It's time for the third installment in an annual Pop Culture Scribe tradition: my Oscars blog post, where I discuss all the movies and people I would love to see taking home an award. While the world is in disarray, Hollywood forges on, and though the night is sure to prove full of incendiary political speeches, I am simply keen to celebrate the escapism that cinema has afforded me in a particularly heinous year. So let's sally forth and see who brought us the most cinematic joy.
Best Picture: This is a surprisingly difficult category for me this year. The nominated films feel like a pointed response to last year's #OscarsSoWhite debacle, featuring a slightly more diverse and empathetic array of stories and performances. Most signs point to La La Land, and I would not begrudge its win at all. In a year full of terrible news, it was a shining beacon of art and beauty that managed to be both fantastical and poignant at the same time. But then you have movies like Manchester by the Sea, Fences, and Hell or High Water, that featured searing performances, gripping dialogue, and were divine. Then there were biopics like Hidden Figures, Lion, and Hacksaw Ridge, that made you believe people could accomplish extraordinary things. However, if I had to pick a film that moved me and truly transported me, it would be a tie between Moonlight and Arrival. I cannot think of two more diametrically opposed films - one is a three-act story of a black boy growing up in Miami, the other is the tale of a cognitive linguist attempting to talk to aliens and save the human race. And yet both feature powerful central performances, deft direction, stunning cinematography, and stirring scores. All of the nominated movies were great this year, but those two are my pick for the most magnificent of the bunch; they are as close to perfect as movie-making gets.
Best Director: Anyone but Mel Gibson. La La Land, Arrival, Moonlight, and Manchester by the Sea are the four best movies I saw this year, and I would be happy with a win for any of those directors. Damian Chazelle probably deserves it for La La Land as it would have been the greatest challenge in terms of directorial logistics. He didn't just film his actors talking, he also had to shut down a California freeway and film dancers pirouetting on cars in the baking heat. But Barry Jenkins would be the first black director to win an Oscar and no one could argue with his directorial wizardry in Moonlight. So give him an Oscar to make up for the fact that he might not win Best Picture.
Best Actor: Casey Affleck seemed to be the favorite for Manchester by the Sea, and I wouldn't dispute that from an acting standpoint (sexual harassment allegations are another story). But Denzel Washington could beat him out with that incredible performance in Fences, and while I ordinarily prefer awarding first-time winners, Denzel would be the first black person to win three Oscars. That would make the night rather more special that awarding a white misogynist. But the three remaining actors, Viggo Mortensen, Andrew Garfield, and Ryan Gosling are all sentimental favorites of mine, and I would be secretly ecstatic if any of them won. The Mortensen and Garfield performances anchor their respective movies and are what elevated Captain Fantastic and Hacksaw Ridge to Oscar caliber, while Gosling deserves an Oscar because there is no other current Hollywood actor who has the charm and grace to pull off that La La Land performance. However, it's impossible, so while I dream about a three-way tie, I shall wait to see if Affleck or Washington are the actual winners on Sunday.
Best Actress: First off, Amy Adams was robbed. We all love Meryl, but I would replace Streep's nomination for Florence Foster Jenkins in a heartbeat for Adams' work in Arrival and then give her the Oscar. As that is not an option, I'll have to go with my second-favorite performance of the year: Emma Stone in La La Land. Much like her co-star, I can't imagine any other actress who could have sashayed into that movie with such aplomb. While much has been made of her audition scene at the end of the movie, it's her audition scene at the beginning that wowed me at the outset. Taraji P. Henson was a delight in Hidden Figures, while Natalie Portman and Isabelle Huppert completely commanded the screen in their respective performances in Jackie and Elle. But Emma Stone was the one who made me forget it was a performance and let me revel in the character and her story. Give the woman an Oscar.
Best Supporting Actress & Actor: These are a lock for Viola Davis and Mahershala Ali, and deservedly so. Their performances in Fences and Moonlight were indescribably affecting and they should get the award. But again, as I keep re-iterating throughout this post, the other nominees were pretty great, and while a win for anyone else would be a surprise, it would not be particularly upsetting.
Best Original Screenplay: It seems like Damian Chazelle has the edge here for La La Land, but I would argue that if we're truly talking about "originality," the rightful winner would be Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou for The Lobster. I mean come on, that movie was absolutely bonkers in terms of its premise and yet managed to be funny and heartbreaking. I would also argue for Taylor Sheridan's Hell or High Water, by far the screenplay with the wittiest insight and dialogue this year. Then we have Mike Mills' and Kenneth Lonergan's equally moving scripts for 20th Century Women and Manchester by the Sea. Oh who am I kidding, just give everyone the prize, they all wrote something incredible.
Best Adapted Screenplay: I don't see Arrival winning anything else, so this is the category where I'm hoping Eric Heisserer has a shot at getting this movie some awards love. But a win for Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney for Moonlight is more likely and perfectly acceptable.
That's all for the major categories I care about. The only other award that truly matters to me this year is to ensure Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul win Best Original Song for City of Stars, because that song has been stuck in my head for months now and I still love it. Though there's a strong chance that the two songs nominated from La La Land will split the vote and we could end up with a win for Lin-Manuel Miranda (which would be awesome as it would complete his EGOT), or Justin Timberlake (which would be a travesty and might result in me throwing something at my TV). So let's see what tomorrow night brings. I don't anticipate being too disappointed, but I'm certainly curious to see how the Academy feels about the world in general and movies in particular this year.
