Award Season Recap: Absolute Dominance

The 2020 Grammys and Academy Awards have come and passed after months of speculation and predictions. These awards are increasingly becoming less popular, as television ratings have been consistently decreasing for them over the past few years, but they are still interesting to analyze, especially in such a unique year. In both ceremonies this year there were many records broken, and there was absolute dominance which I was happy to see. Let’s break it down.

Billie Eilish has taken the pop music genre by storm over the past year and a half, accumulating a loyal fanbase after the release of her 2019 debut album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?. Her competition going into the Grammys was stiff this year, facing off against celebrated artists such as Ariana Grande and Lizzo among many others. Despite this, Billie Eilish and her producer brother Finneas walked away from the ceremony with a combined total of 10 Grammys, an absolutely astonishing feat for such a young artist. I was very happy that Billie did as well as she did after enjoying her debut album as much as I did and still do to this day. I was also delighted that Tyler, The Creator won in the Best Rap Album category for IGOR, but I agree with his sentiment that he should be included in the pop category instead of being pigeonholed into a less competitive field.

I was very pleased with the results of the 2020 Academy Awards as well, as a lot of my predictions came true. Bong Joon-ho and Parasite altogether were absolutely dominant, winning Best Picture, Directing, Editing, and Original Screenplay. By winning the biggest award of the night, Parasite became the first foreign film to ever win Best Picture at the Oscars, which it absolutely deserved. Most of the other awards went my way, too, with the films I enjoyed most beating their competition in their respective categories.

I don’t let what I enjoy rely and depend on what wins at award shows. This year, however, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the music and cinema I enjoyed so much in the past year receive the praise it deserved in such an incredibly dominant fashion. Here’s hoping that 2020 brings just as much enjoyable media as 2019 did.

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: Jojo Rabbit

Although this film was initially released in October of last year, I was only just recently able to sit down and watch Taika Waititi’s most recent directorial offering. The premise alone hooked me, as I have never seen a comedy which also critiques the Nazi regime in World War II Germany. I figure that reviewing this film before the Academy Awards on February 9th is justified, as Jojo Rabbit is nominated for Best Picture among other categories. I would describe this film as a dark comedy which attempts to make a larger anti-war and pro-inclusivity statement, but at times struggles with tone, pacing, and impact. Let’s get into what I liked and didn’t like about this movie.

I have to start by praising the performances given by the stellar ensemble cast. Roman Griffin Davis makes his feature-film debut here, and at only twelve years old, delivers a very strong lead performance that showcases his impressive range. This was also the third portion of Scarlett Johansson’s trifecta year, having starred in Avengers: Endgame, Marriage Story, and now Jojo Rabbit all in 2019. Her performance as Rosie in this film is magnetic and charming, worthy of the Best Actress nomination that it received. The rest of the ensemble cast rounds out and boosts this film, with other notable performances from Sam Rockwell, Thomasin McKenzie, and Taika himself as imaginary Hitler, a role only he could play and pull off.

The first two thirds of this movie are very comical with several laugh-out-loud moments. That is the part of the film that I enjoyed most. There’s a tonal change entering the third act that completely shifts the overall mood of the story, and the shocking twist included feels somewhat unearned, unable to leave as much of an emotional impact as it intends to. This film also has a generally positive message, but I feel that Waititi could’ve made that message even more evident and impactful than the final product offered here just by tweaking a couple of story details. That isn’t to say that this movie is tone-deaf toward a sensitive subject, but instead, it just doesn’t live up to the potential that the beginning of the film set it up for.

Overall, I enjoyed watching Jojo Rabbit. It’s a well-made, funny, heartfelt, and poignant movie. There are some changes that I would’ve made to the pacing, tone, and story, but that isn’t to say that it’s bad by any means. It’s good. This film is deserving of the multiple Oscar nominations it received, but I don’t see it winning Best Picture. What did you think of this movie? What would you have changed? Octopuses, rhinoceroses, or rhinoctopuses? Gesundheit. Thanks for reading.

Score: 7/10

Movie Review: Parasite

After months of hearing about how good Bong Joon-ho’s newest film Parasite was, I was ecstatic to see that it was finally coming to Amazon Prime Video for streaming. As soon as I had a chance, I sat down and decided to watch what’s looking more and more like a Best Picture contender for the upcoming Academy Awards. Upon watching, I wasn’t disappointed to say the least. I really can’t stop thinking about this film.

Bong Joon-ho is masterful at crafting compelling, character-driven stories. His acceptance speech at the Golden Globes explaining how overcoming the 2-inch barrier of subtitles opens a whole world of cinema is absolutely right, and this movie is a perfect example of that. Not even five minutes into the film and I completely forgot I was watching a film in another language. The story is wildly compelling, causing this film’s 132 minute runtime to fly by.

This film is both a psychological thriller, social commentary, and at times, a comedy. Parasite creates an atmosphere of both familiarity and uncomfortability, and because of that, is unlike most films I’ve ever seen. Its story is very straightforward, but there are still plenty of twists and unexpected plot points that keep this movie from becoming predictable.

The direction is incredible and propels an exceptionally written screenplay. Each performance is unique and adds something important to the movie as a whole. I was on the edge of my seat for the back half of the film, and moved by its socially conscious albeit somewhat unrealistic conclusion. Not only will this film entertain you, but it will stick with you and make you think after it ends.

I highly recommend checking out Parasite before the Oscars next month. Having seen all of the frontrunners for Best Picture, I could easily see Parasite taking home that prestigious reward. It would be highly deserved.

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!