The film that has created the biggest noise at the Venice International Film Festival so far has been Regina King’s directorial debut, One Night in Miami and, based on the reviews released so far, it will likely be a Top 5 Best Picture contender.
Regina King’s directorial debut starring Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr. is “set on the night of February 25, 1964… [and] follows a young, brash Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center the new Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World. Against all odds, he defeated Sonny Liston (Aaron D. Alexander) and shocked the sports world. While crowds of people swarm Miami Beach to celebrate the match, Clay – unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws – spends the evening at the Hampton House Motel in Miami’s African American Overtown neighborhood celebrating with three of his closest friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge). During this historic evening, these icons, who each were the very representation of the Pre-Black Power Movement and felt the social pressure their cross-over celebrity brought, shared their thoughts with each other about their responsibilities as influencers, standing up, defending their rights and moving the country forward to equality and empowerment for all black people. The next morning, the four men emerge determined to define a new world for themselves and their community.” (From IMDb).
The film seems perfectly timed for the current moment in America and the Academy has been leaning toward relevant (or what they think is relevant) films in years past as shown by their picks for (2015’s Spotlight, 2016’s Moonlight, 2018’s Green Book, 2019’s Parasite) Best Picture. The Academy also leans toward films that are set in the past (in the last 3 years, six of the Best Picture nominees each year were not set in current day), which is another box that King’s film checks. Another prerequisite that a film must pass before reaching Oscar glory is being accessible to wide audiences and according to Jonathan Romney’s review for the Guardian, the film is “immensely watchable”, which is exactly what a film needs to be to win Best Picture.
From this information the film is definitely a top 5 Best Picture contender, the question is, where else will it be nominated? As the film starts from Cassius Clay’s perspective, it is likely that Eli Goree will be submitted for Best Actor, while the rest of the ensemble will probably be entered in for Best Supporting Actor. From the reviews I have read, it seems that while all the performances are great, Kingsley Ben-Adir’s portrayal of Malcolm X is the standout. He is a relative newcomer so this will likely be his breakout role.
Kemp Powers’ screenplay (adapted from his own play) has also been praised and he could receive two writing nominations this year as he also co-wrote (and co-directed) the screenplay for Pixar’s Soul. The last person to be nominated in both Adapted and Original Screenplay in the same year was Francis Ford Coppola in 1974 for the Godfather Part II and The Conversation (he won for the Godfather sequel).
In the below-the-line categories critics have lauded Tariq Anwar’s editing (he is a two-time Oscar nominee for American Beauty and The King’s Speech), Tami Reiker’s cinematography, Page Buckner’s production design, and Terence Blanchard’s jazz-infused score (he is a one-time Oscar nominee for BlacKkKlansman and also created the score for this year’s Da 5 Bloods).
While this news came out after I published my September predictions, check those out here!
Seth Rogen is mostly known for producing and starring in hilariously funny, but very rated-R comedies, this film is PG-13, and is probably the most family-friendly of any film in which Seth Rogen has held the lead role. This dramedy is still amusing though, however, its laugh count is not at the level many of his fans probably expect.
The film follows a Jewish man, Herschel Greenbaum (Seth Rogen) who, when we first see him, is a ditch-digger living in a shtetl. At a market, Herschel sees a woman named Sarah (Sarah Snook) and is instantly in love, not in small part due to the fact that she has “all her teeth, both top and bottom”. He eventually woos her and they get married. After a Cossack attack on their village, the couple decides to move to America. They are met with anti-Semitism but stay positive throughout. One day, when Herschel is working in a pickle factory he is cornered by dozens of rats and falls into a vat of pickle brine as the factory closes. He is perfectly preserved for 100 years and we are given a non-explanation for how that is possible. While this works fine as a joke here, these little bouts of farcical situations continue throughout the film and clash with the film’s mostly sincere tone to create some bewildering and slightly frustrating moments later on.
