April 16, 2021
With the Oscar Awards coming on April 26, 2021, Monday morning (Manila time), it is time for me now to make my fearless Oscar predictions. (My Oscar predictions of previous years were posted on these links: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013).
This year the Oscar Best Picture will likely go to NOMADLAND as it dominated all the preceding awards already given out, like the Golden Globes and BAFTA. Here is how I would rank this year's 9 nominees for Oscar Best Picture based on my own personal opinions when I first saw them (not exactly based on probability that I think they will win):
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Nominations (6): Picture, Supporting Actor, Cinematography, Film Editing, Original Song, Original Screenplay
Sorkin's storytelling style would bring us back and forth in time to tell the story in seamlessly edited scenes from testimonies from witness stand to scenes in Grant Park the year before, with real news footage integrated as well. His visual style was very energetic as fireworks blew up on the streets and in the courtroom. His original screenplay was a complex work of writing that dealt with multiple characters based on real life people with distinctive personalities and political motivations. Issues about freedom of speech and assembly is as relevant today as it was back then. 9/10
Director: Florian Zeller
Nominations (6): Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Production Design
Anthony Hopkins gave his best and memorable performance in recent memory as Anthony. With that final scene alone, his was a portrayal so fragile and vulnerable, it was heart-breaking to witness. If there was a film that fully immersed the viewer in the experience of dementia, this would have to be it. When the character Anthony was in a constant state of confusion and frustration throughout this film, so were we. Director Florian Zeller played with our minds as Alzheimers disease played with Anthony's. The remarkable technical precision of the film editing deserves the Oscar as it was integral to the whole viewing experience. 9/10
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Nominations (6): Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress, Director, Original Score, Original Screenplay,
A major charm of this film was the relationship between Soon-ja (Youn Yuh-jung) and David (Allan S. Kim). Things started out with a lot of resistance from little boy about this old woman who smelled like Korea. But later, grandmother eventually won her grandchild over when they bonded while planting minari near a water hole.The pace is slow and there is a lot of talking (in Korean, so you need to read the subtitles), so this film will not be for everyone. However, once you get into the Chung's frame of mind and immerse into Jacob's fighting spirit and determination to succeed, then this film will also win your heart. 8/10.
Director: Chloe Zhao
Nominations (6): Picture, Actress, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing
This acclaimed film written, directed, edited and produced by Chloe Zhao was a meditative journey into slices of real life in America's heartland. Zhao just wisely allowed real-life modern-day nomads to tell their own stories, documentary style. Gritty McDormand blended right in with the others, giving a performance so restrained but honest, with her heart out on her sleeve. This quiet film may not not for everyone as there was no solid plot, but the seemingly pointless, rambling nature of "Nomadland" had its own charm. A lot of scenes only had gentle music or even stark silence accompanying the images onscreen, but they were nonetheless magnetic and poetic. 8/10
Director: Shaka King
Nominations (5): Picture, Supporting Actor (2), Cinematography, Original Screenplay
In the late 1960s, young petty criminal William "Bill" O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) was propositioned by FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons) to infiltrate the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party (BPP) and to spy on its leader, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). This film effectively used the parallelism between the relationship of Jesus Christ and Judas Iscariot with that of the charismatic Hampton and informant O'Neal. Daniel Kaluuya overwhelmingly owned this film as Hampton. Beside Kaluuya's effortless screen presence, the bland Stanfield could not connect even if the story was supposed to be about him. 8/10
Director: Darius Marder
Nominations (6): Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor, Film Editing, Original Screenplay, Sound
In a remarkable acting performance, Rhiz Ahmed became Ruben -- a tattooed ex-drug addict, a rock musician, a rebel, a hedonist. This film may not be perfect. It had very slow pacing. Ruben's character not exactly likable. However, this film impacted me in a different way as a professional who works with patients with hearing loss. It brought me into a deaf community and how they want to live a life where deaf is not a handicap. It made me aware of how the technology we advise them about may or may not actually help them. This immersive approximation of life as a deaf person is a valuable lesson in empathy. 8/10
Director: Emerald Fennell
Nominations (5): Picture, Actress, Director, Film Editing, Original Screenplay
Carey Mulligan went beyond her usual comfort in this gutsy and challenging role. Cassie was a totally different Carey as she simmered with pent-up anger the whole film, just waiting to blow up. The production design of this film was purposefully all in multi-colored pastel shades in contrast with the dark tone of the film. The direction into which this story of revenge went was not predictable and very well told by writer-director Emerald Fennell, in her auspicious feature film debut. It clearly depicted the disadvantage women experience in real life, but ironically, it also showed how limited their options are to fight back. 8/10.
