It's a rough year for movies, as with everything else during this pandemic, and many movie pundits and moviegoers have expressed their desire to not have the 93rd Academy Awards happen this year. Otherwise all winners will have to have an asterisk for their win because there were not enough contenders.
To which I say, rubbish. I would argue that 99% of Oscar baits have come out because they typically are not big blockbusters that would make a lot of sales at the cinemas. I cannot think of one movie that was supposed to come out last year, that has Oscar potential, and had to be delayed to this year. Therefore, the major contenders for all the big categories have come out and these are what we got.
The issue about the "upset" that Anthony Hopkins won over Chadwick Boseman has experts defending the win because they are calling it his career best. Personally I cannot comment yet because I haven't seen The Father, but Boseman was my pick to win as well because; 1) his passing was felt significantly in the industry and they may honour him by picking him for the win, and 2) I adored his performance in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. He gave a performance that I didn't know he had it in him.
(Riz Ahmed would have been my second choice, but again, I haven't seen The Father.)
Let's work down each category.
I'm upset that One Night In Miami did not get more love. It is a better movie than half of those in the Best Picture category. And with only 8 in the list, they could have easily included this one. But with Nomadland winning, it's a foregone conclusion. As with director Chloe Zhao. The only other one that I would contend to win this category was Emerald Fennell, but I haven't seen Another Round.
I'm surprised that Nomadland did not sweep up Best Cinematography as well because that picture looks incredibly beautiful from start to end. But if it's not Nomadland winning, it really could go to anyone else in that category.
We've touched on Best Actor already; so for Best Actress I was hoping Vanessa Kirby to get it. I thought her performance was so heartfelt and powerful, but as we got closer to the award night she wasn't even in the conversation. Frances McDormand deserved it nonetheless.
Best Supporting Actor, I felt, was the politically charged win. First, David Kaluuya had no business being in this category because his other co-lead, LaKeith Stanfield, was also here. So who, then, was leading? And by putting Kaluuya here was like sealing the deal already because his overall performance "as a lead" outshone everyone else. Paul Raci would have been a better choice.
As for Best Supporting Actress, I don't have much to say because, 1) the whole category wasn't all that impressive this year (though I haven't seen The Father), and 2) was it a politically charged choice as well for Youn to win or she the one that just stood out from the mediocrity?
Emerald Fennell picking up Best Original Screenplay was well deserved. The Father picking up Best Adapted Screenplay, well, I will be seeing it hopefully soon.
Personally my favourite animated movie last year was Onward. No doubt, Soul had the deeper story, but Onward's emotional ending was just too good. But I also haven't seen Farmageddon or Over The Moon.
As for the rest of the categories listed here, Best Song, Best Score, and especially Best Visual Effects; these are the categories that actually suffered from lack of the blockbuster movies that got pushed back. Tenet winning Best Visual Effects was a no-brainer.
Best Picture:
Mank
The Trial Of The Chicago 7
Promising Young Woman
Sound Of Metal
Minari
-- Nomadland
The Father
Judas And The Black Messiah
Directing:
-- Chloe Zhao - Nomadland
Lee Isaac Chung - Minari
David Fincher - Mank
Emerald Fennell - Promising Young Woman
Thomas Vinterberg - Another Round
Cinematography:
-- Erik Messerschmidt - Mank
Phedon Papamichael - The Trial Of The Chicago 7
Dariusz Wolski - News Of The World
Joshua James Richards - Nomadland
Sean Bobbit - Judas And The Black Messiah
Leading Actor:
Steven Yuen
Riz Ahmed
Chadwick Boseman
-- Anthony Hopkins
Gary Oldman
Leading Actress:
Viola Davis
Andra Day
Carey Mulligan
Vanessa Kirby
-- Frances McDormand
Supporting Actor:
Sacha Baron Cohen
LaKeith Stanfield
-- David Kaluuya
Paul Raci
Leslie Odom, Jr.
Supporting Actress:
Glenn Close
Maria Bakalova
Olivia Coleman
Amanda Seyfried
-- Youn Yuh Jung
Original Screenplay:
Will Berson, Shaka King, Keith Lucas, Kenny Lucas - Judas And The Black Messiah
-- Emerald Fennell - Promising Youg Woman
Lee Isaac Chung - Minari
Derek Cianfrance, Abraham Marder, Darius Marder - Sound Of Metal
Aaron Sorkin - The Trial Of The Chicago 7
Adapted Screenplay:
Peter Baynham, Sacha Baron Cohen - Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
-- Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller - The Father
Chloe Zhao - Nomadland
Kemp Powers - One Night In Miami
Ramin Bahrani - The White Tiger
Animated Feature:
-- Soul
A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Wolfwalkers
Over The Moon
Onward
Visual Effects:
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
Love And Monsters
The One And Only Ivan
-- Tenet
Original Score:
Terence Blanchard - Da 5 Bloods
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross - Mank
Emile Mosseri - Minari
James Newton Howard - News Of The World
-- Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste - Soul
Original Song:
Husavik - Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of The Fire Saga
Speak Now - One Night In Miami
-- Fight For You - Judas And The Black Messiah
Hear My Voice - The Trial Of The Chicago 7
Io Si - La Vita Davanti a Se
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