The Nominees: Belfast, dir. Kenneth Branagh; CODA, dir. Sian Heder; Don’t Look Up, dir. Adam McKay; Drive My Car, dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi; Dune, dir. Denis Villeneuve; King Richard, dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green; Licorice Pizza, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson; Nightmare Alley, dir. Guillermo del Toro, The Power of the Dog, dir. Jane Campion; West Side Story, dir. Steven Spielberg
Let me just go movie by movie, offering a few sentences for each and y’all can decide which you think I think is going to win.
Belfast: The movie everyone thought would sweep the Oscars mere months ago given its intensely personal nature and black and white presentation. Branagh’s script is sparse but effective, the cast is lovely (Jaime Dornan and Caitríona Balfe being overlooked in favor of Ciarán Hinds and Judy Dench feels crazy to me— those former two are movie stars in the classic old school Hollywood glamor sense of the word), and the emotional punch is strong.
CODA: How this movie became such a front runner is such a head scratcher. Seems like the opposite of something the Academy would award Best Picture. I guess every year needs a family friendly entry? I’m going to hold off on critiquing this one too hard because I’d the air space be given to the thoughts of an actual CODA or member of the Deaf community. The one thing I’ll offer is this wise crack: Tim Cook himself will have paid for the trophy if this walks away with Best Picture.
Don’t Look Up: This movie is absolutely ridiculous and honestly I loved every second. Critics love to trash Adam McKay movies but I’ll be on the right side of history one day when we all look back and realize how smart his satire is. Cult classic in the making.
Drive My Car: This film is sublime in every way imaginable. Seek it out and consume it when you’re ready to set your gaze on something higher. Thank goodness it got nominated for as many Oscars it did because if anything comes out it, this poetic, contemplative gem of a film will be seen by way more people than it would’ve otherwise.
Dune: Really big and really impressive but really distant and cold. Left me feeling next to nothing aside from impressed at its scale. The sand worms were deeply unsettling so I want to call it a horror film but Oscar Isaac was naked so I want to call it a romance but Timmy Chal was in anguish so I want to call it a coming of age– can someone help me out? Dune was cool but ultimately just fine for me.
King Richard: This one didn’t quite land for me either. The message is delightful and the story is triumphant but I found the protagonist to be the least likable character and the screenplay to be less than inspired. We already know Venus and Serena are the best of the best, I don’t need that to be the focus of every other line.
Licorice Pizza: The real revelation here is Alana Haim who absolutely kills in her feature film debut. Casting her was a stroke of genius and highlights how natural she is in front of the camera. It’s such a shame that her triumphant debut comes in a rose-colored comedy— the type of film the Academy’s acting branch is allergic to— because if I were a voting member, I would be writing down Alana’s name when writing down five names for Best Actress nominations. She is that good. This performance is so lived in and lovable and each moment is recognizable and earned, the type of work someone with double her resume length couldn’t pull off with such aplomb.
Nightmare Alley: Why did this movie not start until a full hour in? Not even the iconic Toni Collette could save the first hour from ambling about, lost in itself like a kid helplessly meandering through a corn maze. Beautifully shot though! And there is no better pairing than Cate Blanchett and a period piece!
The Power of the Dog: A masterpiece in every sense of the word. My favorite movie of the year. Please see my review for more.
West Side Story: This one is overwhelmingly beautiful. I had tears in my eyes through most of its runtime, a result of the sheer breadth of filmmaking genius it showcased. I felt emotionally winded at its conclusion and I’m so thrilled to see it so brilliantly not just remade, but revitalized. A ten-out-of-ten in every sense of the phrase. That’s all.
Should Win: The Power of the Dog, dir. Jane Campion
Could Win: CODA, dir. Sian Heder
Will Win: The Power of the Dog, dir. Jane Campion
Should’ve Been Nominated: A Hero, dir. Asghar Farhadi; The Worst Person in the World, dir. Joachim Trier; In the Heights, dir. Jon M. Chu; The Lost Daughter, dir. Maggie Gyllenhaal
