92nd Academy Awards Preview
By Peyton Schultze
Who will take these home with them on Sunday night? (via Den of Geek)
At last, the 92nd Academy Awards are nearly here.
Live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California (8:00 EST, ABC), the 2020 Oscars are sure to be a treat for all viewers across the globe. For the second straight year, the show will go in an nontraditional route without a host. Instead, the show will focus much more on entertainment and marquee presenters for the major awards, with confirmed appearances from film and television greats such Spike Lee, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Keanu Reeves, Will Ferrell, Diane Keaton, Brie Larson, and many others.
In addition to this, performers such as Billie Eilish, Elton John, and Idina Menzel will take the stage to perform in front of some of Hollywood’s film icons.
As for the films up for major awards, 2019 proved to be an outstanding year. From the chaos in Joker to the last stand for our favorite superheroes in Avengers: Endgame, from the explosive arguments in Marriage Story to the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and from the late-night drives in Once Upon in Time…in Hollywood to the front line battles in 1917, the year truly had it all. It’s a mystery who will end up coming home with the Oscar wins on Sunday, but it should be a delight to witness who is selected to join some of the biggest names in Hollywood history.
So without further ado, here’s our preview of some of the biggest movies from 2019 that will be represented at the 92nd Academy Awards.
Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman
Another addition to the master’s collection, The Irishman was another hit film for legendary film director Martin Scorsese. Although the film faced several examples of backlash such as a too-long runtime, interesting choices in terms of de-aging, and the questionable choice of distributing among Netflix, The Irishman still figures to be in the hunt for a ton of major awards during the 92nd Academy Awards. But will it come out on top, or will the anti-Netflix movement put a halt in the film’s push for Oscar gold?
During its three and a half hour runtime, The Irishman touches upon many subjects within American society, such as violence and the underground crime relating to politicking. Although the thematic concerns run on quite a bit in somewhat of a repetitive fashion, The Irishman does begin to ramp up quite a bit in the last hour or so. But if there’s one thing that cannot be denied in this film, it is how spectacular the casting was in the form of bringing together three acting titans. Robert de Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci are truly splendid in each of their roles, with two of the three being recognized in a major way heading into the weekend’s festivities. de Niro was the only one not to receive a nomination among this year’s class, but the film largely revolves around his character of Frank. Frank begins his career as a truck driver, but eventually becomes a dangerous hitman who ends up working for a mobster named Russell (Pesci) and political candidate Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino) to perform some deadly acts.
It remains to be seen if people really view The Irishman as the film of the year, but it is still certainly in the conversation for awards such as Best Picture. With Scorses’’s status as a Hollywood giant, the film could find a way to capture awards such as Best Directing and Adapted Screenplay. However, with the distributor of Netflix likely proving to be the roadblock standing between The Irishman and the award for Best Picture, do not expect a strong plow through all of the major award categories on Sunday.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Martin Scorsese for Best Directing
Al Pacino for Supporting Actor
Joe Pesci for Supporting Actor
Rodrigo Prieto for Cinematography
Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson for Costume Design
Thelma Schoonmaker for Film Editing
Bob Shaw and Regina Graves for Production Design
Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser and Stephane Grabli for Visual Effects
Steven Zaillian for Adapted Screenplay
Todd Philip’s Joker
Among films in 2019, perhaps none were as controversial as Todd Philips’ Joker. A terribly sad and extremely dark look at America in the past and present-day, Joker stunned audiences around the world with some truly shocking scenes involving the world’s most notable supervillian. A complete 180 from any other superhero/supervillian origin story, Joker ranks near the top of the leaderboard with 11 total nominations and is sure to walk away on Sunday night with at least one win.
Before mentioning anything else about the storyline of Joker, it is quite clear that this movie would not be nearly as successful as it has been if it were not for Joaquin Phoenix’s spectacular turn as the Clown Prince of Crime. The clear favorite to walk home with the win in the Lead Actor category, Phoenix put together arguably the best performance of his marvelous career in one of the most emotional movies in recent history. Combining themes of mental illness, violence, and lower class poverty that has filled the nation, Phoenix plays the warped Arthur Fleck, a wannabe stand-up comedian who suffers from an illness that makes him laugh uncontrollably at unfortunate times. Over the course of the film, as Arthur’s true descent into madness turns him into the Joker, we not only see the main character’s life fall apart, but the lives of others as well as Arthur begins to feel empowered with his violent habits. None of this is more evident than in the film’s final twenty minutes, a harrowing experience in its own that takes viewers through a real thrill ride.
Another one of Joker’s main arguments for Oscar glory heading into Sunday night is some of the visual and musical components that helped to create a unique film unlike anything in the past year. For example, composer Hildur Guðnadóttir was able to create a chilling score for the film that looms over every single one of Arthur’s actions, which could play strong into the minds of voters. In addition, Joker has a case for awards such as cinematography, costume design, and makeup and hairstyling, as the film had a very clear visual tone that stood true to its vision. It will be hard for the film to compete with some of the other giants in the other categories such as Best Picture and Best Directing, but it is clear that Joker was one of the most influential films of 2019.
Nominations
Best Picture
Joaquin Phoenix for Lead Actor 🏆
Todd Phillips for Best Directing
Lawrence Sher for Cinematography
Mark Bridges for Costume Design
Jeff Groth for Film Editing
Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou for Makeup and Hairstyling
Hildur Guðnadóttir for Original Score 🏆
Alan Robert Murray for Sound Editing
Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland for Sound Mixing
Todd Phillips and Scott Silver for Adapted Screenplay
Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story
Passionate, appalling, ruthless, full of angst, and downright ugly at times, Marriage Story is a brutal look at a relationship that suddenly falls apart at the snap of a finger. Led by two phenomenal performances from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson as a couple in the process of a sudden divorce, Noah Baumbach’s intense love story from Netflix is one of the must-watch films on the year, especially with the growing pain and emotion with every new scene.
Marriage Story looks like it will have a lot to overcome on Oscar Night if it wants to walk home with a lot of gold, especially with the ant-Netflix opinions that seem to float around Academy voters. However, even with that being said, there is no way to ignore the film’s strong impact that it had on the industry this year. Helping to raise Netflix’s film profile along with The Irishman, the film found its way into thousands of homes this year and is certainly one of the more popular films that people have seen among this year’s class of Best Picture nominees. Marriage Story may have also delivered the film scene of the year in a climatic argument between Charlie (Driver) and Nicole (Johansson), which ends with a blowup of emotions between both characters in an otherwise silent and empty room. In addition, Laura Dern’s performance as Nicole’s lawyer in the middle of their divorce nearly steals the show with her harsh attitudes, and she looks like she is a near-lock to walk away on Sunday night with a win in the Supporting Actress category.
Baumbach’s talent for writing about human connection is blatant and has his name written over every scene in this movie, which may give him a decent chance at winning for original screenplay in a packed field full of all-star names. As for Best Picture and the nominations for the two lead actors, even though there has not been a ton of momentum going into the night, the film seems to have made a strong impression among voters as a whole. Even though Phoenix is the favorite to walk away with the Oscar for Lead Actor on Sunday, keep an eye out to see if Driver can capture the first Oscar of his own in shocking fashion. Marriage Story makes it clear to audiences that almost nothing lasts forever. But with such strong messages and acting across the board, you can be sure that Marriage Story will find its way into the conversation for one of the best movies in recent history for years to come.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Scarlett Johansson for Lead Actress
Adam Driver for Lead Actor
Laura Dern for Supporting Actress 🏆
Noah Baumbach for Original Screenplay
Randy Newman for Original Score
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
There’s a scene early on in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood where casting agent Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) is talking over lunch with Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) about potentially starring in Spaghetti westerns over in Italy with Rick’s career slowly on the decline. Marvin is talking about Rick’s various films, including one that holds a special place in Marvin’s heart with The 14 Fists of McCluskey. “Good picture, yeah,” Rick says, although his face shows that he is certainly unsure of himself and his current role in the Hollywood landscape.