Once Herschel is out of the brine, he tries to find the only living relative he has left and he is met with his great-grandson, Ben Greenbaum (who is also played by Rogen), a coder working, as he has been for 5 years, on a app that finds how ethical a company is. These scenes are some of the more fun as the film does not dive deep into the clichéd, “man from past experiences modern world for first time scenes” and the film goes straight into the plot (which explains the fleeting 90-minute runtime). As they get to know each other, Herschel becomes increasingly disappointed in his great-grandson as he seems to have lost all ties to his Jewish heritage. As time goes on, the film turns these two men against each other as Herschel starts to become successful. This is one of film’s weak points as Ben’s malice towards Herschel is a little extreme and it is a significant shift from the lovable guy we see at first. During this cyclical sequence of Herschel gaining popularity, then being “canceled”, the film shows some satirical edge, but the satire is too safe and easy to be truly biting. Don’t get me wrong, it is a fine film that will maintain a smile on your face for most of the runtime, but it is not one of Rogen’s funnier efforts, which would be fine if it was not tonally conflicted to the point that it affects the dramatic moments.
Directed by Brandon Trost and written by Simon Rich (based on his short story ”Sell Out”), the film steers clear from many of the storytelling clichés that litter these type of films and has moments of inspiration. The film works well as a vehicle to show Rogen’s dramatic chops as he skillfully creates two distinct characters in his dual role and at times, especially in later scenes, the film can be heartfelt as Ben works to reconcile with his past.
In these times where there is a lack of new mainstream films, “An American Pickle” is welcome as it is a fun, likeable but flawed movie that is worth a watch, but will likely be forgotten after a few days of COVID-induced monotony.
Finally, the final 25. Here are my picks for the best 25 films of the decade.
Happy 2020s!
25. The Master
‘The Master’ (The Weinstein Company)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
The Master unfolds the journey of a Naval veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) who arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future – until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader (Philip Seymour Hoffman). (The Weinstein Company)
24. The Tree of Life
‘The Tree of Life’ (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Directed by: Terrence Malick
The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Through Malick’s signature imagery, we see how both brute nature and spiritual grace shape not only our lives as individuals and families, but all life. (Fox Searchlight)
23. Shoplifters
‘Shoplifters’ (Magnolia Pictures)
Directed by: Hirokazu Koreeda
After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu (Lily Franky) and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife (Sakura Ando) agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them. (Rotten Tomatoes)
22. Gravity
Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron
Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone – tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space. (Warner Bros.)
21. Dunkirk
‘Dunkirk’ (Warner Bros.)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Evacuation of Allied soldiers from the British Empire, and France, who were cut off and surrounded by the German Army from the beaches and harbor of Dunkirk, France, between May 26- June 04, 1940, during Battle of France in World War II. (Warner Bros.)
After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing’s law enforcement is only exacerbated.
19. Inception
‘Inception’ (Warner Bros.)
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible, inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea, but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. (Warner Bros.)
18. La La Land
‘La La Land’ (Lionsgate)
Directed by: Damien Chazelle
La La Land tells the story of Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams. (Rotten Tomatoes).
17. Room
‘Room’ (A24)
Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson
ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack (Jacob Tremblay), a spirited 5-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted mother (Brie Larson). Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical–they are trapped–confined to a 10-by-10-foot space that Ma has euphemistically named Room. Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack’s curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma’s resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world. (A24)
16. Moonlight
‘Moonlight’ (A24)
Directed by: Barry Jenkins
The tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality. ( Rotten Tomatoes).
15. Her
‘Her’ (Warner Bros.)
Directed By; Spike Jonze
In a near future, a lonely writer (Joaquin Phoenix) develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system (Scarlett Johansson) designed to meet his every need. (IMDb)
14. The Social Network
‘The Social Network’ (Columbia)
Directed by: David Fincher
As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins (Armie Hammer) who claimed he stole their idea, and by the co-founder ( who was later squeezed out of the business. (IMDb)
13. Before Midnight
‘Before Midnight’ (Sony Pictures Classics)
Directed by: Richard Linklater
We meet Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna. (IMDb).
