Unsurprisingly my favourite nomination was I'm Still Here's haul, for the best performance of the year and a surprise Best Picture nomination. And while it deserved more, happy for Nickel Boys pulling a Women Talking and happy for The Substance.
These are my alternate suggestions. Adam Pearson in A Different Man Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe and Simon McBurney in Nosferatu Clarence Maclin in Sing Sing Ben Chaplin and Peter Sarsgaard in September 5 Mark Eydelshteyn in Anora And reviews of: Jason Bateman in Carry-On Franz Rogowski in Bird
1. Flow 2. The Seed of the Sacred Dig 500000000000000000000000000000000. Emilia Perez
Look forward to seeing the last two.
Sound:
1. Dune Part II 2. The Wild Robot 3. Wicked 4. A Complete Unknown 5. Emilia Perez
Dune is above and beyond the best of these nominees. As you have the sheer scope of the achievement both extremely intimate use of sound like in the particularly quiet opening scene, but also the extreme grandiose work such as in the climax or the pivotal riding the sandworm. Absolutely immersive work in combining the sound with the score in the proper cinematic power that the sound is an essential facet of. With of course specific impactful sound effects throughout that while some are consistent from the first film, yet the consistency is great, however with new work throughout that just makes this a step above.
Always nice to see an animated film get in here, particularly with the fact they combined the categories. The Wild Robot’s sound effects though are consistently great in everything around the robot that creates kind of just the right tone specifically for this film where there is the definite intensity to the mechanization sounds but light enough fitting the overall nature of the film. And creating the environment is certainly part of the film consistently which the sound amplifies nicely throughout.
Musical being the guaranteed spot in these categories is always slightly confusing to me in that oftentimes they just sort of play the playback that covers the entire scene. But regardless, Wicked for me is the top spot mostly because there is some additional work with the Wizard’s machine, the magic, the flying monkeys and occasionally the musical numbers include more overt sound effect moments within for something a bit more sound centric.
A Complete Unknown is working with something slightly different because indeed the singing scenes there usually have more going on in them with creating crowd and sometimes distortion as part of the overall moments of the song. Again I don't think it should be getting in over things like The Substance or the Nosferatu but it is good work albeit I don’t quite see what is so amazing about it other than basic competency.
And there’s Perez, who I think was mostly just blasting the obnoxious songs as loudly as possible over the scenes without any specific amplification outside of the songs. Of course you do get that moronic scene where the soldiers load their guns in unison, that certainly was a scene that existed that included sound.
1. The Substance 2. A Different Man 3. Nosferatu 4. Wicked 5. Emilia Perez
The top three are extraordinary but even then I still have to go pretty easily with the substance. As you get absolutely amazing work throughout and one that pretty much goes step by step in the level of the work. The early bits of makeup on Moore are exceptionally creepy in its more subtle use, relatively speaking, but then creates such a horrifying yet wholly convincing continuation of just becoming older and more monstrous at every turn. Then of course you have the final bit, which again I think is so memorable that the film could’ve just ended on it, as it really throws everything and the kitchen sink into, and is absolutely grotesque yet wholly convincing in its purpose.
A Different Man is amazing work particularly since it is very much going up against the real condition so if it was anything less than perfect it would’ve been immediately noticeable and really could’ve made the whole fall in the wrong direction. The work is absolutely convinces in its own right in being completely believable in itself. There is the slight old age stuff too later on that’s fine, but absolutely the whole of it is the centerpiece which is indeed exceptional.
Nosferatu is all about the creature himself, though obviously it does have a lot of other work in the gruesome moments, and actually the period hairstyling which is also great. Loved this iteration of what the Count looks like, which I think overall is the dividing point between liking and loving the film for many, but I loved it in basically taking the image of an actual count from the period and just making him a decaying corpse yet still fearsome and alive. I loved it.
Mostly about the Green makeup, though of course there are silly Oz hairstyles and such throughout which are all perfectly fine. The green makeup I wouldn’t say is anything amazing in itself, certainly not over the work in Dune by any piece of one’s imagination but certainly gets the job done both as the young and older Elphaba.
And then you have the trash fire again, because the makeup job when you do see it on Gascon looks absolutely ridiculous, and I think there is a reason it is so poorly lit in those scenes (well maybe just the bad cinematography which WE WILL GET TO), but the whole look of that version of the character looks just silly rather than scary, or more importantly believable
1. Nosferatu 2. Gladiator II 3. Wicked 4. Conclave 5. A Complete Unknown
Easy number one, as Nosferatu’s work is once again carrying on the incredible work seen in all of Eggers’s films so far in hitting this ideal blend between period and style that feels absolutely new while also maintaining greater attention to detail than so many works that came before. And this was a particularly well tested time period to do as well, but Eggers’s work managed to be striking while also being absolutely convincing within just the character’s normal clothing which is all great work. Then of course there is the more stylistic overtly work of the count, which I absolutely loved though again kind of working within a certain frame of a long dead time blending between this certain grandeur while also being clothing that seems rotting much like the creature itself. Amazing work across the board.
Gladiator II’s costuming is much like the film itself which is a lot of retreads of the original, although in this instance mostly decent retreads. We get the striking Roman work again that doesn’t reinvent any wheels but still looks quite good in hitting the familiar beats. But I would say mostly just that, because there isn’t a standout like say the champion tear mask in the original, or even Maximus’s gear, which the film here of course reuses. But even if it isn’t better than the original it is still good work.
Wicked’s work I don’t completely love is kind of riffing its own identity on the Wizard of Oz. I like some things more than enough like the Wizard’s suit, Glinda’s pink outfits and Elphaba’s witch outfit, are all good, even though they don’t quite stand out as beyond that for me. The sort of more routine generalized wear of the rest of the characters though I found perhaps a bit less striking, sometimes looking more like knockoff Oz clothing than proper Oz clothing, not in a horrible way though just not in an amazing way either.
Conclave’s work completely does its job in giving the various modern clothing of Cardinals, Nuns and Popes. It is just going for modern convincing and isn’t trying to do its own thing. But it’s a fine job even if I don’t think it needed to be nominated over say something like Dune.
Speaking of fine jobs that didn’t need to be nominated, A Complete Unknown has the period clothing all there completely fine as such, with to be fair specific recreations for Dylan, Seeger, Baez and Cash. But I wouldn’t say anything is truly remarkable as such, it just is more of completely fine as such.
1. Nosferatu 2. Dune Part 2 3. The Brutalist 4. Wicked 5. Conclave
Nosferatu tops a fairly strong lineup here again, however with mostly relative ease once again, because if one thought the costumes were great, as usual Eggers’s and his team out does himself and even manages to outdo the extraordinary production work of so many previous Dracula’s with the work here. While again working within a period yet taking style that remembers what has come before but never feels like it is merely copying what has come before, Nosferatu creates such a lived world where every element feels so tangible yet also is filled with such dread. There really isn’t a single set that isn’t amazing here, whether it is creating the claustrophobia of the repressed societal interiors, the demonic oppressive castle of Orlock, the wretched ship becoming more coffin than boat, the previous repressed place becoming rotting itself, it is all absolutely extraordinary work that is absolutely striking in its horror aesthetic yet absolutely convincing as a place you can touch…but really wouldn’t want to.
Great continuation of the previous film, where specifically you get the work done deep in the Fremen that is naturally sparse but with great little bits that grants you the idea of their specific spirituality. You also get the whole Harkonnen world that is minimalistic in a different way. And while some of the work is utilizing ideas from the previous film in a new angle or way, it does so particularly effectively in once again creating a sense of the character of each group or family, and doing so in such grandiose majesty. Great work once again.
The Brutalist is impressive work anyways, but given it was all done within its very limited budget makes it absolutely astonishing work, because at no point do you sense the budget, which is part great directing, such as how Corbet does the whole opening entrance to America scene, but the production design is absolutely essential in pulling of this feat. As it looks absolutely memorable as any film of the period in creating each tangible place of the period while also managing to have its own riff even beyond that via the minimalistic style of Brody’s character. Giving the film its own unique life which also is striking in itself, but even speaks to the nature of Brody’s characters visions which are again fantastic work on a production level.
Wicked is kind of funny in this instance where the cinematography kind of hides a lot of the large sets that were created and make them look a little bit like CGI. Anyway there is a lot of great work here again, that while it doesn’t quite meet Wizard of Oz in my mind, and occasionally very looks like the riff it is, and not always in the best way particularly some of the work at the school. Still I’d put it above the costumes in terms of creating its identity, which I don’t think is perfect in itself, but decent enough as a riffing approximation.
Conclave is all about a few sets, which are all convincing as such. Again like the costumes the design is done with a very specific purpose to just try to create a certain known reality and does so successfully. Though again wouldn’t make my top five but it is good albeit straightforward work.
Well, as predicted, Chalamet has, for the third time, starred in two BP nominees in the same year. Dune Part 2 getting snubbed for best editing is WILD. I can understand the score snub, since it mostly reuses the original. The score that they play over Paul and Chaim’s romance is a nice new addition, even if it is also a variation of a familiar scale. It kind of sounds like the score used in Brokeback Mountain and the song “Collide” from Queen and Slim.