If Rick was instead referring to Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film in his illustrious career, he may have been making a serious understatement. Certainly the most personable and down-to-earth of his films, Hollywood is one of 2019’s best films and possibly even one of the better films of the past decade for that matter. In creating such an immediate classic, Tarantino has weaved his way back into the Academy Award discussion where he’ll hunt for the first Best Picture win of his career.
Reflective, humorous, and surprising at every turn, the film has a great chance of winning Best Picture on Oscar Night even in a crowded field. With three elite actors at the top of their game (DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie), an original idea that pays homage to the city, and an awesome soundtrack, Hollywood is something that nearly every viewer can enjoy in some capacity. Yet what makes Hollywood’s appeal so charming isn’t its spot-on attitude toward Los Angeles in the 1960’s, or even the shockingly magnificent ending. Instead, the veteran director simply brings a cool vibe and his trademark cinematic passion to a film that makes it nearly irresistible to watch. The laid back tone may come from its two star characters in Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth (Pitt), who end up forming one of the better character duos on screen in quite a long time. With Rick and Cliff simply living their daily lives (at least until “reality” starts to kick in toward the end of the film), audiences are able to form a strong bond with the two leads and care about what happens to them. It is certainly not a standard fairy tale like Sleeping Beauty or The Little Mermaid, but this throwback spin to the Hollywood of old is truly one for the ages.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Leonardo DiCaprio for Lead Actor
Brad Pitt for Supporting Actor 🏆
Quentin Tarantino for Best Directing
Quentin Tarantino for Original Screenplay 🏆
Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh for Production Design 🏆
Robert Richardson for Cinematography
Arianne Phillips for Costume Design
Wylie Stateman for Sound Editing
Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler and Mark Ulano for Sound Mixing
Sam Mendes’ 1917
We are certainly guilty of not having seen 1917 quite yet, but the film is impossible to ignore right now with how much blazing momentum it has heading into Oscar Sunday. The favorite to not only win Best Picture, but nearly every single visual and sound category, 1917 has recently wowed voters which saw it take home major awards at the Golden Globes and BAFA. Can it continue its recent hot stretch into the biggest night in the industry, or will it suddenly prove to have fallen off ballots at the last second?
Although the film seems to be the favorite for Best Picture, there is still some competition among voters with films such as crowd-pleaser Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and underdog card Parasite. It’s not to say that either of those films will be able to shock the world and take down the mighty favorite in 1917, but anything is possible. What seems to be a little more certain is that director Sam Mendes has a great chance of winning the Oscar for directing on Sunday night. The former Skyfall and American Beauty director seems to have created a standout film among audiences in this World War I epic, and all signals seem to be pointing in his direction for gold. Lastly, one of the near-locks for Sunday night appears to be veteran Roger Deakins for Cinematography. Shot beautifully to capture the extreme violence in the time period, it appears Deakins will have his named called once again at the Academy Awards.
