Welcome to the 2nd edition of the Oscar Snub Awards, where only films and performances NOT nominated for the Academy Awards are eligible! It’s the “best of the rest” as we look at the film work that didn’t get recognized on the big stage, and determine who is the most worthy of the bunch!
Welcome to a special Oscars edition of belated film reviews, where I finally catch up on movies that I either skipped or didn’t find time for while they were in theaters! Today I’m cleaning up my Oscar nomination to-do list by watching the last few movies I hadn’t yet seen that earned above-the-line Oscar nods. It was a rather arduous task this year with so many one-off actors representing their film as its sole nominee, but now I am fully informed to talk about them all! Here are my thoughts on the films Judy, Harriet, Richard Jewell, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!
Todd Phillips’ Joker is by far the most polarizing film of awards season, with some (the public) calling it a masterpiece and others (the Film Twitter bubble) calling it vapid trash. The majority of criticism has been leveled against the film’s screenplay, with many pointing to the on-the-nose dialogue and vague social messaging as signs of weakness. This, unfortunately, is the result of non-screenwriters not realizing what makes a strong script. It isn’t all about dialogue and thematic content: it’s about structure, character development, and staying a step ahead of the audience, all of which Phillips does exceptionally well. Today I’m going to dive deeper into the film’s screenplay and defend the film’s awards season success.
Continue reading ““Joker” Script Analysis: Put On A Happy Face”
As we draw ever-closer to the 92nd Academy Awards, people are sure to be figuring out their predictions and personal preferences on the nominees. My official predictions are yet to come, but today I wanted to give my personal rankings and explain what MY ballot would look like if I was an Academy voter!
Continue reading “Ranking the 2020 Best Picture Oscar Nominees”
My Hindu Friend (2020) is written and directed by Hector Babenco, a legendary Argentinian-Brazilian filmmaker. It stars Willem Dafoe as Diego, a filmmaker dying of cancer who befriends a young Hindu boy in the hospital. Babenco died shortly after completing the film in 2016 and its North American release was delayed, but recently it was picked up for January distribution for Rock Salt Releasing. Is this a fitting send-off for an esteemed director, and is it yet another strong performance from one of the past decade’s finest actors (Dafoe)?
Continue reading ““My Hindu Friend” Film Review: The Inscrutability of Death”
We now have our final lineup for the 92nd Academy Awards! What films and performances got snubbed? Who overperformed? Who is taking home the top prize?
It’s hard to believe, but Oscar nominations are right around the corner! What films and performances will be honored at the ceremony? What will be the major surprises and snubs? Check out my final predictions for the 92nd Academy Awards!
The nominations are in for the last major awards show before the Oscars: the British Academy Film & Television Awards! What did our friends across the pond think of this year’s awards hopefuls? What films and performances got a boost, and which fell short of expectations? Continue reading “2020 BAFTA Nominations Reaction”
The 77th Golden Globes ceremony is behind us, giving us our first taste for what films and performances industry voters are truly drawn towards! What surprises did we see? What films are set up the best for future awards season success?
This Sunday marks the 77th Golden Globes ceremony, where we get our first taste for what films and performances industry voters are truly drawn towards! What surprises will we see? Will any of the films bowl over the competition, or will the HFPA spread the love?
Scriptophile 