Louis, how do you rank the Best Leading and Supporting Actress nominees?
1. “Like a Bird” - Sing Sing 2. "Never Too Late" - Elton John: Never Too Late 3. "The Journey" - The Six Triple Eight 4. "Mi Camino" - Emilia Perez 5. "El Mal" - Emilia Perez
“Like A Bird” isn’t a song I particularly like and this will be a preview of this whole category which is a lot okay then horrendous. Find sort of calming enough guitar intro and building into the very repetitive, but fine variations on flying like a bird. Introduces the voices with the additional, sometimes off-beat instrumentation adding onto the main beat, which is all fine. Though as will be the case for most of these though this isn’t going to be added onto any playlists of mine.
“Never Too Late” sounds like an Elton John song, not a great one, or an overly good one, but certainly an Elton John song that’s fine. The instrumentation sounds very much typical John for the most part with just a slightly more pop riff to it, but not much. It is mostly piano leading work which again is mostly work we’ve heard before in terms of the general progression of the song. As a duet there’s a slight alteration as such, and while I wouldn’t say it is memorable at all even with these minor changes, nor the lyrics which are all pretty standard repetition of the titular idea. It’s not bad but not a song I’d go out of my way for after finishing this very sentence.
“The Journey” is yet another ballad from Warren, which hey thanks to some really slop at the bottom isn’t the worst nomination. It is very familiar to any other number of her songs however. The lyrics here are especially repetitive and not particularly memorable in any way. The instrumentation is typical Warren work, not particularly memorable as such as the song follows the standard formula of build up to titular chorus in not a particularly engaging or entertaining way. There’s worse songs but there are also much better ones within Warren’s own repertoire.
“Mi Camino” is horrendously repetitive as we get slightly melodic but honestly just sounds like a pronunciation game and that isn’t even a comment on Gomez’s pronunciation. But it sounds like a dull sorta song before it gets more ambitious in building the instrumentation and the voice to the titular lyric where the song finally stands out a bit more in that it just sounds bad and hard to listen to in its aimless path to nothing.
Curse you Academy for making you listen to either of these songs again but let’s end with the “good” song I’ve heard people describe from the film. Forget that it is a complete waste of time where Saldana’s character outlines her revenge for something that will ever happen. Anyways you get the rundown of crimes in very obnoxious rapping that is backed by an extremely repetitive riff with some random and unappealing random strings thrown in there for no reason, before returning to the ear bleeding of the chorus and the worst feature of all. The absolutely horrendous bits of singing by Gascon, which Gascon’s singing is indeed bad, however just the whole notion of having someone who can’t sing do these dramatic notes horribly. This song is so bad I have to admit I had to stop listening and couldn’t get through the three minutes again.
1. Dune Part 2 2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes 3. Better Man 4. Wicked 5. Alien Romulus
Dune Part 2 continues the amazing invisible work from the first film where every grandiose effect or minor effect just feels completely tangible and believable. Every bit of CGI that is used to create worlds, the sandworm ride, the explosions, the grand scale battles, they all look great and are absolutely convincing particularly in the world where less and less convincing CGI seems to be sometimes the norm in other blockbusters.
Kingdom isn’t an advancement and in a few ways it is a depreciation from the previous trilogy, but still even if the apes in the light don’t look quite as good, they still look pretty damn good, and even the expressions aren’t quite as intimate perhaps, they still are pretty intimate. And while the world around them definitely looks like a crafted CGI world at times, looks like a fairly good crafted CGI world.
Better Man is interesting in that while there are other effects too, it is mainly doing the same type of ape thing, yet the ape is in basically every shot, but weirdly we aren’t supposed to believe as much though we are supposed to see the expressions more clearly. And the effects certainly pull this off where the ape isn’t as good as the Apes from the Planet films, but it absolutely works as a CGI character that we can see the film through with acting expressions that are pivotal to that.
Wicked is largely the CGI background and the CGI animals, which all are very obviously CGI but they’re not really pretending they’re not either. And as such, entirely fine work if certainly not revelatory at any point.
Ahh the last one, which was hard to rank because it actually does have some good effects in terms of the CGI used for the world building, the ships, the zero gravity blood, the practicals included in the creation of some of the alien effects, are all pretty good, maybe not revelatory, and certainly not new in many cases but good. The problem is the Rook effect is horrendous and just is abysmal in every respect. The funny thing is they improved the effect in the home release and it still looks bad, which says just how horrendous the effect is in terms of how his head shape is wrong, his face looks indeed pasted on, and of course it also is questionable in other ways, but just as a VFX it is atrocious.
Making a relaxed analysis of the actors chosen by Oscar, we have: - 3 MCU guys (Norton, Pearce and Stan) - 4 members of the Wes Anderson film troupe (Brody, Fiennes, Chalamet anda Norton) - 2 members of the Roy family. HBO was a very small space for this family that had to break the TV and buy the Academy.
PS: It's also worth mentioning that James Bond tried to enter the Oscars, but was blocked by his boss M.
Probably a surprise number one, but even though I don’t love the film for other reasons, it moves along nicely, catches character reactions, which the film is very much about, effectively without any awkward edits to realize groups dynamic or conversations. It isn’t pure thriller editing but does have that sort of momentum at times and realizes that quite nicely even if the writing behind all of this I didn’t always find captivating the film is an easy watch with the editing being essential to that.
Might be truly surprising given my love for The Brutalist, and this isn’t even about the length, there were just like two edits that I found very noticeable and very random within the film. Only brief bits mind you, but nonetheless noticed them. Having said that, I did love the work on the montage of creating a certain documentary style in moments with being carried away with, combined with the moments of just a more gradual drama where keeping the moments of reaction and interaction are pivotal to the pace. A pace I found entirely hit the right rhythm for the majority and found it precise in basically more often than not, quickly cutting. But that is combined with the scenes of progression of change that didn’t feel like natural rush and were implemented well.
Anora’s editing is part kind of conception where the “search” section just really could be cut down, but could’ve just been quicker in terms of how the sequence is edited in a general sense without losing the scenes overall. Although this might’ve been purposeful contrast to the quicker editing of the “rush” of the first act where it constantly jumps to the next scene with a purposeful momentum and grants you sort of the sweep that Annie herself is caught up in. And that contrast does work, even if those scenes feel a little long, however I will say the slower attention to detail moments in the very end are a great bit of gradual pacing. Additionally though just some great comedic editing on display as well in terms of key reactions and such which are pivotal for comedy.
Wicked, what editing? Well anyway it is too long, and that is more the screenplay than really the editing, though I will say regardless the climax felt drawn out even as such. Having said that the editing overall in terms of musical editing is perfectly fine, but I wouldn’t say amazing in terms of creating just stellar cut musical numbers. Other elements though like the comedic moments the editing is again well realized particularly knowing when to cut Grande essentially, though I think some of the dramatic moments could’ve hit harder within the edit as well.
Perez’s pacing is one of its many problems as it goes slow, then is in a rush, then slow and a rush and feels just disjointed as such. The screenplay doesn’t help matters but the editing doesn’t enliven things to make it any easier to get through. But more so the editing of the musical numbers which might make them even more abrasive in their way and in no way makes them any easier to get through.
1. The Brutalist 2. The Wild Robot 3. Wicked 4. Conclave 5. Emilia Perez
The Brutalist easily tops the list and might have my favorite single score piece, the one from the trailer that is also the entrance to America. That is such a singular work in terms of the instrumentation that manages to be both small and psychological while also having this certain grandiose element to it that is twisted in a way, as this wonderful blend that is the film’s representation of America. While the first score you hear is the best piece from the entire score, the rest of the work still remains striking in its unique flavor that has period elements in terms of the instrumentation used more frequently than not, but in very unexpected ways that manages to make a very off-beat score yet one that is wholly in service to the film rather than distracting from it.
The Wild Robot is also a wonderful score that brings such an invigorating quality in its grand beauty of the pieces. Very much going for a straightforward adventurous approach, that absolutely works in creating a particularly potent vigor to the proceedings. Like the film itself it isn’t a reinvention of the wheel, but it is such a wonderful example of the wheel. The score in the flying scenes in particular brings that literal momentum. “I Could use a Boost” is especially potent and striking in just bringing to life such a powerful spirit within the film.
Wicked’s nomination seems needless because one definitely takes the songs of the film far more than the score. Having listened to all the shortlisted scores before the nominations I did find that there are some decent pieces in here, even though you don’t at all think about them in terms of the overall film. But on their own they manage to kind of reflect the songs to a degree but with a bit more of an orchestral adventure/grandeur to them. I don’t think it is amazing work, nor do I think it needed to be nominated but it’s not bad work.
Bertelmann’s I’m finding I don’t probably love on the whole with his tendency to go for one fairly over the top choice here the string bass section riff over and over again, that is completely overused. The funny thing is he does find actually a bit of nuance and more to his score in the very final piece where he expands on the gimmick and finds some bit more life to it. The final piece is quite good, unfortunately I don’t really love the “one trick” the rest of the time.