Nominations:
Best Picture 🏆
Sam Mendes for Best Directing 🏆
Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis and Rebecca Cole for Makeup and Hairstyling
Roger Deakins for Cinematography 🏆
Thomas Newman for Original Score
Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales for Production Design
Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate for Sound Editing 🏆
Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson for Sound Mixing 🏆
Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy for Visual Effects 🏆
Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns for Original Screenplay
The Best of the Rest
James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari
Just like its namesake, Ford V Ferrari takes off right from the get-go and never once looks back. With two superstars at the wheel of the film in Christian Bale and Matt Damon, James Mangold’s thrilling car flick is a true joyride through the glory days of automotive innovation and competition. It may not stand out in terms of its production size compared to others, but Ford V Ferrari is a must-watch full of plenty exhilarating moments.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland for Film Editing
Donald Sylvester for Sound Editing
Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Steven A. Morrow for Sound Mixing
Bong Joon Hoo’s Parasite
Among the nominated films for Best Picture, Bong Joon Hoo’s Parasite may rank near the top of the biggest shockers with its foreign roots. However, Hoo has created one outstanding film in Parasite, and it should be able to take home some gold on Sunday afternoon. Whether or not it was able to make a last-second push toward the top of ballots for Best Picture remains to be seen, but Parasite is certainly one of the best films of the year.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best International Feature Film 🏆
Bong Joon Hoo for Best Directing
Yang Jinmo for Film Editing
Cho Won Woo and Lee Ha Jun for Production Design
Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won for Original Screenplay
Greta Gerwig’s Little Women
With Little Women, Greta Gerwig has seemingly done it again in creating one of the best pictures of the year. Following in the footsteps of 2017’s Lady Bird, Gerwig’s newest film soars to extreme heights behind a spectacular cast and a strong thematic core that bring plenty of justice to Louisa May Alcott’s original 1968 novel.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Saoirse Ronan for Lead Actress
Florence Pugh for Supporting Actress
Jacqueline Durran for Costume Design
Alexandre Desplat for Original Score
Greta Gerwig for Adapted Screenplay
Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit
As different as any World War II film in recent memory, Taika Waititi puts a unique spin on what it must have felt like growing up as a kid under the hateful watch of Nazi Germany. With imaginary friends involving a famed dictator, plenty of goofy moments, and some real-life scenarios that haunt over the rest of the film, Jojo Rabbit is a real joy and one of the most fascinating films among this year’s surprising batch.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Scarlett Johansson for Supporting Actress
Mayes C. Rubeo for Costume Design 🏆
Tom Eagles for Film Editing
Ra Vincent for Production Design
Taika Waititi for Adapted Screenplay 🏆
Jay Roach’s Bombshell
An explosive take on the Fox News scandal involving the sexual harassment case centered around former co-founder Roger Ailes, Bombshell is a thrilling film that is as relevant to the present-day society of the country as any film in this year’s batch of excellence. Although a lot of its attention has been placed on its exceptional makeup and hair departments for transforming Charlize Theron into Megyn Kelly, Bombshell is an exceptional film that goes exactly where other movies are sometimes afraid to.
Nominations:
Charlize Theron for Lead Actress
Margot Robbie for Supporting Actress
Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker for Makeup and Hairstyling 🏆
Josh Cooley’s Toy Story 4
In Pixar’s most beautifully animated film to date, Toy Story 4 soars to infinity and beyond once again with Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys. With plenty of surprising twists, an emotional backbone, and the introduction of several great minor characters such as Tony Hale’s Forky and Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom, Toy Story 4 is another impressive addition to Pixar’s already-excellent collection of animated films.
Nominations:
Randy Newman’s “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” for Best Original Song
Best Animated Feature 🏆
J.J. Abrams’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
In the final chapter of the infamous Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker once again fulfills the desires of die-hard fans who wanted complete closure to the story that has defined pop culture for over four decades. Although many people have pointed out some of its bumps in the road, The Rise of Skywalker still has some outstanding moments that remind viewers why they fell in love with the saga in the first place.
Nominations:
John Williams for Original Score
Matthew Wood and David Acord for Sound Editing
Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach and Dominic Tuohy for Visual Effects
Fernando Meirelles’s The Two Popes
In The Two Popes, one pope of the present Catholic Church (alas 2012, the setting of the film), and one of the future, form an unlikely relationship that will lead the church into the uncertain future. Headlined by two veteran actors with deserving nominations in their respective categories, The Two Popes is a surprise for Netflix and a true treat for viewers at home.
Nominations:
Jonathan Pryce for Lead Actor
Anthony Hopkins for Supporting Actor
Anthony McCarten for Adapted Screenplay