Best Picture
A quick shout-out to a director I don't always admire: Spike Lee got screwed for Da 5 Bloods. This was a very different take on a Vietnam vet movie and it got only 1 nomination (Terence Blanchard for the score). Maybe Spike should buy a Laker's jersey.
-
The Father
-
Impressed with the breakthroughs in the treatment (cinematically) of dementia and hearing loss this year. I also like the trend of the stage-to-film progression, but don't believe this one has enough heft to earn the top trophy.
-
-
Judas and the Black Messiah
-
This should win. It likely won't (see Nomadland below), but it will stand the test of time!
-
-
Mank
-
-
Loved this film, but you really need to be a film-y to enjoy this.
-
-
Minari
-
A beautiful movie (how many times have I said THAT before in this post?) that deserves a lot of looks and some legs.
-
-
Nomadland
-
Absolute credit to the creativity, both on the story (which, hell-if any of us knew this was a thing....ever), the filming and the acting (well...at least for one actor).
-
-
Promising Young Woman
-
The best-so-far hashtag-era movie on this topic? I think.
-
-
Sound of Metal
-
Welcome to what it's really like to have hearing loss. I was disturbed, as you should be. Well done by the Marder brothers, whose mother was a victim.
-
-
The Trial of the Chicago 7
-
This is an important historical docu-drama, a surprising performance by Sasha Baron Cohen and a (predictably) saccharin ending by Aaron Sorkin. Still, highly recommended film.
-
Democratic Response
Why did you have to mention Spike? I forgot how upset I'm supposed to be. That was a massive micro-aggression on your part.
Republican Response
Richard Jewell
Yeah, I know it wasn't nominated this year. Or the year that it came out. Why did you even bother separating out International films from these? It's all foreign to us.
I can't believe I hung in this long. G'bye.