPAshjDDdFTWHTso0BcyxAT1eovte1eQJcwAAx0aXP0b6W02/s400/judy_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://comicbook.com/marvel/2018/09/07/new-captain-marvel-details-skrulls/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<div>
<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Us</i>-Now we're getting somewhere! Minimalist work, but extremely effective, delineating the lines between under/over-worlders, helping us (heh) track the differences between the characters and their doppelgänger while drawing our eye to all-too-present similarities.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tsm2s8dblvwn2cRlEpcdms73ZeHqzFaMFxnbamKpCYbhUxVBljigwQOGkMnVCGSe167ZaWgGmpiwJpFFr4-_LGDCE6pIJKbR22nqewtWVTCAvmStsKltEO201Gz_LYPkG9LD7quCzOJB/s1600/us_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="620" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tsm2s8dblvwn2cRlEpcdms73ZeHqzFaMFxnbamKpCYbhUxVBljigwQOGkMnVCGSe167ZaWgGmpiwJpFFr4-_LGDCE6pIJKbR22nqewtWVTCAvmStsKltEO201Gz_LYPkG9LD7quCzOJB/s400/us_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/lupita-nyongo-us-oscars-dual-roles-news/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Midsommar</i>-Do I have this hear just for those horrific exploding falling old people heads? I mean, it's part of it, but that would discount the last-act corpse arts and crafts, the body-altering arts and crafts that look like they've been cobbled together by a child with a passion for interior design, the other great gore moments, the incest prosthetics, and all the festive braids.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOb_28L3eWnxlSb_9CVd0sJETY2H5qigGYN-ckjZhnY_40JGMEfKIKC3PaA8ys-_mZ9b4Ai3VWlUqcWWzC3Ori5ffOWleng_1SI_w2k95kp5QvySbj6B4xyW2qfnwz37XWslsEh2_2mgg/s1600/midsommar_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOb_28L3eWnxlSb_9CVd0sJETY2H5qigGYN-ckjZhnY_40JGMEfKIKC3PaA8ys-_mZ9b4Ai3VWlUqcWWzC3Ori5ffOWleng_1SI_w2k95kp5QvySbj6B4xyW2qfnwz37XWslsEh2_2mgg/s400/midsommar_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/midsommar-review/" target="_blank">source</a>)</div>
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<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">1917</i>-it's strange--gore, wounds, and other horror elements are one of the most fundamental things movie makeup delivers on the regular, but it's the aspect of makeup that least frequently gets rewarded (at least in the face of old-age makeup, celebrity impersonation makeup, and heavy prosthetics). So I'm thrilled that a movie like <i>1917-</i>-for which gore makeup is absolutely essential--is getting some recognition. My favorite thing about this movie is the tangible, corporeal rot and filth of it all--everything is bodies and open wounds and blood and dirt mixing together into some kind of inescapable slime. And then imagine having to make sure that, since the movie pretends to take place in real time, you have to keep those effects looking <i>completely continuous</i> for the entire movie. Add in the subtle work to imply exhaustion as the movie goes on, and you've got a worthy winner.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-Y-1sYQAUbB4gFg79fS7FTMdw1RDmVMN8XFAcuAsctnHRdu2ni4PYo4I0yYySsdhJ9hsmpw-FR4vxaZPNplN-EVmbIWZqIWCqhxdLi0lUtEAgFJFqbOTtqZJzB6EbH9DrVKRHkcMi16j/s1600/1917_makeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="1200" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-Y-1sYQAUbB4gFg79fS7FTMdw1RDmVMN8XFAcuAsctnHRdu2ni4PYo4I0yYySsdhJ9hsmpw-FR4vxaZPNplN-EVmbIWZqIWCqhxdLi0lUtEAgFJFqbOTtqZJzB6EbH9DrVKRHkcMi16j/s400/1917_makeup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a30563807/1917-spoilers-one-shot-blackout-ending/">source</a>)</div>
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Honorable mention: natty period dos in <i>Little Women</i></div>
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Note: I feel like I should mention why I kept <i>Bombshell </i>out of this category, as everyone who sees that movie talks about its (soon to be Oscar-winning) makeup. Simply put--I don't know what we gain from making the characters look so much like their real-life counterparts. Sure, it's well done (or not, as John Lithgow/Roger Ailes kind of looks like Jabba the Hutt....which, ok, maybe is well done after all), but to what end? Do we really get more from this movie because Charlize Theron looks so much like Megyn Kelly? So yes, the technique is impressive, but I'm not sure it served the movie--or at least it didn't serve my experience of the movie, and this is my party, so here we are.</div>
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<b><u>Film Editing</u></b></div>
<div>
<b>5. Synonyms</b>-hope you're not tired of me talking about how this movie looks and feels wild and unique, cuz here I go again! The pacing of this film is <i>so</i> bizarre (in a good way), scenes spilling into and over each other and then off the screen with seemingly little guidance, everything cut to the relentless rhythm with which the main character rattles off his synonym lists.</div>
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<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Little Women</i>-does a stellar job of sorting through the film's two periods and jumping between all of its major storylines, keeping all of the plates happily spinning without losing the audience.</div>
