Ranking The 2020 Oscars Best Picture Nominees

I can only hope for an Academy Awards ceremony half as entertaining as Sunday’s amazing Super Bowl. As the wait for this year’s Oscars comes to an end, the hype is higher now than ever. I’ve already predicted who I believe will win in each major category, but in today’s post, I will be ranking 2020’s Best Picture nominees now that I’ve seen them all. These rankings are based on how much I personally enjoyed each movie, respectively. Let’s dive in.

9. Ford V. Ferrari, (6/10) - This is the only offering on the list which I’m not sure as to why it was nominated for Best Picture. That isn’t to say that this is a bad film, because it isn’t. Instead, this just felt like a blockbuster with very little to offer other than entertaining racing scenes and decent performances. To me, a Best Picture nominee needs to offer more than this movie did, and because of that, it’s last in my rankings.

8. Jojo Rabbit, (7/10) - Many have put Jojo Rabbit toward the top of their lists. While I generally enjoyed this movie, its pacing and tonal issues toward the second half really removed me from a story I was interested and emotionally invested in up until that point. Minor story revisions could’ve easily improved this film for me, and I’m disappointed that I didn’t enjoy it more. So much potential. Full review here.

7. Little Women, (7/10) - Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” was my first exposure to the story, as I haven’t yet read the source material or seen the previous film adaptations. I enjoyed this film from beginning to end, but because of the nature of this specific adaptation, I was lead to believe that having at least a basic understanding of the story’s arc and timeline is necessary to appreciation the 2019 version the way it’s told. Still a good movie with stellar performances, particularly from Florence Pugh and Saoirse Ronan.

6. Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood, (7/10) - My second viewing of this film didn’t change my opinion of it much. I still generally enjoyed the story and performances here, and respect the fact that it’s Tarantino’s love-letter to Hollywood, but feel like a given viewer needs a personal connection to Los Angeles to fully appreciate this film. I don’t have one, and because of that, there’s something missing here. Still a good movie. Full review here.

5. The Irishman, (8/10) - Martin Scorsese’s epic directorial offering which is an adaptation of “I Heard You Paint Houses” checked nearly all the boxes for me. While it does have a remarkably lengthy runtime, its story is still captivating and eventually heartbreaking. The different take on the traditional gangster movie is fresh, original, and compelling. Great performances from an A-list ensemble cast.

4. Joker, (9/10) - Joaquin Phoenix winning Best Actor is a given this year, and it will be well-deserved. His performance of this film’s title character is haunting and adds a dimension to this story that only Phoenix could deliver. Everything from this film’s messaging to its score is incredibly well thought-out, and as a fan of comics, I loved this movie. Full review here.

3. Marriage Story, (9/10) - If the Academy offered a “Best Scene” award, that scene from this movie would definitely win this year. Two career performances from Scarlet Johansson and Adam Driver propel Noah Baumbach’s stellar screenplay in a compelling, heart-wrenching story full of ups and downs. I’ve watched this film three times and still enjoy every second of it.

Tied for 1. Parasite & 1917, (10/10 & 10/10) - When I originally reviewed Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, I scored it a 9/10 and docked it a point due to what, at the time, I considered a pacing issue toward the middle of the movie. After careful thought and consideration, I realize that what I considered a flaw with this movie was actually necessary for the rest of its plot to function as beautifully as it does. Because of this, I now have no gripes with this movie, and am giving it a perfect score. This really is a masterpiece. The depth of the characters, the richness of the symbolism throughout, and the social commentary offered here are unparalleled, and this is a must-see for any film lover. I reviewed 1917 as soon as I got home from the theater, knowing full-well that this was a perfect film in my eyes. Not only a technical achievement, this film shines a light on the horrors of war and tells a compelling, intense story driven by amazing performances. If either one of these films wins Best Picture on Oscar night, I will be extremely pleased. Parasite review here, 1917 review here.

And there we have it, the nine Best Picture nominees ranked for the 2020 Oscars. I sound like a broken record at this point, but 2019 really was a spectacular year for film that will be remembered for years to come. It’s a shame that Portrait of a Lady on Fire (review here) wasn’t nominated, as it is another 10/10 for me, but I will be happy with either Parasite or 1917 winning the big award on February 9th. How would you rank the Best Picture nominees? Let me know! Thanks for reading.

Movie Review: Portrait of a Lady on Fire

As I was lying in bed late last night with a candle lit and raindrops gently tapping up against my window, I knew I was in for a treat during the opening minutes of Portrait of a Lady on Fire. This French film tells the story of an artist hired to paint a portrait of a woman about to be married, and through its beautiful simplicity, tells a story of love, loss, and having an unspoken, lifelong connection with someone who is no longer there on a daily basis. This film is spectacular.

Telling stories that are confined to few characters in limited locations requires smart dialogue, crafty cinematography, and compelling themes throughout. After watching The Lighthouse, I found it interesting that it was one of the only stories I had seen told so well in such a manner. That changed after watching Portrait of a Lady on Fire. This film takes its time in advancing its plot, is intentional in every way, and invites you to bear witness to the rise and fall of a beautiful and inherently doomed relationship.