12. Call Me By Your Name
‘Call Me By Your Name’ (Sony Pictures Classics)
Directed by: Luca Guadagnino
It’s the summer of 1983 in the north of Italy, and Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a precocious 17- year-old American-Italian, spends his days in his family’s 17th century villa transcribing and playing classical music, reading, and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). Elio enjoys a close relationship with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture, and his mother Annella (Amira Casar), a translator, who favor him with the fruits of high culture in a setting that overflows with natural delights. While Elio’s sophistication and intellectual gifts suggest he is already a fully-fledged adult, there is much that yet remains innocent and unformed about him, particularly about matters of the heart. One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a charming American scholar working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father. Amid the sun-drenched splendor of the setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a summer that will alter their lives forever. (Sony Pictures Classics)
11. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (Sony)
Directed by: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman
Teen Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) becomes Spider-Man of his reality, crossing his path with five counterparts from other dimensions to stop a threat for all realities. (IMDb)
10. Amour
‘Amour’ (Sony Pictures Classics)
Directed by: Michael Haneke
Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) are in their eighties. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter (Isabelle Huppert), who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack. The couple’s bond of love is severely tested. (Sony Pictures Classics)
9. Spotlight
‘Spotlight’ (Open Road)
Directed by: Tom McCarthy
SPOTLIGHT tells the riveting true story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe investigation that would rock the city and cause a crisis in one of the world’s oldest and most trusted institutions. When the newspaper’s tenacious “Spotlight” team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston’s religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world. (Open Road Films)
8. Whiplash
‘Whiplash’ (Sony Pictures Classics)
Directed by: Damien Chazelle
Andrew Neyman (Miles Teller) is an ambitious young jazz drummer, single-minded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory. Plagued by the failed writing career of his father, Andrew hungers day and night to become one of the greats. Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), an instructor equally known for his teaching talents as for his terrifying methods, leads the top jazz ensemble in the school. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers the aspiring drummer into his band, forever changing the young man’s life. Andrew’s passion to achieve perfection quickly spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability-and his sanity. (Sony Pictures Classics)
7. Mad Max: Fury Road
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (Warner Bros.)
Directed by: George Miller
In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a woman (Charlize Theron) rebels against a tyrannical ruler in search for her homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper (Nicholas Hoult), and a drifter named Max (Tom Hardy).
6. 12 Years a Slave
’12 Years A Slave’ (Fox Searchlight)
Directed by: Steve McQueen
In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty personified by a malevolent slave owner (Michael Fassbender), as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life. (Fox Searchlight)
5. Toy Story 3
‘Toy Story 3’ (Disney/Pixar)
Directed by: Lee Unkrich
Woody, Buzz and the whole gang are back. As their owner Andy (John Morris) prepares to depart for college, his loyal toys find themselves in daycare where untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice. So, it’s all for one and one for all as they join Barbie’s (Jodi Benson) counterpart Ken (Michael Keaton), a thespian hedgehog named Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton) and a pink, strawberry-scented teddy bear called Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty) to plan their great escape. (Disney/Pixar)
4. Boyhood
‘Boyhood’ (IFC Films)
Directed by: Richard Linklater
BOYHOOD charts the rocky terrain of childhood like no other film has before. Snapshots of adolescence from road trips and family dinners to birthdays and graduations and all the moments in between become transcendent… BOYHOOD is both a nostalgic time capsule of the recent past and an ode to growing up and parenting. (IFC Films)
3. Inside Out
‘Inside Out’ (Disney/Pixar)
Directed by: Pete Docter
Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school. (Disney/Pixar)
2. Parasite
‘Parasite’ (NEON Pictures)
Directed by: Bong Joon-Ho
A poor family, the Kims, con their way into becoming the servants of a rich family, the Parks. But their easy life gets complicated when their deception is threatened with exposure. (CJ Entertainment)
1. A Separation
‘A Separation’ (Sony Pictures Classics)
Directed by: Asghar Farhadi
Set in contemporary Iran, A Separation is a compelling drama about the dissolution of a marriage. Simin (Leila Hatami) wants to leave Iran with her husband Nader (Payman Maadi) and daughter Termeh (Sarina Farhadi). Simin sues for divorce when Nader refuses to leave behind his Alzheimer-suffering father. Her request having failed, Simin returns to her parents’ home, but Termeh decides to stay with Nader. When Nader hires a young woman to assist with his father in his wife’s absence, he hopes that his life will return to a normal state. However, when he discovers that the new maid has been lying to him, he realizes that there is more on the line than just his marriage. (Sony Pictures Classics)
Want to see any of these films? Go to Reelgood to see where they are available.