Director: David Fincher
Nominations (10): Picture, Actor, Supporting Actor, Director, Cinematography, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Production Design, Sound
Director David Fincher and his cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt captured the era beautifully, reminiscent of the black-and-white deep focus style by Welles's cinematographer Gregg Toland (unjustly snubbed by Oscar back then) for "Citizen Kane." The screenplay by Jack Fincher, David's father, was as witty and eloquent as its gregarious subject matter. For fans of "Citizen Kane" and golden age Hollywood as a whole, "Mank" is a definite must-watch. But for those who do not share this interest in vintage cinema, I'm afraid they may not share that sentiment. 8/10
***** My bets to win for each of the other categories:
Lead Actor: Chadwick Boseman ("Ma Rainey's Black Bottom") (MY FULL REVIEW)
Nominees: Riz Ahmed ("Sound of Metal"), Anthony Hopkins ("The Father"), Gary Oldman ("Mank), Steven Yeun ("Minari")
Lead Actress: Viola Davis ("Ma Rainey's Black Bottom")
Nominees: Andra Day ("The United States vs. Billie Holiday") (MY FULL REVIEW), Vanessa Kirby ("Pieces of a Woman") (MY FULL REVIEW), Frances McDormand ("Nomadland"), Carey Mulligan ("Promising Young Woman")
Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)
Nominees: Sacha Baron Cohen ("The Trial of the Chicago 7"), Leslie Odom Jr. ("One Night in Miami") (MY FULL REVIEW), Paul Raci ("Sound of Metal"), Lakeith Stanfield ("Judas and the Black Messiah")
Supporting Actress: Yuh-Jung Youn ("Minari")
Nomineees: Maria Bakalova ("Borat Subsequent Moviefilm") (MY FULL REVIEW), Olivia Colman ("The Father"), Glenn Close ("Hillbilly Elegy") (MY FULL REVIEW), Amanda Seyfried ("Mank")
Director: Chloé Zhao. "Nomadland"
Nominees: Lee Isaac Chung ("Minari"), Emerald Fennell ("Promising Young Woman"), David Fincher ("Mank"), Thomas Vinterberg ("Another Round")
Animated Feature: "Soul" (Pixar) Pete Docter, Dana Murray (MY FULL REVIEW)
Nominees: "Wolfwalkers", "Over the Moon" (MY FULL REVIEW), "Onward" (MY FULL REVIEW),"A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon"
Animated Short: “If Anything Happens I Love You”
Nominees: “Burrow”, “Genius Loci”, “Opera”, “Yes-People”
Cinematography: “Nomadland" (Joshua James Richards)
Nominees: "Judas and the Black Messiah," "Mank," "News of the World," "The Trial of the Chicago 7"
Nominees: "Emma.,""Mank," "Mulan" (MY FULL REVIEW), "Pinocchio"
Documentary Feature: My Octopus Teacher
Nominees: Collective (MY FULL REVIEW), Crip Camp, The Mole Agent (MY FULL REVIEW), Time (MY FULL REVIEW)
Documentary Short Subject: “A Love Song for Latasha” (Sophia Nahli Allison)
Nominees: “Do Not Split” (Anders Hammer), “A Concerto Is a Conversation” (Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers), “Colette” (Anthony Giacchino), “Hunger Ward” (Skye Fitzgerald)
Film Editing: “The Father" (Yorgos Lamprinos)
Nominees: “Nomadland,” "The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Sound of Metal,” “Promising Young Woman”
International Film: "Another Round" (Denmark) (MY FULL REVIEW)
Nominees: "Quo Vadis, Aida?" (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (MY FULL REVIEW), "The Man Who Sold His Skin" (Tunisia), "Collective" (Romania), "Better Days" (Hong Kong) (MY FULL REVIEW)
Live Action Short Film: “The Present" (Farah Nabulsi)
Nominees: “White Eye” (Tomer Shushan), “Feeling Through” (Doug Roland), “The Letter Room” (Elvira Lind) (MY FULL REVIEW), "Two Distant Strangers” (Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe)
Makeup and Hairstyling: "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Mia Neal)
Nominees: "Emma." (MY FULL REVIEW), "Mank," "Hillbilly Elegy," "Pinocchio"
Original Score: "Soul" (Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste)
Nominees: "Da 5 Bloods" (MY FULL REVIEW), "Mank," "Minari," "News of the World"
Original Song: "Husavik (My Hometown) ("Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga") (MY FULL REVIEW)
Nominees: "Io Si" ("The Life Ahead") (MY FULL REVIEW), "Fight for You" ("Judas and the Black Messiah"), "Hear My Voice" ("The Trial of the Chicago 7"), "Speak Now" ("One Night in Miami")
Production Design: “Mank” (Donald Graham Burt and Jan Pascale)
Nominees: "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", "News of the World", "The Father", "Tenet" (MY FULL REVIEW)
Screenplay Adapted: "Nomadland" (Chloe Zhao)
Nominees: "The Father," "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," "One Night in Miami," "The White Tiger" (MY FULL REVIEW)
Screenplay Original: "Promising Young Woman" (Emerald Fennell)
Nominees: "The Trial of the Chicago 7," "Minari," "Sound of Metal," "Judas and the Black Messiah"
Sound: “Sound of Metal"
Nominees: "Greyhound" (MY FULL REVIEW), "Mank," "News of the World" (MY FULL REVIEW), "Soul"
Visual Effects: "Tenet”
Nominees: "Love and Monsters" (MY FULL REVIEW), "The Midnight Sky" (MY FULL REVIEW), "The One and Only Ivan", "Mulan"
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