Perez’s score I’m a little baffled at what it even is, as listening through the tortuous soundtrack to get to the score, the score itself without part of the bad songs, is just kind of some pretty vague droning sounds of some random meaningless instrumentation. While the songs are worse, the score is just about nothing on its own.
1. The Brutalist/Maria/Nosferatu 4. Dune Part Two 5. Emilia Perez
I should note this is not an official tie because I need to think more of each, but I just love all three achievements.The Brutalist’s use of Vistavision was not a wasted choice as there is such a grandeur captured itself, that feels very much new and old in a great pairing by what Corbet and Crawley do here. As you get those shots of the old epics but you also get shots you’d never quite expect there either but with that sort of precision. There are just some absolutely amazing moments of framing, composition and lighting throughout. And it excels with both the big shots that show the ambition of Toth’s architecture so beautifully, but also moments of such intense intimacy, like the already (rightfully so) famous sparks in front of Toth shot. The overall mood of the lighting I think very much reflects the piece, by having the naturalistic approach where it manages to have moments of bright ambition, contrasting the darker seedy scenes where the lighting is key in both choices and in both choices succeeds in crafting the world of the film.
Well if Maria was going to get a single nomination, I’m glad it was for this because the film is absolutely gorgeous as is the typical expectation from Lachman. Bringing such vibrancy to every single shot, and a specific grandiosity in terms of the framing and composition of Maria nearly always in the very operatic way. The colors and lighting are just so striking here as each captures such a potent mood or sense of extravagance. If that was not enough though the film goes further with its equally striking use of black and white as Lachman excels in every choice he and Larrain make here.
The final being Nosferatu which framing and composition is next level of course, with certain shots that just are so extraordinary, particularly the use of shadows. But you can swap that out for Moonlight, in the phantom carriage scene and it is also amazing, with amazing camera movement as you follow it like you are descending into hell. The use of lighting so specifically here makes so many key shots absolutely transfixing in the specificity of what the lighting achieves. Although it’s not even just a mood piece, as the going through the countryside has beautiful grand shots, that is still pulling you into it so strikingly. I would only say, and this is not a criticism, the non-supernatural moments are more straightforward, though still great looking, however I think essential in making the moody style shots stand out that much more.
It speaks to the greatness of the top three that Fraser’s also great followup work has to be a clear number 4 for me. As there is extraordinary work here in continuing that grandeur from the previous film, and you see that consistently throughout the film. But there are standout moments beyond just that continuation, such as the more visceral, yet still absolutely grand work in the sandworm riding sequence and that isn’t even considering the additional alternative work of the Giedi Prime. Where the black and white isn’t simply black and white. There is rather an even more extreme contrast created between the extreme deepness of the blacks, and the kind of hollowness of the whites that makes it off-putting in the right way…while again wholly finding the grand spectacle in so many shots.
And once again there’s Emilia Perez which occasionally just has some horribly lit shots particularly in the awful climax that is like a version to show how not to try to copy what Deakins did in Sicario, but the same is true for the scenes early on with the drug kingpin where again you just can’t see a thing. Other times it is excess which there’s something very specific in a lot of the musical scenes where it looks excessively staged rather than naturally enlivening the piece at any point. And so much is just gaudish where the attempts at vibrancy are more often failures at so-called style than anything else.
In a sort of strange way, Stan calling out other actors and their publicists for not wanting to discuss The Apprentice might have been the smartest thing he's done campaign-wise.
Matt: Entirely possible. Granted I haven't seen The Apprentice yet (seeing a two hour movie on the subject is not something I look forward to, critical portrait or not), but I guess I'll rectify that before Lead Actor predictions.
1. Sing Sing 2. Nickel Boys 3. Conclave 4. A Complete Unknown 5. Emilia Perez
Sing Sing does have one aspect that I don’t like at all, which is two melodramatic swings in a row, where it just feels like a force to create drama rather than just naturally realizing itself as the rest of the film does. The writing also in this particular element I feel is a little too obvious, particularly the parole board attacks on acting and I will also say the whole backstory of Divine G’s innocence is left too vague given there’s a real story there, it would’ve made a bit more sense to flesh that out or not have in at all. As is it feels a little half formed. Having said that, there is much to love in the overall piece when it is sticking to the promise of the premise of just having the prisoner put on the play and seeing what each guy gets out of that. And I will say I actually probably would’ve preferred if the film just had kept even closer to each man finding what they can out of the play, but regardless there’s such a great sense of life the piece creates in showing how each guy finds their part in the play and exploring what the performances do for them as prisoners. Bringing some of the moments of hardship or regret naturally into scenes where you get a sense of further being granted a sense of their lives with the progression of the play to craft a forward momentum. Something that is slightly derailed when it hones in on just the two, which for the most part has some great moments of their conversations, particularly the moments of teaching the acting, though also falls into too easy of melodramatic structure by the end…though I don’t think it is terrible or anything. This is rather one where I would’ve rather it had the confidence to just stick with the lower key premise without the extra flash.
Nickel Boys’s does actually have one choice in terms of the screenplay that I’m starting to hate the more that I think about it, which is has a Saving Private Ryan twist thing going on within the overall narrative that I think is ill-fitting given the real life story that the film is about and just feels cheap. And I will say in terms of NIckel Boys’s achievement I would’ve thought of a director, but again a tougher category is tougher to get into. As the direction very much is where this film exists and thrives. Having said that, where the film thrives in creating this documentary breakdown within the overall narrative, where it checks in with the overarching story through factual moments, while also maneuvering through the personal story of the two young men at the heart of the piece. Naturally crafting moments of realizing the different aspects of the cruelty of the prison, while also having some respite through the moments of not quite levity but humanity we get in the interactions between the two central characters throughout. The screenplay finds the right naturalistic quality that creates the essential heart within the more daring off-beat structure of the rest of the piece, which I think works more so via direction than screenplay, however the screenplay still nicely sets the stage each time.
In terms of the adaptation of the novel itself, it takes out some details, changes a few things but mostly follows through on the book which is already structured like a thriller. In terms of piecing together the scenes into a cohesive narrative that has a natural progression it entirely is a fine adaptation. My problems for the most part are inherent in the adaptation, which I guess you can say didn't change it but still. My biggest objections are the simplicity of the final decision, the way it doesn’t really deal with the twist, the idea of the main character really just being a pawn for the deceased pope the whole time, that’s inherent to the original work. So mostly I think it gets the job done, I just don’t love what was already in the job.
A Complete Unknown early on has some interesting elements it is working with in telling the story of Bob Dylan, in its focus on Seeger and Guthrie, and the whole introduction of Dylan through that in a rather intimate way is unique to the genre and really grants a sense of life. After the opening and once Dylan is already unknown the film, then just follows the beats for the most part of the musical biopic, without anything special in the dialogue or overall approach to really make it anything special. Worst of all though I think the screenplay is too timid to really define Dylan, even in the romantic relationships, and want to keep him at kind of the pop culture distance of Dylan as this unknowable sage. This choice being something that weakens what the film can do as you don’t feel like you really know him by the end of it. Additionally the whole going electric bit just feels like a rather slapped on, even if it was the original focus, ending to give the film some kind of closure, because there isn’t really an emotional closure or a proper artistic one given it is all kind of “whatever”. Again because we don’t really see how Dylan felt about the reaction, he just keeps going like he’s a stoic hero who is never weighed down by the world. It’s a shame as there was potential here as shown in the opening but the screenplay is too timid to make choices to give life to a legend, instead they just print the legend.
Trash heap. One of the worst screenplays ever to be nominated, maybe the worst. Not even joking at this point, Audiard and his team IS worse than Adam McKay, there I said it. To start, what structure? It's about the ambitious lawyer who gets a chance, will we deal with her dealing with the moral quandary, nah, she’s just singing about Penis to Vagina instead. Then it is about the over the top drug dealer who will be destroying their life to become a woman. Wrap that up quickly, no need to really deal with it, just sing some songs about how it should have weight without any actual weight to them. Sudden time jump, let’s go back to “Mexico” where again we have the lawyer turning back their life to help the drug dealer again, without real reason why, and who will act like the now female drug dealer’s personal drone for no apparent reason except they get paid I guess. Though we know in fact the lawyer has changed her life because she said so, amazing writing there Audiard, so amazing it makes me question if A Prophet was even good that’s how bad this was. Anyway, take the drug dealer who doesn’t reveal themselves to their family, just hopes instead that they’re dumber than a box of rocks and can’t recognize the person, as though sex changes don’t exist in this dumb film, except they do so why no character makes any notice speaks to how bad it is. But hey maybe their enemies they were faking their death for is part of it. No, actually that never comes up, despite the individual putting themselves on TV again hoping no one notices, thankfully no one does because the film is garbage. But hey let’s talk about the whole transition angle where you can go from Hyde to Dr. Jekyll in the most horrendous realized garbage ever, as we have one perfunctory moment of evil to the same but for “good”. Where the character apparently has guilt, which we don’t see for their own murders, which we don’t feel, and knows hitmen who also feel that way, which just happens on scenes to really establish it but hey it gives terrible lip service to a very real horrible situation somewhere. But hey at least they find love in two scenes that have no impact. But hey they’re not upset with their wife finding a lover, because she’s an idiot I guess who can’t recognize someone she knew for years at almost any point. So we go down such an obvious stupid role for a truly melodramatic finale that is just ludicrous and also very dumb. But it’s deep I think with the ending treating it as though a saint has died, despite all their terrible actions before and after the transitions. If these thoughts sound messy they are but this is a complete mess in every sense of the word. Bad in basically any way you can name. Character motivations are bad, transitions are bad, what structure? And hey the smelly diaper cherry on the top of the dump heap is it all thinks it is covering very important issues, in as hideous and insulting a way as possible.