1917 won Best Film at the BAFTAs, which further proves that it has wide support.
Here are the BAFTA winners from today.
BEST FILM
1917 – Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Sam Mendes, Jayne-Ann Tenggren THE IRISHMAN – Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Martin Scorsese, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
JOKER – Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
PARASITE – Bong Joon-ho, Kwak Sin-ae
DIRECTOR 1917 – Sam Mendes THE IRISHMAN – Martin Scorsese
JOKER – Todd Phillips
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – Quentin Tarantino
PARASITE – Bong Joon-ho
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
1917 – Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Krysty Wilson-Cairns BAIT – Mark Jenkin, Kate Byers, Linn Waite
FOR SAMA – Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
ROCKETMAN – Dexter Fletcher, Adam Bohling, David Furnish, David Reid, Matthew Vaughn, Lee Hall
SORRY WE MISSED YOU – Ken Loach, Rebecca O’Brien, Paul Laverty
THE TWO POPES – Fernando Meirelles, Jonathan Eirich, Dan Lin, Tracey Seaward, Anthony McCarten
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
BAIT – Mark Jenkin (Writer/Director), Kate Byers, Linn Waite (Producers) FOR SAMA – Waad al-Kateab (Director/Producer), Edward Watts (Director)
MAIDEN – Alex Holmes (Director)
ONLY YOU – Harry Wootliff (Writer/Director)
RETABLO – Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio (Writer/Director)
LEADING ACTRESS JESSIE BUCKLEY – Wild Rose
SCARLETT JOHANSSON – Marriage Story
SAOIRSE RONAN – Little Women
CHARLIZE THERON – Bombshell RENÉE ZELLWEGER – Judy
LEADING ACTOR LEONARDO DICAPRIO – Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
ADAM DRIVER – Marriage Story
TARON EGERTON – Rocketman JOAQUIN PHOENIX – Joker JONATHAN PRYCE – The Two Popes
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
LAURA DERN – Marriage Story SCARLETT JOHANSSON – Jojo Rabbit
FLORENCE PUGH – Little Women
MARGOT ROBBIE – Bombshell
MARGOT ROBBIE – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
SUPPORTING ACTOR TOM HANKS – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
ANTHONY HOPKINS – The Two Popes
AL PACINO – The Irishman
JOE PESCI – The Irishman BRAD PITT – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
CASTING JOKER – Shayna Markowitz MARRIAGE STORY – Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – Victoria Thomas
THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD – Sarah Crowe
THE TWO POPES – Nina Gold
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY THE IRISHMAN – Steven Zaillian JOJO RABBIT – Taika Waititi JOKER – Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
LITTLE WOMEN – Greta Gerwig
THE TWO POPES – Anthony McCarten
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY BOOKSMART – Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Katie Silberman
KNIVES OUT – Rian Johnson
MARRIAGE STORY – Noah Baumbach
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – Quentin Tarantino PARASITE – Han Jin Won, Bong Joon-ho,
ORIGINAL SCORE 1917 – Thomas Newman
JOJO RABBIT – Michael Giacchino JOKER – Hildur Guđnadóttir LITTLE WOMEN – Alexandre Desplat
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – John Williams
CINEMATOGRAPHY 1917 – Roger Deakins THE IRISHMAN – Rodrigo Prieto
JOKER – Lawrence Sher
LE MANS ’66 – Phedon Papamichael
THE LIGHTHOUSE – Jarin Blaschke
EDITING
THE IRISHMAN – Thelma Schoonmaker
JOJO RABBIT – Tom Eagles
JOKER – Jeff Groth LE MANS ’66 – Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – Fred Raskin
PRODUCTION DESIGN
1917 – Dennis Gassner, Lee Sandales THE IRISHMAN – Bob Shaw, Regina Graves
JOJO RABBIT – Ra Vincent, Nora Sopková
JOKER – Mark Friedberg, Kris Moran