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<b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Hustlers</i>-knows when to pile on the energy and when to dial down again to take a breath. The multiple montage moments (being friends with Ramona, drugging guys, etc.) are all phenomenal.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Uncut Gems</i>-This movie wants to punish you with tension, it wants you to feel sick to your stomach--and the edit is how it gets there. <i>Uncut Gems</i> goes from 0-100 in all of ten seconds and knows to never take its foot off the gas.</div>
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<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Parasite</i>-arguably the high-wire act of the year, in which comedy, drama, and horror are all wound together into a candy-colored tripwire and tossed out in front of an unsuspecting audience. Each scene--even the quietest ones--manage to seem a little breathless, a little manic, as each moment stacks on top of the one before it until the whole jenga tower falls in one unholy cacophony. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Honorable mention: the languid, vaguely upsetting rhythms of <i>Transit</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u>Cinematography</u></b></div>
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<b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">1917</i>-Points, I suppose, for the degree of difficulty, but I'm more interested in the shifting shadows and colors of the night run, the way the sunrise pops, or how face drained of color fade into the wood, or the obsessive kinetic movement that all but knocks actors down in the final battle scenes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oj6wlvdOwz3SikkRgbXWhPxjwOR6hwJ4ogwF5NO_2YyacpcoVbbqXsqM3hO7FBVNa1F5SyHsdmUmXCBZ0zp3s28rRkcAeV6JbJur5TNMMNUC7Al6S227gzLKcfJ6B6mG0NA0_Ii69kp2/s1600/1917_cinematography.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="779" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oj6wlvdOwz3SikkRgbXWhPxjwOR6hwJ4ogwF5NO_2YyacpcoVbbqXsqM3hO7FBVNa1F5SyHsdmUmXCBZ0zp3s28rRkcAeV6JbJur5TNMMNUC7Al6S227gzLKcfJ6B6mG0NA0_Ii69kp2/s400/1917_cinematography.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2019/12/1917-sam-mendes-george-mckay-one-shot-1202199209/">source</a>)</div>
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<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lighthouse</i>-like a series of haunted daguerrotypes, all dank and perilous squares, greys shot through with a hateful wight light.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8rcduM-frxUq5YhHQf_tzKQcHb44m4xjyvrUCfKeqAlT_CkauiGsdEdMuNI6DboGxK2sguKHEH1KESIKVmu_hjgCWBdfaxLtSdKL4SVWXJwxIFRzIB3Ufyg2iYqcOOtnfB-5trvQ9Q5W/s1600/lighthouse_cinematography.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="268" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8rcduM-frxUq5YhHQf_tzKQcHb44m4xjyvrUCfKeqAlT_CkauiGsdEdMuNI6DboGxK2sguKHEH1KESIKVmu_hjgCWBdfaxLtSdKL4SVWXJwxIFRzIB3Ufyg2iYqcOOtnfB-5trvQ9Q5W/s320/lighthouse_cinematography.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/531213718549334079/">source</a>)</div>
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<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Synonyms</i>-A movie whose visual appeal is exceptionally difficult to capture in a picture or gif, as it's all about <i>motion</i>--the way that the camera tears the city apart looking for something, anything, the way characters, objects, locations drift in and out of the frame, and never exactly where you'd expect. It's the way the visuals mirror the main character's belief that the Seine is a test, and looking at the river's famously beautiful banks will keep you from discovering the truth about Paris, and so you have to avert your eyes from everything that you're expected to see.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsNZJKLFPihh3VXBp678NOqDijKWrzCEmCWbXD8_VH5tsXfvDUH9uuPFDbSd3Arqo-TTR8TQ2QOBMloxj4Kb6S22kWj8LaoYdFvv4uRlSWoorlUFbIZejq8GkuQb2Je2gZbiemBEOsKfO/s1600/synonyms_cinematography.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="600" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsNZJKLFPihh3VXBp678NOqDijKWrzCEmCWbXD8_VH5tsXfvDUH9uuPFDbSd3Arqo-TTR8TQ2QOBMloxj4Kb6S22kWj8LaoYdFvv4uRlSWoorlUFbIZejq8GkuQb2Je2gZbiemBEOsKfO/s400/synonyms_cinematography.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/kinolorber-synonyms-nadav-lapid-tom-mercier-Q8VS4VOIezgSqJF4lx">source</a>)</div>
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<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Atlantics</i>-the sea, a solemn verdigris affair, the club, all green fireflies easily scattered, and the rest world, trapped in an ochre haze.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LQYAz2dT_iZCxBRixMKIik0wIm_7FnirL1F1O9f8Bx22k91FUu3L9S4OBHchxuopgF37Htm4RyEXJPX8-3kycaqOGFmoTQwe9LKZfxholQVoA0CY0UldQ0Q8Nol8I-hmBUxL4hBunE-P/s1600/atlantics_cinematography.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="500" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5LQYAz2dT_iZCxBRixMKIik0wIm_7FnirL1F1O9f8Bx22k91FUu3L9S4OBHchxuopgF37Htm4RyEXJPX8-3kycaqOGFmoTQwe9LKZfxholQVoA0CY0UldQ0Q8Nol8I-hmBUxL4hBunE-P/s400/atlantics_cinematography.webp" width="400" /></a></div>
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(<a href="https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/atlantique">source</a>)</div>