Every single frame taken from this film looks like an 18th century work of art. The cinematography and shot-selection is absolutely stunning, and propels the beauty of the relationship being depicted here. Everything advances slowly but logically and harmonically, crescendoing in a heart-wrenching, satisfying, and fulfilling concluding scene which should be remembered as iconic. All of these aspects are backed up by award-deserving performances and direction from Noémie Merlant, Adéle Haenel, and Céline Sciamma, respectively, who gorgeously portray a story about the importance of seeing and being seen through a female perspective.

The past few weeks have been incredible for me film-wise. I’ve seen 1917, Parasite, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, which are some of the best films I’ve seen in the past few years. I highly recommend seeing this movie if possible, as it a viewing pleasure and an emotional firestorm. Another masterpiece.

Score: 10/10

2020 Oscars Predictions (Major Categories)

As I’ve said many times already, 2019 was a fantastic year for film. This awards season is looking to be one of the most unpredictable and competitive in recent memory due to the astounding amount of recent quality releases. While I was disappointed by some of the nominations and snubs when they were released this past Monday, I’m still looking forward to seeing which films, actors, and directors take home the most coveted academy awards on February 9th. In this post, I will be predicting who I think will win in each of the major categories, and why I’m leaning that way. Let’s get into it.

Best Picture: Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood - This just seems like the conventional choice this year. Hollywood and the Academy would be able to pat themselves on the back by selecting the Tarantino love letter to the city itself. While I wouldn’t necessarily choose this as my own favorite film from the past year (that belongs to 1917), I wouldn’t be surprised to see it bring home the Academy’s most prestigious award. (Runner-Ups: Parasite, 1917)

Best Actress: Renee Zellweger, Judy - Although I have not yet seen this film, the hype surrounding Zellweger’s performance is undeniable. GoldDerby has her placed as the clear favorite to win here, and I have no reason to doubt that is what will happen. Transformative performances win over the Academy’s hearts, and I think Zellweger’s portrayal of Judy Garland will do just that. An unforgettable performance in a decent film. (Runner-Up: Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story)

Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker - Joker took the world by storm upon its release, becoming the first R-rated film to ever amass over $1,000,000,000 at the box office. This film also leads this year’s field with 11 nominations, a surprisingly high amount in my opinion. While I don’t necessarily understand why Todd Philips’ direction was nominated instead of someone like Greta Gerwig or Noah Baumbach, I do see why Joaquin is the frontrunner in this category. This could be a career defining role, and just like in Renee Zellweger and Rami Malek’s cases, I see a transformative performance taking home Oscar gold this year to the surprise of no one. (Runner-Up: Adam Driver, Marriage Story)

Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, Marriage Story - As if she wasn’t already head and shoulders above her competition, the snubbing of Jennifer Lopez in this category from her performance in Hustlers completely solidifies Dern as the favorite to win for her role in Marriage Story. Dern is excellent at playing a confident, rich woman because she is one. Her presence in many of Marriage Story’s best scenes, such as Scarlett Johansson’s opening monologue or the climactic courtroom scene toward the end of the film, added very much to an already rich Noah Baumbach screenplay. She’s a lock here. (Runner-Up: Margot Robbie, Bombshell)

Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood - Brad Pitt’s character Cliff Booth is just so likable in a film already contending for best picture. I don’t see either of the supporting men from The Irishman getting in here, and the fact that Pitt has already won both the Globe and CCA for this role cements the Oscar pick, in my opinion. (Runner-Ups: Joe Pesci for The Irishman, Al Pacino for The Irishman)

Best Director: Bong Joon-ho, Parasite - I should preface this by stating that I have, unfortunately, not yet seen this film. It’s at the top of my watchlist and queue on Amazon Prime. That being said, Bong Joon-ho’s career seems to have been leading up to this film, which has garnered both positive audience and critical feedback. I’d love to see Bong get the win here, as it would level the distrubution of awards from each film respectively. (Runner-Ups: Martin Scorsese for The Irishman, Sam Mendes for 1917)

Best Cinematography: 1917 - Roger Deakins is completely deserving of this award. This film is as much of a technical accomplishment as it is a storytelling masterpiece, and a lot of that success is due to Deakins’ ability as a cinematographer. To successfully execute what is stylistically shot as a single take is profoundly difficult, and I hope Deakins is recognized for his efforts. (Runner-Up: The Irishman)

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Irishman - While Little Women is as completely deserving of this award, I don’t see the Academy snubbing Scorsese from every major category. I think The Irishman takes best adapted screenplay, and Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood takes best original screenplay along with Best Picture. (Runner-Up: Little Women)

There will be many more awards handed out on Oscar night, but these are my most anticipated selections. The subjectivity of film, at times, makes these award ceremonies frustrating. I’m just happy that I’m lucky enough to be alive during a time when so many quality films are being released. Who do you think will win in these categories? Let me know!