1. The Brutalist 2. Anora 3. September 5 4. The Substance 5. A Real Pain
Easily the most ambitious of all the screenplay nominated this year in terms of the scope of the work, in terms of the themes, but also in terms of the ending where it very much wants to talk a There Will Be Blood kind of jump, where I understand why it might not be everyone’s favorite turns but I loved the swings and the ambition. I think what it has essentially is the simplicity of the hope of the immigrant experience as we see through the letters between the Toths and the hopes of Toth when he first gets off the boat. We see the ambition in the detail that is given to the architecture, but also the sense of the diminishment or loss of the Holocaust as we see the obscure man looking for a chance that he finds through a benefactor. The benefactor himself is filled with sharp edges where it is personal fancy that defines the man and his desire to essentially use the ability of another to promote his own interests. Something the film finds in captivating detail then of the artist's dreams versus the commercial prospects of another, or just the penny pinching of them. Granting the balance between the hope and dreams, really letting us see what Toth could do, while also crushing that dream through both exploitation and hubris. Behind all of this though is the essential trauma of the man that is represented by his drug addiction, that I don’t think is a separate note, but rather the dog on his back throughout, as the thing he uses essentially to be able to hide away the pain from what he lost. Something that becomes more challenging when faced with his wife, where their relationship is complex not due to a lack of love, that is abundantly clear, but rather the way each is fundamentally broken one physically one in spirit, and the struggle to fully connect again with the weighing truth of that reality behind. For me, unlike the trash bin I was writing about before, here all the different strands do tie together with the overarching themes beautifully and just in a captivating tale of the American dream of hope, crushed by the American nightmares of exploitation. Where the background of period and place, amplify the overall expression rather than just there for the sake it, it is an essential part of telling this singular journey, which I love the finale sequence which spell a subverted message than is typical, something where you see the achievement finally, but was the pain behind all that worth it? The more I think about this film, the more I actually adore, so much love that this has found love.
Anora’s screenplay in part I understand the criticism more overtly and one I will disagree with the other I will not agree with but say it doesn’t matter. The first is the limited life of Annie outside her life as a stripper, we get the milk scene and her checking her phone. To me that’s the whole point, she really doesn’t have a life other than getting milk, or checking her phone. She doesn’t have real friends or an outlet, she has her job therefore the job is the escape, therefore why the notion of the wedding and the life with the rich boy is something she goes along with so quickly. The other criticism is the repeated use of certain dialogue “mother fucker” and the comedy in the midsection. Which if you don’t find it as funny that’s fine, it is a repeated joke, but I did find it consistently funny so it hardly matters. And like anything, arguing comedy is the silliest thing given you either laugh or you don’t, I did even when they were theoretically making the same joke. Anyway, beyond the humor, which works for me, I think the film successfully plays with the notion of the different levels of the immigrant experience, and exactly the ties to the home country. Whether it be using it as a playground, something just that is a past that happens to create an opportunity, being burdened by attachment to it in frustration, or just trying to find your way in it. And it is the connection between Annie and Igor where Baker finds the most depth successfully in creating the relationship that isn’t really a romantic one, despite certain things happening but rather one where you go successfully from henchmen to person, as the one person who sees the other as a person. Their quiet conversation once they get past motherfuckers are so wonderful not in big revelations but rather ease of understanding of coming from a mutual place, where both are exploited and trying to find a way through life but just different ways. The film succeeds in making that connection leading to the heartbreaking ending where the “party” ends, the false dream that Annie believed in not because she was in love but because it was an escape.
September 5’s main criticism is not giving enough context for the situation, however I would say within the scheme of the setting it wouldn't be particularly natural for some random Palestinian activist to show up and explain their side to everyone. The film very much is about the moment by moment play by play of the situation, and successful as such in just moving from that particularly in the moments where the screenplay naturally places actual footage just as the natural flow throughout the film. It also does have a bit of commentary just in the character moments of showing the eagerness for the ratings rather than what will help, and dealing with the fallout of crafting the narrative, though maybe there could be a bit more in the denouement there. Still in successfully presenting its purpose, and telling the story within those exact confines it does a more than admirable job of crafting a historical thriller.
So the Substance’s screenplay I think one where the brilliance of it is entirely in conception, and if the direction was by like say a hacky or even a middling horror director it would be pretty bad. Having said that, what is great are the rules, the setup and the idea of creating a juxtaposition of fighting one self, separating one self, and almost envisioning the separation between your addiction and the results of your addiction. The specific elements of being careful what you wish for here work is a clever one in those specifics. Beyond that though, is it extremely obvious in its scenes of beauty standards, of sleazy executives of ludicrous exploitation of sex, yes, which the screenplay does own particularly in the silliness of the program and the “achievement” of the New Year’s Show. It is all totally ridiculous and again, Fargeat knows what she is doing and is writing for herself, but again the screenplay on its own, with a lesser would be as ludicrous. Additionally I think it does go harder than it needs to in its excess by making every possible obvious point then taking PCP and making the point one more time. I will also say there are certain ways you could’ve seen a turn other ways, like why did the nurse even recruit her? That theoretically could’ve been explored. But again, the screenplay is a starting point that the director must sell, which it does, but within itself is more than a little silly.
Eisenberg’s screenplay is aggressively straightforward and I would say to a fault. He sets up with an odd couple relationship, and a trip to Europe in order to deal with present and ancestral grief. The odd couple relationship features a lot of scenes of just that juxtaposition again and again, with certain moments that feel far more indie eccentricity than real living person, particularly like sleeping through the train stop that feels like something a movie character would do not a real person. Their conflict is perfunctory throughout, and while not meaningless, it just never carries that much weight. Even the big speech is making pretty obvious points on the two sides of Benji. The Holocaust elements I will sadly feel just like a feature rather than an honest element to be explored. Part is that grandmother is so vaguely drawn “we know she’s cool” but that’s about it. So really getting a sense of the trauma she lived with doesn’t really exist. I will say the biggest failure of the piece is the rest of the group, where you have the Rwandan survivor, which has no impact other than mentioning, he never truly reacts differently or does something differently. The older woman Marcia, is there, has trauma that isn’t really explored just mentioned. I think she and Benji have sex, though their interactions don’t really show it later, but shows how vague the piece is by how hard it is to tell what their actual relationship was. Then there’s the married couple that exist in the movie and show just how vague all of it is. Eisenberg’s script has an occasional moment, it’s not actively bad at any point but it is a whole lot of “eh”.
66 comments:
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Strong
4. Norton
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Norton
3. Borisov
4. Strong
5. Culkin
Alright, no Maclin for both Roy brothers is a surprise.
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Strong
4. Norton
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Strong
4. Norton
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Norton
4. Strong
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Norton
4. Strong
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Norton
4. Strong
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Norton
4. Strong
5. Culkin
Really happy about Borisov.
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Strong
4. Norton
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Culkin
3. Borisov
4. Norton
5. Strong
Called it. Stan is in.
Stan is in
1. Brody
2. Domingo
3. Stan
4. Fiennes
5. Chalamet
Louis: Could you give thoughts on Kiss The Sky when doing your original song analysis.
Pretty proud of myself for predicting Barbaro and thrilled it was in probably in place of Curtis.
1. Guy Pearce
2. Edward Norton
3. Yura Borisov
4. Jeremy Strong
5. Kieran Culkin
Wicked in Original Score (?) over Challengers is absolutely ridiculous.
1. Pearce
2. Norton
3. Borisov
4. Strong
5. Culkin
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Norton
4. Strong
5. Culkin
Personally thought Pearce was good-not-great, but whatever.
I knew I should have gone with Stan.
Unsurprisingly my favourite nomination was I'm Still Here's haul, for the best performance of the year and a surprise Best Picture nomination. And while it deserved more, happy for Nickel Boys pulling a Women Talking and happy for The Substance.
I'll go with my own personal ranking for the prediction.
1. Borisov
2. Pearce
3. Strong
4. Norton
5. Culkin
Actually a pretty good lineup besides the category fraud, though Clarence Maclin is sorely missed.
1. Pearce
2. Strong
3. Borisov
4. Culkin
5. Norton
I am john smith writing predictions on my work break.
These are my alternate suggestions.
Adam Pearson in A Different Man
Bill Skarsgård, Willem Dafoe and Simon McBurney in Nosferatu
Clarence Maclin in Sing Sing
Ben Chaplin and Peter Sarsgaard in September 5
Mark Eydelshteyn in Anora
And reviews of:
Jason Bateman in Carry-On
Franz Rogowski in Bird
Cillian Murphy in Small Things Like These
Daniel Craig in Queer
George MacKay in The Beast
Hugh Grant in Heretic
Jesse Plemons in Kinds Of Kindness
Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist in Challengers
Keith Kupferer in Ghostlight
Nicholas Hoult in Nosferatu and The Order
Sebastian Stan in A Different Man
Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part II
3 Nominations for AINDA ESTOU AQUI (I'm Still Here)!
Dia feliz ao Brasil!
Okay let’s get started:
International Feature:
1. Flow
2. The Seed of the Sacred Dig
500000000000000000000000000000000. Emilia Perez
Look forward to seeing the last two.
Sound:
1. Dune Part II
2. The Wild Robot
3. Wicked
4. A Complete Unknown
5. Emilia Perez
Dune is above and beyond the best of these nominees. As you have the sheer scope of the achievement both extremely intimate use of sound like in the particularly quiet opening scene, but also the extreme grandiose work such as in the climax or the pivotal riding the sandworm. Absolutely immersive work in combining the sound with the score in the proper cinematic power that the sound is an essential facet of. With of course specific impactful sound effects throughout that while some are consistent from the first film, yet the consistency is great, however with new work throughout that just makes this a step above.
Always nice to see an animated film get in here, particularly with the fact they combined the categories. The Wild Robot’s sound effects though are consistently great in everything around the robot that creates kind of just the right tone specifically for this film where there is the definite intensity to the mechanization sounds but light enough fitting the overall nature of the film. And creating the environment is certainly part of the film consistently which the sound amplifies nicely throughout.
Musical being the guaranteed spot in these categories is always slightly confusing to me in that oftentimes they just sort of play the playback that covers the entire scene. But regardless, Wicked for me is the top spot mostly because there is some additional work with the Wizard’s machine, the magic, the flying monkeys and occasionally the musical numbers include more overt sound effect moments within for something a bit more sound centric.
A Complete Unknown is working with something slightly different because indeed the singing scenes there usually have more going on in them with creating crowd and sometimes distortion as part of the overall moments of the song. Again I don't think it should be getting in over things like The Substance or the Nosferatu but it is good work albeit I don’t quite see what is so amazing about it other than basic competency.
And there’s Perez, who I think was mostly just blasting the obnoxious songs as loudly as possible over the scenes without any specific amplification outside of the songs. Of course you do get that moronic scene where the soldiers load their guns in unison, that certainly was a scene that existed that included sound.
Makeup & Hairstyling:
1. The Substance
2. A Different Man
3. Nosferatu
4. Wicked
5. Emilia Perez
The top three are extraordinary but even then I still have to go pretty easily with the substance. As you get absolutely amazing work throughout and one that pretty much goes step by step in the level of the work. The early bits of makeup on Moore are exceptionally creepy in its more subtle use, relatively speaking, but then creates such a horrifying yet wholly convincing continuation of just becoming older and more monstrous at every turn. Then of course you have the final bit, which again I think is so memorable that the film could’ve just ended on it, as it really throws everything and the kitchen sink into, and is absolutely grotesque yet wholly convincing in its purpose.
A Different Man is amazing work particularly since it is very much going up against the real condition so if it was anything less than perfect it would’ve been immediately noticeable and really could’ve made the whole fall in the wrong direction. The work is absolutely convinces in its own right in being completely believable in itself. There is the slight old age stuff too later on that’s fine, but absolutely the whole of it is the centerpiece which is indeed exceptional.
Nosferatu is all about the creature himself, though obviously it does have a lot of other work in the gruesome moments, and actually the period hairstyling which is also great. Loved this iteration of what the Count looks like, which I think overall is the dividing point between liking and loving the film for many, but I loved it in basically taking the image of an actual count from the period and just making him a decaying corpse yet still fearsome and alive. I loved it.
Mostly about the Green makeup, though of course there are silly Oz hairstyles and such throughout which are all perfectly fine. The green makeup I wouldn’t say is anything amazing in itself, certainly not over the work in Dune by any piece of one’s imagination but certainly gets the job done both as the young and older Elphaba.
And then you have the trash fire again, because the makeup job when you do see it on Gascon looks absolutely ridiculous, and I think there is a reason it is so poorly lit in those scenes (well maybe just the bad cinematography which WE WILL GET TO), but the whole look of that version of the character looks just silly rather than scary, or more importantly believable
5º Kieran Culkin
4º Jeremy Strong
3º Yura Borisov
2º Edward Norton
1º Guy Pearce
Costume Design:
1. Nosferatu
2. Gladiator II
3. Wicked
4. Conclave
5. A Complete Unknown
Easy number one, as Nosferatu’s work is once again carrying on the incredible work seen in all of Eggers’s films so far in hitting this ideal blend between period and style that feels absolutely new while also maintaining greater attention to detail than so many works that came before. And this was a particularly well tested time period to do as well, but Eggers’s work managed to be striking while also being absolutely convincing within just the character’s normal clothing which is all great work. Then of course there is the more stylistic overtly work of the count, which I absolutely loved though again kind of working within a certain frame of a long dead time blending between this certain grandeur while also being clothing that seems rotting much like the creature itself. Amazing work across the board.
Gladiator II’s costuming is much like the film itself which is a lot of retreads of the original, although in this instance mostly decent retreads. We get the striking Roman work again that doesn’t reinvent any wheels but still looks quite good in hitting the familiar beats. But I would say mostly just that, because there isn’t a standout like say the champion tear mask in the original, or even Maximus’s gear, which the film here of course reuses. But even if it isn’t better than the original it is still good work.
Wicked’s work I don’t completely love is kind of riffing its own identity on the Wizard of Oz. I like some things more than enough like the Wizard’s suit, Glinda’s pink outfits and Elphaba’s witch outfit, are all good, even though they don’t quite stand out as beyond that for me. The sort of more routine generalized wear of the rest of the characters though I found perhaps a bit less striking, sometimes looking more like knockoff Oz clothing than proper Oz clothing, not in a horrible way though just not in an amazing way either.
Conclave’s work completely does its job in giving the various modern clothing of Cardinals, Nuns and Popes. It is just going for modern convincing and isn’t trying to do its own thing. But it’s a fine job even if I don’t think it needed to be nominated over say something like Dune.
Speaking of fine jobs that didn’t need to be nominated, A Complete Unknown has the period clothing all there completely fine as such, with to be fair specific recreations for Dylan, Seeger, Baez and Cash. But I wouldn’t say anything is truly remarkable as such, it just is more of completely fine as such.
Production Design:
1. Nosferatu
2. Dune Part 2
3. The Brutalist
4. Wicked
5. Conclave
Nosferatu tops a fairly strong lineup here again, however with mostly relative ease once again, because if one thought the costumes were great, as usual Eggers’s and his team out does himself and even manages to outdo the extraordinary production work of so many previous Dracula’s with the work here. While again working within a period yet taking style that remembers what has come before but never feels like it is merely copying what has come before, Nosferatu creates such a lived world where every element feels so tangible yet also is filled with such dread. There really isn’t a single set that isn’t amazing here, whether it is creating the claustrophobia of the repressed societal interiors, the demonic oppressive castle of Orlock, the wretched ship becoming more coffin than boat, the previous repressed place becoming rotting itself, it is all absolutely extraordinary work that is absolutely striking in its horror aesthetic yet absolutely convincing as a place you can touch…but really wouldn’t want to.
Great continuation of the previous film, where specifically you get the work done deep in the Fremen that is naturally sparse but with great little bits that grants you the idea of their specific spirituality. You also get the whole Harkonnen world that is minimalistic in a different way. And while some of the work is utilizing ideas from the previous film in a new angle or way, it does so particularly effectively in once again creating a sense of the character of each group or family, and doing so in such grandiose majesty. Great work once again.
The Brutalist is impressive work anyways, but given it was all done within its very limited budget makes it absolutely astonishing work, because at no point do you sense the budget, which is part great directing, such as how Corbet does the whole opening entrance to America scene, but the production design is absolutely essential in pulling of this feat. As it looks absolutely memorable as any film of the period in creating each tangible place of the period while also managing to have its own riff even beyond that via the minimalistic style of Brody’s character. Giving the film its own unique life which also is striking in itself, but even speaks to the nature of Brody’s characters visions which are again fantastic work on a production level.
Wicked is kind of funny in this instance where the cinematography kind of hides a lot of the large sets that were created and make them look a little bit like CGI. Anyway there is a lot of great work here again, that while it doesn’t quite meet Wizard of Oz in my mind, and occasionally very looks like the riff it is, and not always in the best way particularly some of the work at the school. Still I’d put it above the costumes in terms of creating its identity, which I don’t think is perfect in itself, but decent enough as a riffing approximation.
Conclave is all about a few sets, which are all convincing as such. Again like the costumes the design is done with a very specific purpose to just try to create a certain known reality and does so successfully. Though again wouldn’t make my top five but it is good albeit straightforward work.
Well, as predicted, Chalamet has, for the third time, starred in two BP nominees in the same year. Dune Part 2 getting snubbed for best editing is WILD. I can understand the score snub, since it mostly reuses the original. The score that they play over Paul and Chaim’s romance is a nice new addition, even if it is also a variation of a familiar scale. It kind of sounds like the score used in Brokeback Mountain and the song “Collide” from Queen and Slim.
Louis, how do you rank the Best Leading and Supporting Actress nominees?
I predict your BP nom ranking will be something like:
Dune Part 2
Anora
The Brutalist
The Substance
Nickel Boys
I’m Still Here
Conclave
A Complete Unknown
Wicked
*Infinite Gap
EmÃlia Pérez
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Strong
4. Norton
5. Culkin
J96: The Brutalist is his favorite film of the year.
Song:
1. “Like a Bird” - Sing Sing
2. "Never Too Late" - Elton John: Never Too Late
3. "The Journey" - The Six Triple Eight
4. "Mi Camino" - Emilia Perez
5. "El Mal" - Emilia Perez
“Like A Bird” isn’t a song I particularly like and this will be a preview of this whole category which is a lot okay then horrendous. Find sort of calming enough guitar intro and building into the very repetitive, but fine variations on flying like a bird. Introduces the voices with the additional, sometimes off-beat instrumentation adding onto the main beat, which is all fine. Though as will be the case for most of these though this isn’t going to be added onto any playlists of mine.
“Never Too Late” sounds like an Elton John song, not a great one, or an overly good one, but certainly an Elton John song that’s fine. The instrumentation sounds very much typical John for the most part with just a slightly more pop riff to it, but not much. It is mostly piano leading work which again is mostly work we’ve heard before in terms of the general progression of the song. As a duet there’s a slight alteration as such, and while I wouldn’t say it is memorable at all even with these minor changes, nor the lyrics which are all pretty standard repetition of the titular idea. It’s not bad but not a song I’d go out of my way for after finishing this very sentence.
“The Journey” is yet another ballad from Warren, which hey thanks to some really slop at the bottom isn’t the worst nomination. It is very familiar to any other number of her songs however. The lyrics here are especially repetitive and not particularly memorable in any way. The instrumentation is typical Warren work, not particularly memorable as such as the song follows the standard formula of build up to titular chorus in not a particularly engaging or entertaining way. There’s worse songs but there are also much better ones within Warren’s own repertoire.
“Mi Camino” is horrendously repetitive as we get slightly melodic but honestly just sounds like a pronunciation game and that isn’t even a comment on Gomez’s pronunciation. But it sounds like a dull sorta song before it gets more ambitious in building the instrumentation and the voice to the titular lyric where the song finally stands out a bit more in that it just sounds bad and hard to listen to in its aimless path to nothing.
Curse you Academy for making you listen to either of these songs again but let’s end with the “good” song I’ve heard people describe from the film. Forget that it is a complete waste of time where Saldana’s character outlines her revenge for something that will ever happen. Anyways you get the rundown of crimes in very obnoxious rapping that is backed by an extremely repetitive riff with some random and unappealing random strings thrown in there for no reason, before returning to the ear bleeding of the chorus and the worst feature of all. The absolutely horrendous bits of singing by Gascon, which Gascon’s singing is indeed bad, however just the whole notion of having someone who can’t sing do these dramatic notes horribly. This song is so bad I have to admit I had to stop listening and couldn’t get through the three minutes again.
VFX:
1. Dune Part 2
2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
3. Better Man
4. Wicked
5. Alien Romulus
Dune Part 2 continues the amazing invisible work from the first film where every grandiose effect or minor effect just feels completely tangible and believable. Every bit of CGI that is used to create worlds, the sandworm ride, the explosions, the grand scale battles, they all look great and are absolutely convincing particularly in the world where less and less convincing CGI seems to be sometimes the norm in other blockbusters.
Kingdom isn’t an advancement and in a few ways it is a depreciation from the previous trilogy, but still even if the apes in the light don’t look quite as good, they still look pretty damn good, and even the expressions aren’t quite as intimate perhaps, they still are pretty intimate. And while the world around them definitely looks like a crafted CGI world at times, looks like a fairly good crafted CGI world.
Better Man is interesting in that while there are other effects too, it is mainly doing the same type of ape thing, yet the ape is in basically every shot, but weirdly we aren’t supposed to believe as much though we are supposed to see the expressions more clearly. And the effects certainly pull this off where the ape isn’t as good as the Apes from the Planet films, but it absolutely works as a CGI character that we can see the film through with acting expressions that are pivotal to that.
Wicked is largely the CGI background and the CGI animals, which all are very obviously CGI but they’re not really pretending they’re not either. And as such, entirely fine work if certainly not revelatory at any point.
Ahh the last one, which was hard to rank because it actually does have some good effects in terms of the CGI used for the world building, the ships, the zero gravity blood, the practicals included in the creation of some of the alien effects, are all pretty good, maybe not revelatory, and certainly not new in many cases but good. The problem is the Rook effect is horrendous and just is abysmal in every respect. The funny thing is they improved the effect in the home release and it still looks bad, which says just how horrendous the effect is in terms of how his head shape is wrong, his face looks indeed pasted on, and of course it also is questionable in other ways, but just as a VFX it is atrocious.
Making a relaxed analysis of the actors chosen by Oscar, we have:
- 3 MCU guys (Norton, Pearce and Stan)
- 4 members of the Wes Anderson film troupe (Brody, Fiennes, Chalamet anda Norton)
- 2 members of the Roy family. HBO was a very small space for this family that had to break the TV and buy the Academy.
PS: It's also worth mentioning that James Bond tried to enter the Oscars, but was blocked by his boss M.
Louis: Could you add Jeremy Strong and Yura Borisov to the labels.
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Strong
4. Culkin
5. Norton
Louis: Thoughts on the voice of Nina Foch.
Emilia Perez will now forever be in the records lists for most nominated in the #2 slot, tied with 12 better films.
there's still time for another record though. I wouldn't mind this dethroning The Color Purple ... let me hope ...
Editing:
1. Conclave
2. The Brutalist
3. Anora
4. Wicked
5. Emilia Perez
Probably a surprise number one, but even though I don’t love the film for other reasons, it moves along nicely, catches character reactions, which the film is very much about, effectively without any awkward edits to realize groups dynamic or conversations. It isn’t pure thriller editing but does have that sort of momentum at times and realizes that quite nicely even if the writing behind all of this I didn’t always find captivating the film is an easy watch with the editing being essential to that.
Might be truly surprising given my love for The Brutalist, and this isn’t even about the length, there were just like two edits that I found very noticeable and very random within the film. Only brief bits mind you, but nonetheless noticed them. Having said that, I did love the work on the montage of creating a certain documentary style in moments with being carried away with, combined with the moments of just a more gradual drama where keeping the moments of reaction and interaction are pivotal to the pace. A pace I found entirely hit the right rhythm for the majority and found it precise in basically more often than not, quickly cutting. But that is combined with the scenes of progression of change that didn’t feel like natural rush and were implemented well.
Anora’s editing is part kind of conception where the “search” section just really could be cut down, but could’ve just been quicker in terms of how the sequence is edited in a general sense without losing the scenes overall. Although this might’ve been purposeful contrast to the quicker editing of the “rush” of the first act where it constantly jumps to the next scene with a purposeful momentum and grants you sort of the sweep that Annie herself is caught up in. And that contrast does work, even if those scenes feel a little long, however I will say the slower attention to detail moments in the very end are a great bit of gradual pacing. Additionally though just some great comedic editing on display as well in terms of key reactions and such which are pivotal for comedy.
Wicked, what editing? Well anyway it is too long, and that is more the screenplay than really the editing, though I will say regardless the climax felt drawn out even as such. Having said that the editing overall in terms of musical editing is perfectly fine, but I wouldn’t say amazing in terms of creating just stellar cut musical numbers. Other elements though like the comedic moments the editing is again well realized particularly knowing when to cut Grande essentially, though I think some of the dramatic moments could’ve hit harder within the edit as well.
Perez’s pacing is one of its many problems as it goes slow, then is in a rush, then slow and a rush and feels just disjointed as such. The screenplay doesn’t help matters but the editing doesn’t enliven things to make it any easier to get through. But more so the editing of the musical numbers which might make them even more abrasive in their way and in no way makes them any easier to get through.
Louis: Your animated feature ranking and your thoughts on the Lineup.
1. Pearce
2. Borisov
3. Strong
4. Norton
5. Culkin
Score:
1. The Brutalist
2. The Wild Robot
3. Wicked
4. Conclave
5. Emilia Perez
The Brutalist easily tops the list and might have my favorite single score piece, the one from the trailer that is also the entrance to America. That is such a singular work in terms of the instrumentation that manages to be both small and psychological while also having this certain grandiose element to it that is twisted in a way, as this wonderful blend that is the film’s representation of America. While the first score you hear is the best piece from the entire score, the rest of the work still remains striking in its unique flavor that has period elements in terms of the instrumentation used more frequently than not, but in very unexpected ways that manages to make a very off-beat score yet one that is wholly in service to the film rather than distracting from it.
The Wild Robot is also a wonderful score that brings such an invigorating quality in its grand beauty of the pieces. Very much going for a straightforward adventurous approach, that absolutely works in creating a particularly potent vigor to the proceedings. Like the film itself it isn’t a reinvention of the wheel, but it is such a wonderful example of the wheel. The score in the flying scenes in particular brings that literal momentum. “I Could use a Boost” is especially potent and striking in just bringing to life such a powerful spirit within the film.
Wicked’s nomination seems needless because one definitely takes the songs of the film far more than the score. Having listened to all the shortlisted scores before the nominations I did find that there are some decent pieces in here, even though you don’t at all think about them in terms of the overall film. But on their own they manage to kind of reflect the songs to a degree but with a bit more of an orchestral adventure/grandeur to them. I don’t think it is amazing work, nor do I think it needed to be nominated but it’s not bad work.
Bertelmann’s I’m finding I don’t probably love on the whole with his tendency to go for one fairly over the top choice here the string bass section riff over and over again, that is completely overused. The funny thing is he does find actually a bit of nuance and more to his score in the very final piece where he expands on the gimmick and finds some bit more life to it. The final piece is quite good, unfortunately I don’t really love the “one trick” the rest of the time.
Perez’s score I’m a little baffled at what it even is, as listening through the tortuous soundtrack to get to the score, the score itself without part of the bad songs, is just kind of some pretty vague droning sounds of some random meaningless instrumentation. While the songs are worse, the score is just about nothing on its own.
8000S: I think he'll be happy to discuss topics unrelated to 2024 films until after he's reviewed the nominated performances.
Cinematography:
1. The Brutalist/Maria/Nosferatu
4. Dune Part Two
5. Emilia Perez
I should note this is not an official tie because I need to think more of each, but I just love all three achievements.The Brutalist’s use of Vistavision was not a wasted choice as there is such a grandeur captured itself, that feels very much new and old in a great pairing by what Corbet and Crawley do here. As you get those shots of the old epics but you also get shots you’d never quite expect there either but with that sort of precision. There are just some absolutely amazing moments of framing, composition and lighting throughout. And it excels with both the big shots that show the ambition of Toth’s architecture so beautifully, but also moments of such intense intimacy, like the already (rightfully so) famous sparks in front of Toth shot. The overall mood of the lighting I think very much reflects the piece, by having the naturalistic approach where it manages to have moments of bright ambition, contrasting the darker seedy scenes where the lighting is key in both choices and in both choices succeeds in crafting the world of the film.
Well if Maria was going to get a single nomination, I’m glad it was for this because the film is absolutely gorgeous as is the typical expectation from Lachman. Bringing such vibrancy to every single shot, and a specific grandiosity in terms of the framing and composition of Maria nearly always in the very operatic way. The colors and lighting are just so striking here as each captures such a potent mood or sense of extravagance. If that was not enough though the film goes further with its equally striking use of black and white as Lachman excels in every choice he and Larrain make here.
The final being Nosferatu which framing and composition is next level of course, with certain shots that just are so extraordinary, particularly the use of shadows. But you can swap that out for Moonlight, in the phantom carriage scene and it is also amazing, with amazing camera movement as you follow it like you are descending into hell. The use of lighting so specifically here makes so many key shots absolutely transfixing in the specificity of what the lighting achieves. Although it’s not even just a mood piece, as the going through the countryside has beautiful grand shots, that is still pulling you into it so strikingly. I would only say, and this is not a criticism, the non-supernatural moments are more straightforward, though still great looking, however I think essential in making the moody style shots stand out that much more.
It speaks to the greatness of the top three that Fraser’s also great followup work has to be a clear number 4 for me. As there is extraordinary work here in continuing that grandeur from the previous film, and you see that consistently throughout the film. But there are standout moments beyond just that continuation, such as the more visceral, yet still absolutely grand work in the sandworm riding sequence and that isn’t even considering the additional alternative work of the Giedi Prime. Where the black and white isn’t simply black and white. There is rather an even more extreme contrast created between the extreme deepness of the blacks, and the kind of hollowness of the whites that makes it off-putting in the right way…while again wholly finding the grand spectacle in so many shots.
And once again there’s Emilia Perez which occasionally just has some horribly lit shots particularly in the awful climax that is like a version to show how not to try to copy what Deakins did in Sicario, but the same is true for the scenes early on with the drug kingpin where again you just can’t see a thing. Other times it is excess which there’s something very specific in a lot of the musical scenes where it looks excessively staged rather than naturally enlivening the piece at any point. And so much is just gaudish where the attempts at vibrancy are more often failures at so-called style than anything else.
In a sort of strange way, Stan calling out other actors and their publicists for not wanting to discuss The Apprentice might have been the smartest thing he's done campaign-wise.
Tahmeed: It's also possible that people voted for him because they thought it would piss off the guy he's playing.
Matt: yeah, I think this is what got him over Craig at the last minute
Matt: Entirely possible. Granted I haven't seen The Apprentice yet (seeing a two hour movie on the subject is not something I look forward to, critical portrait or not), but I guess I'll rectify that before Lead Actor predictions.
Adapted Screenplay:
1. Sing Sing
2. Nickel Boys
3. Conclave
4. A Complete Unknown
5. Emilia Perez
Sing Sing does have one aspect that I don’t like at all, which is two melodramatic swings in a row, where it just feels like a force to create drama rather than just naturally realizing itself as the rest of the film does. The writing also in this particular element I feel is a little too obvious, particularly the parole board attacks on acting and I will also say the whole backstory of Divine G’s innocence is left too vague given there’s a real story there, it would’ve made a bit more sense to flesh that out or not have in at all. As is it feels a little half formed. Having said that, there is much to love in the overall piece when it is sticking to the promise of the premise of just having the prisoner put on the play and seeing what each guy gets out of that. And I will say I actually probably would’ve preferred if the film just had kept even closer to each man finding what they can out of the play, but regardless there’s such a great sense of life the piece creates in showing how each guy finds their part in the play and exploring what the performances do for them as prisoners. Bringing some of the moments of hardship or regret naturally into scenes where you get a sense of further being granted a sense of their lives with the progression of the play to craft a forward momentum. Something that is slightly derailed when it hones in on just the two, which for the most part has some great moments of their conversations, particularly the moments of teaching the acting, though also falls into too easy of melodramatic structure by the end…though I don’t think it is terrible or anything. This is rather one where I would’ve rather it had the confidence to just stick with the lower key premise without the extra flash.
Nickel Boys’s does actually have one choice in terms of the screenplay that I’m starting to hate the more that I think about it, which is has a Saving Private Ryan twist thing going on within the overall narrative that I think is ill-fitting given the real life story that the film is about and just feels cheap. And I will say in terms of NIckel Boys’s achievement I would’ve thought of a director, but again a tougher category is tougher to get into. As the direction very much is where this film exists and thrives. Having said that, where the film thrives in creating this documentary breakdown within the overall narrative, where it checks in with the overarching story through factual moments, while also maneuvering through the personal story of the two young men at the heart of the piece. Naturally crafting moments of realizing the different aspects of the cruelty of the prison, while also having some respite through the moments of not quite levity but humanity we get in the interactions between the two central characters throughout. The screenplay finds the right naturalistic quality that creates the essential heart within the more daring off-beat structure of the rest of the piece, which I think works more so via direction than screenplay, however the screenplay still nicely sets the stage each time.
In terms of the adaptation of the novel itself, it takes out some details, changes a few things but mostly follows through on the book which is already structured like a thriller. In terms of piecing together the scenes into a cohesive narrative that has a natural progression it entirely is a fine adaptation. My problems for the most part are inherent in the adaptation, which I guess you can say didn't change it but still. My biggest objections are the simplicity of the final decision, the way it doesn’t really deal with the twist, the idea of the main character really just being a pawn for the deceased pope the whole time, that’s inherent to the original work. So mostly I think it gets the job done, I just don’t love what was already in the job.
A Complete Unknown early on has some interesting elements it is working with in telling the story of Bob Dylan, in its focus on Seeger and Guthrie, and the whole introduction of Dylan through that in a rather intimate way is unique to the genre and really grants a sense of life. After the opening and once Dylan is already unknown the film, then just follows the beats for the most part of the musical biopic, without anything special in the dialogue or overall approach to really make it anything special. Worst of all though I think the screenplay is too timid to really define Dylan, even in the romantic relationships, and want to keep him at kind of the pop culture distance of Dylan as this unknowable sage. This choice being something that weakens what the film can do as you don’t feel like you really know him by the end of it. Additionally the whole going electric bit just feels like a rather slapped on, even if it was the original focus, ending to give the film some kind of closure, because there isn’t really an emotional closure or a proper artistic one given it is all kind of “whatever”. Again because we don’t really see how Dylan felt about the reaction, he just keeps going like he’s a stoic hero who is never weighed down by the world. It’s a shame as there was potential here as shown in the opening but the screenplay is too timid to make choices to give life to a legend, instead they just print the legend.