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<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Last Black Man in San Francisco</i>-life through a lens--or a few lenses, really--everything color and softness and fantasy, and time speeds up and slows down however we want it to, holding gilded age where and when it can, even when its pillow-eyes catch catch on a rusted nail or a pile of dead fish.</div>
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(<a href="https://giphy.com/a24/the-last-black-man-in-san-francisco">source</a>)</div>
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Honorable mention: the alternating warm and perilous real-life tableau in <i>Honeyland</i></div>
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<b><u>Original Score</u></b></div>
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<b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Atlantics</i>-an unnerving and unsettling (or maybe resettling) synth soundscape from first time composer Fatima Al Qadiri--a perfect lilting elegy woven into the sea.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJkGbX8i5M4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJkGbX8i5M4</a></div>
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<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Parasite</i>-a strangely under-celebrated element of the movie that's totally integral to its success. The Vivaldi strings chase the onscreen characters like cackling little shoulder devils.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYfWvatyNAQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYfWvatyNAQ</a></div>
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<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Uncut Gems</i>-an 80s educational video meets an 80s drug-fueled trip through space and smashes together into this utterly bananas mix of chanting, drums, electronica, and madness.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZseRH6vEbI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZseRH6vEbI</a></div>
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<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Monos</i>-I know I've said it before, but Mica Levi has to be the most talented and/or innovative composer working in movies now, right? Just listen this movie's mix of whistles, flutes, wind sounds, low strings, and screaming electronic sounds. The result is something that feels like the voice of nature itself--the mist-bedecked mountains crying to the child soldiers scampering about them. This was <i>almost</i> my #1 pick (and I did have it there for most of the year, and I almost changed it back right now just listening to some of the tracks), so definitely don't miss checking this music out. (The movie itself is...good? I respect it more than I like it. Don't watch it if you're not interested in watching a whole bunch of kids die.)</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uVmqBvahsE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uVmqBvahsE</a></div>
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<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Last Black Man in San Francisco</i>-ultimately, though, I couldn't give it to anything but this, one of the most beautiful compositions for movies in this (and plenty of other) years. This score has so many voices--sometimes it's lush and open, sometimes it's nothing but a few furious woodwinds chirping at each other. The vocal and choral selections are out of this world, and when everything coalesces--. It's something else. Really, this whole album should be in your playlist, but since I can't put all 26 tracks here, I will say I am extremely fond of the progression of "They lost the house?" into "Rock Fight," building, crescendoing, and then dropping all in the space of three-ish minutes.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKhgddvJQjE&list=OLAK5uy_kzDqK6rUq5yNlzbuBoeg_sscOM8HJxeIo&index=12&t=0s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKhgddvJQjE&list=OLAK5uy_kzDqK6rUq5yNlzbuBoeg_sscOM8HJxeIo&index=12&t=0s</a></div>
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(this takes you to a playlist that will play both of these tracks back to back. And if, y'know, you just let the playlist keep going, what harm will that do?)</div>
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Honorable mention: periennial not-bride bridesmaid Thomas Newman's propulsive work in <i>1917</i></div>
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<b><u>Sound Mixing</u></b></div>
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<b>5. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Little Women</i>-whole worlds evoked sonically, the throaty gasps of empty houses, resentment scraping across the ice, the impersonal everywhere-ness of the big city contrasted with the open sounds of The World We Wanted--and everywhere the girls' voices, tying the threads together by virtue of their own constant voiced thereness.</div>
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<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Hustlers</i>-this could have gotten in just on its most notable sound flourishes--the way that sound processes and shapes the present-day conversation, and the way all audio but the hidden wire drops away in one pivotal scene--but <i>Hustlers </i>has more than that. A club that *actually sounds like a club* but is still audibly legible, constant shifting group dynamics organized by volume, and just the right levels for the near-constant needle drops.</div>