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh
COSTUME DESIGN THE IRISHMAN – Christopher Peterson, Sandy Powell
JOJO RABBIT – Mayes C. Rubeo
JUDY – Jany Temime LITTLE WOMEN – Jacqueline Durran ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD – Arianne Phillips
MAKEUP & HAIR 1917 – Naomi Donne BOMBSHELL – Vivian Baker, Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan JOKER – Kay Georgiou, Nicki Ledermann
JUDY – Jeremy Woodhead
ROCKETMAN – Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
SOUND 1917 – Scott Millan, Oliver Tarney, Rachael Tate, Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson JOKER – Tod Maitland, Alan Robert Murray, Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic
LE MANS ’66 – David Giammarco, Paul Massey, Steven A. Morrow, Donald Sylvester
ROCKETMAN – Matthew Collinge, John Hayes, Mike Prestwood Smith, Danny Sheehan
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, Matthew Wood
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
1917 – Greg Butler, Guillaume Rocheron, Dominic Tuohy AVENGERS: ENDGAME – Dan Deleeuw, Dan Sudick
THE IRISHMAN – Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, Pablo Helman
THE LION KING – Andrew R. Jones, Robert Legato, Elliot Newman, Adam Valdez
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER – Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan, Dominic Tuohy
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE THE FAREWELL – Lulu Wang, Daniele Melia
FOR SAMA – Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
PAIN AND GLORY – Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar PARASITE – Bong Joon-ho PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE – Céline Sciamma, Bénédicte Couvreur
ANIMATED FILM FROZEN 2 – Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho KLAUS – Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON – Will Becher, Richard Phelan, Paul Kewley
TOY STORY 4 – Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen
DOCUMENTARY
AMERICAN FACTORY – Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
APOLLO 11 – Todd Douglas Miller
DIEGO MARADONA – Asif Kapadia FOR SAMA – Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts THE GREAT HACK – Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaim
BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
GRANDAD WAS A ROMANTIC. – Maryam Mohajer IN HER BOOTS – Kathrin Steinbacher
THE MAGIC BOAT – Naaman Azhari, Lilia Laurel
BRITISH SHORT FILM AZAAR – Myriam Raja, Nathanael Baring
GOLDFISH – Hector Dockrill, Harri Kamalanathan, Benedict Turnbull, Laura Dockrill
KAMALI – Sasha Rainbow, Rosalind Croad LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL) – Carol Dysinger, Elena Andreicheva THE TRAP – Lena Headey, Anthony Fitzgerald
EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public) AWKWAFINA
JACK LOWDEN
KAITLYN DEVER
KELVIN HARRISON JR. MICHEAL WARD
Sorry for posting so late, but late Saturday night the awards for the Directors’ Guild of America, American Society of Cinematographers, Cinema Audio Society, and USC Scripter were all announced. Here are some major takeaways:
Sam Mendes won Best Director essentially locking himself for a Best Director win and pushing 1917 closer to Oscar gold.
Roger Deakins won Best Cinematography, which isn’t a surprise, he will win the Oscar.
Ford v Ferrari won the most important Cinema Audio Society (Sound Mixing) award, but 1917, its biggest contender in the Best Sound Mixing race, was not nominated.
Little Women won at USC Scripter further proving that it will win Best Adapted Screenplay, but this award still could be a question mark.
Klaus won Best Animated Feature at the Annie awards adding another turn to the twisty ANimated Feature race.