Best Picture: This is a surprisingly difficult category for me this year. The nominated films feel like a pointed response to last year's #OscarsSoWhite debacle, featuring a slightly more diverse and empathetic array of stories and performances. Most signs point to La La Land, and I would not begrudge its win at all. In a year full of terrible news, it was a shining beacon of art and beauty that managed to be both fantastical and poignant at the same time. But then you have movies like Manchester by the Sea, Fences, and Hell or High Water, that featured searing performances, gripping dialogue, and were divine. Then there were biopics like Hidden Figures, Lion, and Hacksaw Ridge, that made you believe people could accomplish extraordinary things. However, if I had to pick a film that moved me and truly transported me, it would be a tie between Moonlight and Arrival. I cannot think of two more diametrically opposed films - one is a three-act story of a black boy growing up in Miami, the other is the tale of a cognitive linguist attempting to talk to aliens and save the human race. And yet both feature powerful central performances, deft direction, stunning cinematography, and stirring scores. All of the nominated movies were great this year, but those two are my pick for the most magnificent of the bunch; they are as close to perfect as movie-making gets.
Best Director: Anyone but Mel Gibson. La La Land, Arrival, Moonlight, and Manchester by the Sea are the four best movies I saw this year, and I would be happy with a win for any of those directors. Damian Chazelle probably deserves it for La La Land as it would have been the greatest challenge in terms of directorial logistics. He didn't just film his actors talking, he also had to shut down a California freeway and film dancers pirouetting on cars in the baking heat. But Barry Jenkins would be the first black director to win an Oscar and no one could argue with his directorial wizardry in Moonlight. So give him an Oscar to make up for the fact that he might not win Best Picture.
Best Actor: Casey Affleck seemed to be the favorite for Manchester by the Sea, and I wouldn't dispute that from an acting standpoint (sexual harassment allegations are another story). But Denzel Washington could beat him out with that incredible performance in Fences, and while I ordinarily prefer awarding first-time winners, Denzel would be the first black person to win three Oscars. That would make the night rather more special that awarding a white misogynist. But the three remaining actors, Viggo Mortensen, Andrew Garfield, and Ryan Gosling are all sentimental favorites of mine, and I would be secretly ecstatic if any of them won. The Mortensen and Garfield performances anchor their respective movies and are what elevated Captain Fantastic and Hacksaw Ridge to Oscar caliber, while Gosling deserves an Oscar because there is no other current Hollywood actor who has the charm and grace to pull off that La La Land performance. However, it's impossible, so while I dream about a three-way tie, I shall wait to see if Affleck or Washington are the actual winners on Sunday.
Best Actress: First off, Amy Adams was robbed. We all love Meryl, but I would replace Streep's nomination for Florence Foster Jenkins in a heartbeat for Adams' work in Arrival and then give her the Oscar. As that is not an option, I'll have to go with my second-favorite performance of the year: Emma Stone in La La Land. Much like her co-star, I can't imagine any other actress who could have sashayed into that movie with such aplomb. While much has been made of her audition scene at the end of the movie, it's her audition scene at the beginning that wowed me at the outset. Taraji P. Henson was a delight in Hidden Figures, while Natalie Portman and Isabelle Huppert completely commanded the screen in their respective performances in Jackie and Elle. But Emma Stone was the one who made me forget it was a performance and let me revel in the character and her story. Give the woman an Oscar.
Best Supporting Actress & Actor: These are a lock for Viola Davis and Mahershala Ali, and deservedly so. Their performances in Fences and Moonlight were indescribably affecting and they should get the award. But again, as I keep re-iterating throughout this post, the other nominees were pretty great, and while a win for anyone else would be a surprise, it would not be particularly upsetting.
Best Original Screenplay: It seems like Damian Chazelle has the edge here for La La Land, but I would argue that if we're truly talking about "originality," the rightful winner would be Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou for The Lobster. I mean come on, that movie was absolutely bonkers in terms of its premise and yet managed to be funny and heartbreaking. I would also argue for Taylor Sheridan's Hell or High Water, by far the screenplay with the wittiest insight and dialogue this year. Then we have Mike Mills' and Kenneth Lonergan's equally moving scripts for 20th Century Women and Manchester by the Sea. Oh who am I kidding, just give everyone the prize, they all wrote something incredible.
Best Adapted Screenplay: I don't see Arrival winning anything else, so this is the category where I'm hoping Eric Heisserer has a shot at getting this movie some awards love. But a win for Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney for Moonlight is more likely and perfectly acceptable.
That's all for the major categories I care about. The only other award that truly matters to me this year is to ensure Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul win Best Original Song for City of Stars, because that song has been stuck in my head for months now and I still love it. Though there's a strong chance that the two songs nominated from La La Land will split the vote and we could end up with a win for Lin-Manuel Miranda (which would be awesome as it would complete his EGOT), or Justin Timberlake (which would be a travesty and might result in me throwing something at my TV). So let's see what tomorrow night brings. I don't anticipate being too disappointed, but I'm certainly curious to see how the Academy feels about the world in general and movies in particular this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment