Films have a global cultural impact. The Academy Awards are scheduled for March 10, and this year’s nominees for the top prizes are truly global.
Although there are many prestigious awards, one that stands above the rest for prestige — the Oscars.
Last year, there are many amazing films vying for the big prize, ranging from the vibrantly pink world of “Barbie” to the rugged and depressing setting of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” there was a film for every movie lover.
The six major categories are Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay, either original or adapted.
The nominees for Best Picture are “The Holdovers,” “American Fiction,” “The Zone of Interest,” “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Past Lives,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Maestro” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
There are great movies on this list with beautiful plots. Last summer’s “Barbenheimer” phenomenon is credited with saving the movie industry, with “Barbie” earning nearly $1.5 billion and “Oppenheimer” nearly $1 billion. “Barbie” is enormously creative, turning a movie about a plastic doll into a thoughtful examination of the patriarchy — it is also tremendous fun. On the opposite end of the blockbuster scale is “Past Lives.” While it only grossed $24.5 million at the box office, it is a beautifully emotional examination of the possibilities of a modern, long-distance relationship that fully deserves to be on the list of nominees. But let’s be honest, “Oppenheimer” is taking the trophy home. The direction and cast is A-tier across the board. The special effects are amazing, is has a large cast that is managed perfectly. It is moviemaking with a capital M. This is a safe bet for Best Picture.
The Best Director category includes Justine Triet for “Anatomy of a Fall,” Martin
Scorsese, for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Yorgos Lanthimos for “Poor Things,” Christopher Nolan for “Oppenheimer,” and Jonathan Glazer for “The Zone of Interest.”
Scorsese is a legendary director and shows why with “Killers.” The organization of scene across the movie sometimes tells more about the story than the characters do. Despite being a four-hour movie, Scorsese keeps our attention grasped throughout. Challenging for this award, Nolan has composed a masterpiece. Nolan’s genius gives us the complete story through the black and white time jumps into the future. All of the build up to the bomb is in color. This beautiful direction should get Nolan the award, but Glazer should come away with the award. “The Zone of Interest” tells a tragic and depressing story about the Holocaust, and in less sure hands it would not have the impact it does. Watch out for this upset.
The nominees for Best Actor are Paul Giamatti for “The Holdovers,” Bradley Cooper for “Maestro,” Colman Domingo for “Rustin,” Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer,” and Jeffery Wright for “American Fiction.”
Murphy is perfectly cast as the titular scientist. He looks
the part, sounds how a scientist sounds, and we can feel his passion for discovering how to create the bomb as a scientific exercise. However, I have a feeling the Academy voters will give this award to Giamatti. He won a Golden Globes for best actor in a comedy (although Murphy won for drama), so it’s a coin toss. I think the academy thinks too highly of this movie — and Giamatti is a long-time favorite — for it not to win a major award. Watch out for this shocker.
The nominees for Best Actress are Emma Stone for “Poor Things,” Lily Gladstone for “Flower Moon,” Annette Bening for “Nyad,” Carey Mulligan for “Maestro,” and Sandra Hüller for “Anatomy of a Fall.”
Hüller is also up for a supporting actress nod for the role in “The Zone of Interest,” but she is unlikely to win here. Gladstone was amazing in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” She interacts great with Leonardo DiCaprio and a win would be the first for a Native American woman. Unfortunately, Stone was even better. She played her role in “Poor Things,” as a sort of Steampunk Mrs. Frankenstein’s monster perfectly. It would not be a shock, nor undeserved, if Gladstone wins, but bet Stone.
The movies nominated for Best Original Screenplay are “The Holdovers,” “May December,” “Past Lives,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” and “Maestro.”
If “Past Lives” is going to win anywhere, it is here. The way the two main characters interact with each other has so much chemistry. Celine Song’s script makes the characters relationship believable, despite the surreality of the story. Unfortunately, the academy could care less about my opinion. “The Holdovers” is well written and Oscar voters may feel Alexander Payne is due. It will end up winning this award.
The nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay are “American Fiction,” “The Zone of Interest,” “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” and “Poor Things.”
“Barbie” has a fantastic script. Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie feed off each other and are great in this movie. Their interactions are one of the main reasons why this movie is thought of so highly. In any other year, the plastic doll would drive the Oscar home in her pink convertible, but this is the year of the bomb. “Oppenheimer” is too strong. Nolan’s screenplay is complex and riveting. “Oppenheimer” will easily win this award.
So that’s the top awards sewn up. Unless there are some surprises. So, grab your popcorn and settle in for the usual four-hour broadcast — or you could see “Killers of the Flower Moon” and still be back for the In Memoriam.