Feature Film
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite Sam Mendes, 1917
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
First Feature
Mati Diop, Atlantics Alma Har’el, Honey Boy
Melina Matsoukas, Queen & Slim
Tyler Nilson & Michael Shwartz, The Peanut Butter Falcon
Joe Talbot, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Documentary Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, American Factory
Feras Fayyad, The Cave
Alex Holmes, Maiden
Ljubomir Stefanov & Tamara Kotevska, Honeyland
Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang, One Child Nation
Comedy Series
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “It’s the Sixties, Man!” (Prime Video) Bill Hader, Barry, “ronny/lily,” (HBO)
Veep, “Veep,” (HBO)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “It’s Comedy or Cabbage,” (Prime Video)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Marvelous Radio,” (Prime Video)
Dramatic Series Nicole Kassell, Watchmen, “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice,” (HBO)
Mark Mylod, Succession, “This Is Not For Tears,” (HBO)
David Nutter, Game of Thrones, “The Last of the Starks,” (HBO)
Miguel Sapochnik, Game of Thrones, “The Long Night,” (HBO)
Stephen Williams, Watchmen, “This Extraordinary Being,” (HBO)
Movies for Television, Limited Series
Ava DuVernay, When They See Us
Vince Gilligan, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Thomas Kail, Fosse/Verdon, “Nowadays” Johan Renck, Chernobyl
Minkie Spiro, Fosse/Verdon, “All I Care About Is Love”
Jessica Yu, Fosse/Verdon, “Glory”
Commercials: Spike Jonze for Dream It, Squarespace
Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials: James Burrows and Andy Fisher, Live in Front of a Studio Audience Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’
Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live, “E. Murphy; Lizzo”
USC Scripter:
FILM
Dark Waters, Matthew Carnahan and Mario Correa, “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” by Nathaniel Rich The Irishman, Steven Zaillian, I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi, Caging Skies by Christine Leunens Little Women, Greta Gerwig, Louisa May Alcott The Two Popes, Anthony McCarten, based on his play The Pope
TELEVISION
Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, one-woman play of the same name Fosse/Verdon, Joel Fields and Steven Levenson, “Nowadays,” based on the biography Fosse by Sam Wasson Killing Eve, Emerald Fennell, “Nice and Neat,” based on the novel Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings Unbelieveable, Susannah Grant, Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman, for the first episode, based on the article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong Watchmen, Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson for the episode “This Extraordinary Being,” based on the comic book series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
American Society of Cinematographers (ASC):
Feature Film Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC for 1917
Phedon Papamichael, ASC, GSC for Ford v Ferrari
Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for The Irishman
Robert Richardson, ASC for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Lawrence Sher, ASC for Joker
Documentary Fejmi Daut and Samir Ljuma for Honeyland
Evangelia Kranioti for Obscuro Barroco
Nicholas de Pencier for Anthropocene: The Human Epoch
Motion Picture, Miniseries, or Pilot Made for Television John Conroy, ISC for The Terror: Infamy “A Sparrow in a Swallow’s Nest”
P.J. Dillon, ISC for The Rook “Chapter 1”
Chris Manley, ASC for Doom Patrol “Pilot”
Martin Ruhe, ASC for Catch-22 “Episode 5”
Craig Wrobleski, CSC for The Twilight Zone “Blurryman”
Episode of a Series for Non-Commercial Television
David Luther for Das Boot “Gegen die Zeit”
M. David Mullen, ASC for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel “Simone”
Chris Seager, BSC for Carnival Row “Grieve No More”
Brendan Steacy, CSC for Titans “Dick Grayson” Colin Watkinson, ASC, BSC for The Handmaid’s Tale “Night”
Episode of a Series for Commercial Television
Dana Gonzales, ASC for Legion “Chapter 20” C. Kim Miles, CSC, MySC for Project Blue Book “The Flatwoods Monster”
Polly Morgan, ASC, BSC for Legion “Chapter 23”
Peter Robertson, ISC for Vikings “Hell”
David Stockton, ASC for Gotham “Ace Chemicals”
Spotlight Award Jarin Blaschke for The Lighthouse
Natasha Braier, ASC, ADF for Honey Boy
Jasper Wolf, NSC for Monos
ASC International Award: Bruno Delbonnel, ASC, AFC
ASC Lifetime Achievement Award Frederick Elmes, ASC
Cinema Audio Society (CAS):
Motion Picture — Live Action “Ford v Ferrari”
“Joker”
“Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood”