Trash heap. One of the worst screenplays ever to be nominated, maybe the worst. Not even joking at this point, Audiard and his team IS worse than Adam McKay, there I said it. To start, what structure? It's about the ambitious lawyer who gets a chance, will we deal with her dealing with the moral quandary, nah, she’s just singing about Penis to Vagina instead. Then it is about the over the top drug dealer who will be destroying their life to become a woman. Wrap that up quickly, no need to really deal with it, just sing some songs about how it should have weight without any actual weight to them. Sudden time jump, let’s go back to “Mexico” where again we have the lawyer turning back their life to help the drug dealer again, without real reason why, and who will act like the now female drug dealer’s personal drone for no apparent reason except they get paid I guess. Though we know in fact the lawyer has changed her life because she said so, amazing writing there Audiard, so amazing it makes me question if A Prophet was even good that’s how bad this was. Anyway, take the drug dealer who doesn’t reveal themselves to their family, just hopes instead that they’re dumber than a box of rocks and can’t recognize the person, as though sex changes don’t exist in this dumb film, except they do so why no character makes any notice speaks to how bad it is. But hey maybe their enemies they were faking their death for is part of it. No, actually that never comes up, despite the individual putting themselves on TV again hoping no one notices, thankfully no one does because the film is garbage. But hey let’s talk about the whole transition angle where you can go from Hyde to Dr. Jekyll in the most horrendous realized garbage ever, as we have one perfunctory moment of evil to the same but for “good”. Where the character apparently has guilt, which we don’t see for their own murders, which we don’t feel, and knows hitmen who also feel that way, which just happens on scenes to really establish it but hey it gives terrible lip service to a very real horrible situation somewhere. But hey at least they find love in two scenes that have no impact. But hey they’re not upset with their wife finding a lover, because she’s an idiot I guess who can’t recognize someone she knew for years at almost any point. So we go down such an obvious stupid role for a truly melodramatic finale that is just ludicrous and also very dumb. But it’s deep I think with the ending treating it as though a saint has died, despite all their terrible actions before and after the transitions. If these thoughts sound messy they are but this is a complete mess in every sense of the word. Bad in basically any way you can name. Character motivations are bad, transitions are bad, what structure? And hey the smelly diaper cherry on the top of the dump heap is it all thinks it is covering very important issues, in as hideous and insulting a way as possible.
Thanks for going all out on Emilia Pérez, Louis. Fuck that stupid film.
Louis: That was without question one of my favourite rundowns you've ever done.
Icecubechristuckerdamn.gif
lol
Damn, Louis.
Louis: Robert Eggers is directing a Labyrinth sequel after Werwulf.
Original Screenplay:
1. The Brutalist
2. Anora
3. September 5
4. The Substance
5. A Real Pain
Easily the most ambitious of all the screenplay nominated this year in terms of the scope of the work, in terms of the themes, but also in terms of the ending where it very much wants to talk a There Will Be Blood kind of jump, where I understand why it might not be everyone’s favorite turns but I loved the swings and the ambition. I think what it has essentially is the simplicity of the hope of the immigrant experience as we see through the letters between the Toths and the hopes of Toth when he first gets off the boat. We see the ambition in the detail that is given to the architecture, but also the sense of the diminishment or loss of the Holocaust as we see the obscure man looking for a chance that he finds through a benefactor. The benefactor himself is filled with sharp edges where it is personal fancy that defines the man and his desire to essentially use the ability of another to promote his own interests. Something the film finds in captivating detail then of the artist's dreams versus the commercial prospects of another, or just the penny pinching of them. Granting the balance between the hope and dreams, really letting us see what Toth could do, while also crushing that dream through both exploitation and hubris. Behind all of this though is the essential trauma of the man that is represented by his drug addiction, that I don’t think is a separate note, but rather the dog on his back throughout, as the thing he uses essentially to be able to hide away the pain from what he lost. Something that becomes more challenging when faced with his wife, where their relationship is complex not due to a lack of love, that is abundantly clear, but rather the way each is fundamentally broken one physically one in spirit, and the struggle to fully connect again with the weighing truth of that reality behind. For me, unlike the trash bin I was writing about before, here all the different strands do tie together with the overarching themes beautifully and just in a captivating tale of the American dream of hope, crushed by the American nightmares of exploitation. Where the background of period and place, amplify the overall expression rather than just there for the sake it, it is an essential part of telling this singular journey, which I love the finale sequence which spell a subverted message than is typical, something where you see the achievement finally, but was the pain behind all that worth it? The more I think about this film, the more I actually adore, so much love that this has found love.
Anora’s screenplay in part I understand the criticism more overtly and one I will disagree with the other I will not agree with but say it doesn’t matter. The first is the limited life of Annie outside her life as a stripper, we get the milk scene and her checking her phone. To me that’s the whole point, she really doesn’t have a life other than getting milk, or checking her phone. She doesn’t have real friends or an outlet, she has her job therefore the job is the escape, therefore why the notion of the wedding and the life with the rich boy is something she goes along with so quickly. The other criticism is the repeated use of certain dialogue “mother fucker” and the comedy in the midsection. Which if you don’t find it as funny that’s fine, it is a repeated joke, but I did find it consistently funny so it hardly matters. And like anything, arguing comedy is the silliest thing given you either laugh or you don’t, I did even when they were theoretically making the same joke. Anyway, beyond the humor, which works for me, I think the film successfully plays with the notion of the different levels of the immigrant experience, and exactly the ties to the home country. Whether it be using it as a playground, something just that is a past that happens to create an opportunity, being burdened by attachment to it in frustration, or just trying to find your way in it. And it is the connection between Annie and Igor where Baker finds the most depth successfully in creating the relationship that isn’t really a romantic one, despite certain things happening but rather one where you go successfully from henchmen to person, as the one person who sees the other as a person. Their quiet conversation once they get past motherfuckers are so wonderful not in big revelations but rather ease of understanding of coming from a mutual place, where both are exploited and trying to find a way through life but just different ways. The film succeeds in making that connection leading to the heartbreaking ending where the “party” ends, the false dream that Annie believed in not because she was in love but because it was an escape.
September 5’s main criticism is not giving enough context for the situation, however I would say within the scheme of the setting it wouldn't be particularly natural for some random Palestinian activist to show up and explain their side to everyone. The film very much is about the moment by moment play by play of the situation, and successful as such in just moving from that particularly in the moments where the screenplay naturally places actual footage just as the natural flow throughout the film. It also does have a bit of commentary just in the character moments of showing the eagerness for the ratings rather than what will help, and dealing with the fallout of crafting the narrative, though maybe there could be a bit more in the denouement there. Still in successfully presenting its purpose, and telling the story within those exact confines it does a more than admirable job of crafting a historical thriller.
So the Substance’s screenplay I think one where the brilliance of it is entirely in conception, and if the direction was by like say a hacky or even a middling horror director it would be pretty bad. Having said that, what is great are the rules, the setup and the idea of creating a juxtaposition of fighting one self, separating one self, and almost envisioning the separation between your addiction and the results of your addiction. The specific elements of being careful what you wish for here work is a clever one in those specifics. Beyond that though, is it extremely obvious in its scenes of beauty standards, of sleazy executives of ludicrous exploitation of sex, yes, which the screenplay does own particularly in the silliness of the program and the “achievement” of the New Year’s Show. It is all totally ridiculous and again, Fargeat knows what she is doing and is writing for herself, but again the screenplay on its own, with a lesser would be as ludicrous. Additionally I think it does go harder than it needs to in its excess by making every possible obvious point then taking PCP and making the point one more time. I will also say there are certain ways you could’ve seen a turn other ways, like why did the nurse even recruit her? That theoretically could’ve been explored. But again, the screenplay is a starting point that the director must sell, which it does, but within itself is more than a little silly.
Eisenberg’s screenplay is aggressively straightforward and I would say to a fault. He sets up with an odd couple relationship, and a trip to Europe in order to deal with present and ancestral grief. The odd couple relationship features a lot of scenes of just that juxtaposition again and again, with certain moments that feel far more indie eccentricity than real living person, particularly like sleeping through the train stop that feels like something a movie character would do not a real person. Their conflict is perfunctory throughout, and while not meaningless, it just never carries that much weight. Even the big speech is making pretty obvious points on the two sides of Benji. The Holocaust elements I will sadly feel just like a feature rather than an honest element to be explored. Part is that grandmother is so vaguely drawn “we know she’s cool” but that’s about it. So really getting a sense of the trauma she lived with doesn’t really exist. I will say the biggest failure of the piece is the rest of the group, where you have the Rwandan survivor, which has no impact other than mentioning, he never truly reacts differently or does something differently. The older woman Marcia, is there, has trauma that isn’t really explored just mentioned. I think she and Benji have sex, though their interactions don’t really show it later, but shows how vague the piece is by how hard it is to tell what their actual relationship was. Then there’s the married couple that exist in the movie and show just how vague all of it is. Eisenberg’s script has an occasional moment, it’s not actively bad at any point but it is a whole lot of “eh”.
Documentary:
1. Black Box Diaries
2. Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat
3. Sugarcane
I have also seen No Other Land but it falls into an "Out of Competition" doc for me.
Animated Film:
1. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
2. The Wild Robot
3. Memoir of a Snail
4. Flow
5. Inside Out 2
Amazing lineup I will say for the category, every film is at least good, with some standout moments in each of the film.
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