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<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">1917</i>-in its bones, <i>1917</i> wants to be a horror movie more than it wants to be a war movie, and the sound mix is where this most obviously shines through. Consider the haunted emptiness of No Man's Land that segues into It's Only a Rat jump scares, then punctuated by some old-fashioned explosive chaos. I love how quiet this movie is (only really ramping up for its final battle scene). Consider one scene (vague so as to avoid spoilers) in which some sudden violence happens. When that violence happens, it's quiet and mundane, and the scene continues to sound quiet and mundane, despite the drama and desperation on screen--just like the in the real world, horrible things happen quickly and quietly.</div>
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<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Nightingale</i>-speaking of horrible things! <i>The Nightingale</i> is one continuous doomsday tapestry where you aren't the only thing screaming in the night--there's a whole world singing its sorrow songs to a inky black sky like a sponge. Trauma punctures the silence, but it's never really silence--if the bugs aren't screaming, the birds are, and if it's not them, it's everyone else.</div>
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<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lighthouse</i>-no man is an island, but two men and a very mean bird certainly are. A soundscape that makes it all too easy to believe that anyone listening to this every day would go insane: all sea howls and guttural gales and that screaming foghorn that does not let up for even <i>one minute</i> for the entire movie.</div>
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Honorable mention: the sea sure is a scary place in <i>Styx</i></div>
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<b><u>Sound Editing</u></b></div>
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<b>5. </b><b style="font-style: italic;">They Shall Not Grow Old</b>-of the WWI sound triumphs in theaters this year, I've got to give the edge to Peter Jackson's docu-archive-chimera that recreated the soundscapes of hundreds of archive newsreels and silent film footage from the period in order to bring them to some kind of life.</div>
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<b>4. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Midsommar</i>-for the wet, meaty slap, like the sound a seal make when it jumps into a boat, of the old man's exploding head alone, but also for the subtle moans of nature, the polite, confused swallowing of pubes, and the oh-so-satisfying primal crackle of roasting a bear suit.</div>
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<b>3. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Avengers: Endgame</i>-I suppose at some point I've got to stop putting Avengers movies in this category, but who I am I to say no to those optimistic little time travel pops, the stentorian, city-sized rumble caused by every Marvel character in the known universe standing on top of each other, or the biblical scrape of Captain America's shield ripping apart?</div>
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<b>2. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Shadow</i>-not entirely unlike <i>Midsommar</i>, this one gets in for some of its more delightful carnage sounds, like a baby helicopter careening through a city made out of overripe fruit. But there's still more to love--the inevitable clang of ridiculously sized glaive slamming into an umbrella made of knives, or the weaponized thrums of a gu zheng singing that sound characters make when they want to kill the person next to them.</div>
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<b>1. </b><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lighthouse</i>-a bevy of curséd pots, bells, sea stars, effervescent fuckable light bulbs, old man farts, and slimy rocks are dropped into Poseidon's whirling anus and they all rattle about until they can tear themselves apart.</div>
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Honorable mention: someone please be proud of me for <i>finally</i> not default-nominating the Star Wars movie in this category every year. ...But I'm still giving <i>Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker</i>, because I have an addiction, and the first step is admitting I'm powerless and that my sound editing preferences have become unmanageable.</div>
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<b><u>Original Song</u></b></div>
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<b>5. "Into the Unknown"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Frozen 2</i>-be forewarned, this category is fairly sparse (at least from the movies I've seen), so gird your loins for a whole bunch of <i>Frozen 2</i>, whose soundtrack, while not as good as the original, still might not deserve the drubbing it got. Who doesn't get at least a little amped listening Elsa singing about driving her car off a cliff or whatever?</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIOyB9ZXn8s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIOyB9ZXn8s</a></div>