“Rocketman”
“The Irishman”
Motion Picture — Animated
“Abominable”
“Frozen II”
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
“The Lion King” “Toy Story 4”
Motion Picture — Documentary
“Apollo 11”
“Echo in the Canyon” “Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound”
“Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool”
“Woodstock: 3 Days That Changed Everything”
Television Series — 1 hour “Game of Thrones: The Bells”
“Peaky Blinders: Mr. Jones”
“Stranger Thing: Chapter Eight: The Battle of Starcourt”
“The Handmaid’s Tale: Heroic”
“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Persona Non Grata”
Television Series — 1/2 hour “Barry: ronny/lily” “Fleabag: Episode #2.6”
“Modern Family: A Year of Birthdays”
“Russian Doll: The Way Out”
“Veep: Veep Episode 707”
Television Movie or Limited Series
“Apollo: Missions to the Moon” “Chernobyl: 1:23:45” — Winner
“Deadwood: The Movie”
“El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie”
“True Detective: The Great War and Modern Memory”
Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music Series or Specials
“Country Music: Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (1968-1972)” “David Bowie: Finding Fame”
“Deadliest Catch: Sixty Foot Monster Episode 1512”
“Formula 1: Drive to Survive: The Next Generation”
“Hitsville: The Making of Motown”
Joker leads with 11, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 1917, The Irishman all had 10. (This year is actually the record for most films with over 10 nominations). Jojo Rabbit, Little Women, Marriage Story, and Parasite each got 6 nods as well.
I’ll get into the specifics of these nominations and what they mean in a later post.
But for now, here they are!
BEST PICTURE
“Ford v Ferrari” – Producers: Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and James Mangold (Walt Disney)
“The Irishman” – Producers: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Emma Tillinger Koskoff (Netflix)
“Jojo Rabbit” – Producers: Carthew Neal and Taika Waititi (Fox Searchlight)
“Joker” – Producers: Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper and Emma Tillinger Koskoff (Warner Bros.)
“Little Women” – Producers: Amy Pascal (Sony Pictures)
“Marriage Story” – Producers: Noah Baumbach and David Heyman (Netflix)
“1917” – Producers: Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren and Callum McDougall (Universal/Amblin)
“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” – Producers: David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh and Quentin Tarantino (Sony Pictures)
“Parasite” – Producers: Kwak Sin Ae and Bong Joon Ho (Neon)
BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese – “The Irishman”
Todd Phillips – “Joker”
Sam Mendes – “1917”
Quentin Tarantino – “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Bong Joon Ho – “Parasite”
BEST ACTOR
Antonio Banderas – “Pain and Glory”
Leonardo DiCaprio – “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood”
Adam Driver – “Marriage Story”
Joaquin Phoenix – “Joker”
Jonathan Pryce – “The Two Popes”
Tom Hanks – “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Anthony Hopkins – “The Two Popes”
Al Pacino – “The Irishman”
Joe Pesci – “The Irishman”
Brad Pitt – “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood”
“The Irishman” – Steven Zaillian
“Jojo Rabbit” – Taika Waititi
“Joker” – Todd Phillips & Scott Silver
“Little Women” – Greta Gerwig
“The Two Popes” – Anthony McCarten
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Knives Out” – Rian Johnson
“Marriage Story” – Noah Baumbach
“1917” – Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns
“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” – Quentin Tarantino
“Parasite” – Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin Won
BEST FILM EDITING
“Ford v Ferrari” – Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland
“The Irishman” – Thelma Schoonmaker
“Jojo Rabbit” – Tom Eagles
“Joker” – Jeff Groth
“Parasite” – Yang Jinmo
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“The Irishman” – Rodrigo Prieto
“Joker” – Lawrence Sher
“The Lighthouse” – Jarin Blaschke
“1917” – Roger Deakins
“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” – Robert Richardson
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
“The Irishman” – Bob Shaw, Regina Graves
“Jojo Rabbit” – Ra Vincent, Nora Sopková
“1917” – Dennis Gassner, Lee Sandales
“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” – Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh
“Parasite” – Lee Ha Jun, Cho Won Woo
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
“The Irishman” – Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson
“Jojo Rabbit” – Mayes C. Rubeo
“Joker” – Mark Bridges