My Top 5 Films of 2019

Just like it was a great year for music, 2019 was a fantastic year for film. Whether referencing supermassive blockbuster smash hits or strong independent showings, there was an abundance of quality movies over the past year. While I haven’t yet been able to view all of the movies I would have liked to from the past year (Parasite, Knives Out, etc.), today I will be listing and explaining my top 5 films of 2019. Let’s get into it.

Honorable mentions: Avengers: Endgame, Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood, Spider-Man: Far From Home

5. Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker: This was easily my most anticipated film of the year, and luckily for me, it lived up to my expectations. While this film is some receiving negative critical feedback, audiences across the world seem to find it a fitting and appropriate endings to one of the most beloved sagas of all time. Without spoiling anything, I was happy with how J.J. Abrams was able to pull story components from both the OG and prequel trilogies to put a bow on the final, feel-good episode. Fantastic performances and amazing visual effects landed this film at the #5 spot on my list.

4. Us: The follow up to one of my favorite films of all time, Jordan Peele’s Get Out, was just as captivating and artistically expressive as its predecessor but in different ways. This film functions as both an entertaining horror / slasher movie and a poignant social commentary about wealth inequality and oppression. I have seen this movie at least four times at this point, and every view is just as enjoyable as the last. Fingers crossed that Lupita Nyong’o isn’t snubbed during awards season after her incredible double performance here.

3. The Irishman: Martin Scorsese assembled the ideal mob movie cast for this outstanding film. It stars Robert de Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino… what more could you ask for? This is authentic cinema at its finest, which feels appropriate after Scorsese’s recent harsh criticisms about eye-candy films such as Marvel’s Avengers series, yet ironic as it was released on Netflix. This film gives a different perspective on mob life than the one offered from films like The Godfather or Goodfellas, and in doing so, differentiates itself as one of the more unique films released in recent years. I highly recommend this movie.

2. Marriage Story: What a heart-wrenching masterpiece. Noah Baumbach clearly had a vision of what this film’s purpose was from beginning to end, and its execution is masterful. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson both give career performances as they depict a marriage falling apart, and a family trying to stay together. This movie is intensely intimate, heartfelt, honest, and captivating, all while remaining jovial enough to avoid becoming downright depressing. I think in most years this would likely take the #1 spot, but thanks to the next film on this list, Marriage Story will have to stay the runner-up for 2019.

1. Joker: All I can say is “wow”. Still. This film completely redefines what a comic book origin story can look like. The hype before this movie had me wondering what would differentiate Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the infamous Batman villain from the late Heath Ledger’s masterclass performance, and I was pleasantly surprised by the direction Todd Philips took this movie. Joker is a complete reinvention of Arthur’s character, while simultaneously critiquing the way we view mental illness as a society in an incredibly poignant and tasteful manner. This film deserves all of the praise, recognition, and awards that it gets. This is a must-see and my favorite movie of 2019.

Assembling this list was quite a challenge, and I’m sure it would have been even more difficult if I have been able to see all the films on my watchlist from this year. I’m just grateful that there are so many creative individuals coming together to tell such incredible stories. Which films did you enjoy most this year and why?

02/13/2020 Revision: This has changed a lot since then. The current top five is 5) Marriage Story, 4) Joker, 3) Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 2) 1917, 1) Parasite.

Movie Review: Joker

Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Batman’s most infamous nemesis was widely heralded as a masterful performance after the 2008 release of The Dark Knight. Time has been kind to that film, and after Jared Leto’s failed attempt to recapture the magic that was Ledger’s haunting and larger-than-life Joker, fans were sure that there would never be another performance of this character that could compete with what Heath Ledger was able to do on-screen. While I’m not here to compare and contrast Joaquin Phoenix’s 2019 performance with Ledger’s in 2008, I’m confident saying this new take on Joker is unique enough to stand on its own as a masterful character piece in an incredible movie.

I truly didn’t expect director Todd Philips and company to take the direction they did with this film. Without spoiling too much, this is an entirely different take on Arthur Fleck as a character. Instead of cool and charismatic, Phoenix’s Joker is broken and hurt. Instead of the character’s iconic laugh being maniacal and strong in its intention, it was pained and weak in its impulsivity. Watching Arthur being beat down by life almost led me to feel sympathy for him, but in the end, I couldn’t help to root against what the cruel world had led him to become.

Joker works both as an incredibly well-delivered origin story and as a commentary on the darkest sides of ignored mental illness. I intensely disagree with the narrative that this film inherently promotes violence. This film instead encourages us to treat each other kindly despite our differences, and demonstrates the negative consequences that come from treating those who have less or are not as privileged in a rude way, in the most shocking fashion possible.

I can’t give enough praise to this film. Any awards that Joker can be nominated for, it should immediately be in the conversation to win. This movie thrives stylistically and thematically, and Phoenix gives a career-defining performance. This is a must-see, incredible movie with only minor problems that I would have to spoil to explain. Great stuff, albeit very, very unsettling.

SCORE: 9/10