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<b>4. "Lost in the Woods"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Frozen 2</i>-Look, I love this deeply stupid 80s power ballad parody, and you can't stop me. Jonathan Groff gets his big Disney moment, backed up by a choir of singing reindeer while he does his best REO Speedwagon impression. How could I not want that?</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiGcfay5jNY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiGcfay5jNY</a></div>
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<b>3. "Stand Up"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Harriet</i>-I didn't totally love the movie, but <i>whoo boy</i> can Cynthia Erivo sing, and this song smartly lets her do just that. A rousing and gorgeous send-off for the movie.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEMsIHVejWM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEMsIHVejWM</a></div>
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<b>2. "Willow"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">High Life</i>-Robert Pattinson should be required by law to sing an end credits song for every movie he's in, and that's the objective true. That's science. <i>High Life</i> is a fairly bonkers movie, and by the time you hit the end credits, RPatz singing about centipedes feels as right as anything could. In all seriousness, this is a lovely and lilting song, and I've listened to it more than I have almost any other movie song from 2019.</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xNSN6Kd8rI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xNSN6Kd8rI</a></div>
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<b>1. "Show Yourself"-</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">Frozen 2</i>-I'm sorry, what else did you expect? One of my favorite scenes of the year, a massive, to-the-skies roar that absolutely titillated the closeted baby gay in my past.</div>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md7dK5-qvHc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md7dK5-qvHc</a> (Note: this link is the lyric video, but if you want the scene, I link to it in the first Best of the Year post.)<br />
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Honorable mention: what a missed opportunity it was that the Academy didn't nominate "A Glass of Soju" so we could see them frantically try to stage a <i>Parasite</i> music number.</div>
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<b>SUPER </b>honorable mention: the best movie song of the year, without a doubt, objectively, is "Glasgow" from <i>Wild Rose. </i>It's a stone-cold banger and a huge emotional piece--it can make me vaguely teary, and I haven't even seen the movie. But, tragically, my rules keep me from nominating something from a movie that I haven't seen. So know that had I not been lazy and seen <i>Wild Rose</i>, it would absolutely be at the top of this list. At any rate, give it a listen yourself--I've listened to it more than any other movie song this year. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-l-Ly0ly4M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-l-Ly0ly4M</a></div>
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Well, that's the end of the lists for the year, believe it or not (and I <i>definitely</i> can believe it, given the work I've put off/the time I've put in/the hurt in my stupid, aging hands). I'll be back before the Oscars to post some final predictions, but this is (for me, at least) just about the end of the 2019 cinematic year! Come Sunday it's New Years Oscar eve, and then I can finally get with the rest of the world and acknowledge that we're supposed to be living in 2020. </div>
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For those playing along at home, here are the movies that showed up most frequently in the lists:</div>
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<i>The Lighthouse</i>-8</div>
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<i>Midsommar</i>-7</div>
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<i>Little Women</i>-7</div>
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<i>Parasite</i>-6</div>
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<i>Hustlers</i>-6</div>
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As for wins, <i>One Cut of The Dead</i> won each of the two categories for which it was nominated (Picture and Original Screenplay), but three other movies also won two each: <i>Parasite</i> (Production Design, Film Editing), <i>The Last Black Man in San Francisco</i> (Cinematography, Original Score), and <i>The Lighthouse</i> (Sound Mixing, Sound Editing). </div>
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And that's that! Here's to a wonderful year of movies, and here's hoping for another one that's just as good! If, somehow, you're still reading, and have been reading, thanks so much! I do love the support, even if I write these just for the sake of writing them, and even if I constantly berate you in text for having the gall to sit down and read these things.</div>
Joe Khttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08290373919018115443noreply@blogger.com0