“Little Women” – Jacqueline Durran
“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” – Arianne Phillips
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
“Joker” – Hildur Guðnadóttir
“Little Women” – Alexandre Desplat
“Marriage Story” – Randy Newman
“1917” – Thomas Newman
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” – John Williams
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from “Toy Story 4” – Randy Newman (Walt Disney)
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from “Rocketman” – Elton John and Bernie Taupin (Paramount)
“I’m Standing With You” from “Breakthrough” – Diane Warren (Disney)
“Into The Unknown” from “Frozen II” Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (Walt Disney)
“Stand Up” from “Harriet” – Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo (Focus Features)
BEST SOUND EDITING
“Ford v Ferrari” – Donald Sylvester
“Joker” – Alan Robert Murray
“1917” – Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate
“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” – Wylie Stateman
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” – Matthew Wood and David Acord
BEST SOUND MIXING
“Ad Astra” – Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano
“Ford v Ferrari” – Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Steven A. Morrow
“Joker” – Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland
“1917” – Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson
“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” – Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler and Mark Ulano
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“Bombshell” – Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker
“Joker” – Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou
“Judy” – Jeremy Woodhead
“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” – Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten and David White
“1917” – Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis and Rebecca Cole
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
“Avengers: Endgame” – Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken and Dan Sudick (Walt Disney)
“The Irishman” – Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser and Stephane Grabli (Netflix)
“The Lion King” – Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Elliot Newman (Walt Disney)
“1917” – Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy (Universal/Amblin)
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” – Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach and Dominic Tuohy (Walt Disney)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” – Dean DeBlois, Bradford Lewis and Bonnie Arnold (Universal)
“I Lost My Body” – Jérémy Clapin and Marc du Pontavice (Netflix)
“Klaus” – Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh and Marisa Román (Netflix)
“Missing Link” – Chris Butler, Arianne Sutner and Travis Knight (United Artists)
“Toy Story 4” – Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera (Walt Disney)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“American Factory” – Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert and Jeff Reichert (Netflix)
“The Cave” – Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod and Sigrid Dyekjær (National Geographic)
“The Edge of Democracy” – Petra Costa, Joanna Natasegara, Shane Boris and Tia
go Pavan (Netflix)
“For Sama” – Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts (PBS/Channel 4/Frontline)
“Honeyland” – Ljubo Stefan (Neon)
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
“Corpus Christi” – Poland
“Honeyland” – North Macedonia
“Les Misérables” – France
“Pain and Glory” – Spain
“Parasite” – South Korea
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
“Dcera (Daughter)” – Daria Kashcheeva
“Hair Love” – Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver
“Kitbull” – Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson
“Memorable” – Bruno Collet and Jean-François Le Corre
“Sister” – Siqi Song
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
“In the Absence” – Yi Seung-Jun and Gary Byung-Seok Kam
“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)” – Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva
“Life Overtakes Me” – John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson
“St. Louis Superman” – Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan
“Walk Run Cha-Cha” – Laura Nix and Colette Sandstedt
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
“Brotherhood” – Meryam Joobeur and Maria Gracia Turgeon
“Nefta Football Club” – Yves Piat and Damien Megherbi
“The Neighbors’ Window” – Marshall Curry
“Saria” – Bryan Buckley and Matt Lefebvre
“A Sister” – Delphine Girard
