So this year I have seen exactly ONE Best Picture nominated film. I usually try to see all of them, so I’ve got my work cut out for me.
Any observations about nominated films and individuals? Any snubs or surprises? Any guesses? List in order of your favorites or projections?
If you have come to the thread to say you think the Oscars is a waste of time, or that you don’t understand how people can spend their time talking about something so frivolous when _____ actually needs our attention, or that people who watch or discuss awards shows are shallow losers, please find something else to do.
The only film I’ve seen so far is A Star Is Born. The next film I plan to see is Vice, because DH wants to see it. I think the next one I will see (probably solo) is The Wife.
A theater near me often shows all the nominated documentaries and shorts as a sort of film unto itself. Will try to catch those as well.
“If you have come to the thread to say you think the Oscars is a waste of time, or that you don’t understand how people can spend their time talking about something so frivolous when _____ actually needs our attention, or that people who watch or discuss awards shows are shallow losers, please find something else to do.”
I posted this observation on the “Seen any good movies lately” thread, but it really belongs here. I’m so happy with the Best Actess category this year! I will truly be thrilled with the winner, no matter who it is. I’ve seen 3 of the nominated performances, and hope I get to see the other two before the ceremony.
If pushed, I’ll admit that Olivia Colman is my first choice and Melissa McCarthy my second, but they’re all such wonderful actresses. Good job, Academy.
I’ve seen “Vice” (in a theater) and “BlacKkKlansman” (at home on DVD). Both were good but “Vice” was more engrossing. I thought the acting was good in both.
I loved Bohemian Rhapsody and would love to see Rami Malek continue his awards winning streak and receive the Oscar for his performance. I’m one of the only people who didn’t love A Star Is Born. I did like The Wife and hope to see Glenn Close win the Oscar for her role in that. I love the Oscars.
Snubs:
Bradley Cooper for Best Director. Apparently * A Star Is Born* was a film that directed itself.
Timothée Chalamet for Best Supporting Actor for “Beautiful Boy
*Won’t You Be My Neighbor?*for Best Documentary
Ethan Hawke for Best Actor in First Reformed
Surprises: Black Panther for Best Picture
Yalitza Aparicio for Best Actress and Marina De Tavira for Best Supporting Actress for Roma
@skieurope, now that you mention it, I have heard so much buzz about Timothee Chalamet’s performance and how much Won’t You Be My Neighbor? was so acclaimed, so I’m also surprised about that.
Not as surprised about the snub to Bradley Cooper, though I agree with your assessment. Don’t know anything about Ethan Hawke’s performance.
Of the best picture nominations I’ve only seen Black Panther and Bohemian Rhapsody. I really enjoyed both of them. I don’t think my husband would ever go to the movies except for selected sci fi and superhero movies unless I dragged him there.
I heard a great talk yesterday by some young women who working proactively to get more women in film via a venture called Women’s Weekend Film Challenge. I can see we have no women directors, and no women cinimatographers on this list. I think we need an “#OscarsSoMale” along with “#OscarsSoWhite”.
I think the Academy got it wrong by failing to nominate Bradley Cooper for directing but instead nominating him in the adapted screenplay category (with Eric Roth and Will Fetters). The screenplay wasn’t worth a nomination, imo - the acting, directing, and music put the screenplay over. I rolled my eyes a bit at some of the plot points, but went with them because Cooper, Gaga, and the rest of the cast were so good.
I only saw A Star is Born, want to see Bohemian Rhapsody. Watch out for Green Book, could be sleeper. But I thought Black Panther was about a militant political group so it shows what I know.
Supporting Actress? No strong opinions. [I have not seen Vice or If Beale Street Could Talk]
Supporting Actor? No strong opinions. [I have not seen A Star a Born or Vice]. I didn’t have the courage to see A Beautiful Boy, but I heard Chalamet was terrific and this seems like a snub. I think Sam Elliott will win as a hat tip to his long career.
I am rooting for Roma for Cinematography.
I will throw things if The Favorite wins for Original Screenplay because although I thought the acting was good, I thought the story was so poor that I was mad about it for days afterwards. [I haven’t seen First Reformed]
Leading Actor? I’m rooting for Rami Malek. [I have not seen At Eternity’s Gate].
Leading Actress? I’d be delighted to see Yalitza Apapricio win. I’d be fine with any of the nominees winning.
Directing? I will throw things if it is The Favorite. I thought Blackkklansman was very good and I’d like to see Lee win. [I have not seen Cold War]
Best Picture? As long as it’s NOT The Favorite, I’m good with any of them winning. Well, not Black Panther. I enjoyed it, but it should go in the new category? Popular movie?
I liked Green Book a lot and thought the two leads did a great job. I just didn’t find anything very…new?..about the story. I favor Blackkklansman over Green Book for the categories they share.
I’m looking forward to seeing the Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts and Live Shorts down in Chicago!
I went to see The Wife with a girlfriend of mine and we both liked it a lot. We agreed that you could almost read Glenn Close’s mind in certain intense scenes. She did a terrific job with that character.
We are supposed to have rain in Southern California all next weekend so I told H we need to watch Roma and Black Panther. We have seen A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody and liked them both.
I haven’t seen his performance, but Richard E. Grant’s reaction to getting the news about his nomination for Best Supporting Actor kind of makes me want him to win:
It seems like they went with more mainstream, popular movies that (in my opinion) aren’t so Oscar-quality. I thought the editing in Bohemian Rhapsody and Vice was a mess. Bohemian Rhapsody didn’t even do so well critically, so the huge amount of nominations is surprising. I saw Widows last night, which got a lot of early Oscar buzz. Directed by Steve McQueen, all-star cast starring Viola Davis, incredible performances by Liam Neeson and Elizabeth Debicki, excellent reviews – I would’ve expected more for that one! I remember First Man got a ton of buzz as well. A Damien Chazelle biopic seemed like it could do no wrong, but it totally faded away. It’s just interesting that a lot of these movies that, a year ago, everyone assumed would sweep, didn’t get much mention at all. And Ethan Hawke not getting a best actor nom for First Reformed is criminal!
The challenge is that both movies came out relatively early, and Oscar voters have the long-term memory of an amoeba. Plus Viola Davis, who has demonstrated that she will attend the opening of a car door, has already gamed her way to an Oscar. So I agree on First Man, but I’m not surprised.
I usually see a few of the movies before Oscar time, but I’ve only seen Beautiful Boy and Black Panther so far. Are any of the others on Netflix or Amazon Prime yet? I’ll have to go look… Beautiful Boy was gut-wrenching - TC really deserved a nom for his performance. I love Ethan Hawke so need to go look up First Reformed.
