So the nominees were announced this past week for the 97th Academy Awards.
These awards remain the most prestigious in film. And while many of you, dear readers, are of the opinion that all awards shows are terrible and should simply be shunned, it is my perpetual hope that Hollywood will reform itself and once again nominate movies that matter.
While there were a few happy nominations, there are a few hopeful signs, but none that make me think that the redemption of Hollywood is just around the corner. Once again, the elite in the industry will gather together, kick out the homeless from the streets, and congratulate themselves.
The movies nominated for Best Picture are:
The top 10 highest grossers for 2024 are:
Inside Out 2
Deadpool & Wolverine
Wicked
Moana 2
Despicable Me 4
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Dune: Part 2
Twisters
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Kung Fu Panda 4
There are 2 movies nominated in the top ten earners of the year. But once again, a lot of these movies have not been seen by the general public. AfterWicked andDune: Part 2, the next highest grossing nominee isConclave, grossing only $30 million. But even the re-release of Coraline (a movie 13-years-old) made more money at the box office. And I do not mean to say that movies with small box office returns are the only ones that should be nominated. I thought Horizon: An American Saga Chapter One was excellent and that movie flopped. But if you look at most of these nominees, the average person will not know them.
So as you can see, there are very few films for viewers at home to root for.
My own top ten of the year include:
Deadpool & Wolverine
Horizon: An American Saga Chapter One
Wicked
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
One Life
A Complete Unknown
Dune: Part 2
Inside Out 2
Furiosa
Transformers One
So below are my thoughts on some (not all) of this year's nominees.
It is clear from the nominations that there is a strong socio/political tone to this year's awards. But it is also clear that this year's election signals a cultural shift. The question becomes whether or not the industry will adjust to this new reality or if they will vote out of protest.
There are signs that Hollywood is moderating. You can see this in the mature content being cut from some Disney programing. Also, with so much struggle and hardship that Los Angeles has gone through, I will wonder if national politics will be on their mind or finding something that can unify.
If the Academy decides that they want to be relevant to the general audiences, I think Wicked will do very well. Although the fact that the director was not nominated speaks volumes about where they are leaning. If the Academy decides to vote as a protest to this cultural shift, then I think Emilia Perez and The Apprentice will score some wins.
I am going to be looking at the other awards, particularly the Screen Actors Guild, Director's Guild, and Producer's Guild to see who people are feeling.
BEST PICTURE
I've only seen Conclave, A Complete Unknown, Dune Part 2, and Wicked, so I can't speak much outside of those 4. Two of them were in my Top 5 for the year, so that, at least, is something.
If the Academy were smart, they would lean on Wicked, which was a big crowd-pleaser and also seemed to appeal to the artistic types in Hollywood.
BEST DIRECTOR
I only saw Mangold's movie and I think that he did an excellent job. Although I heard that The Substance as a unique visual style to it.
BEST ACTRESS
Erivo was my choice for best actress this year and I am happy to see that she received the nomination. Again, if the Academy is smart, they will default to her. I don't think anyone will be watching any of the other movies in the years to come. This year it is also of note because this is the first time a biological male has been nominated. This could lead to the eventual erasure of gender-separate categories. But as was seen in the Brit Awards, this can sometimes lead to no women getting nominated.
BEST ACTOR
I've only seen Chalamet and Fiennes, both of whom turned in excellent performances. If the Oscars turn into a political protest vote, Stan may get the win.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
I don't know how Grande, who gave the worst performance this year, got a nomination. Rossellini and Barbaro were very good in their roles and I'd be happy if either of them won.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
I was very happy to see Norton get a nomination for A Complete Unknown. I thought he did an excellent job portraying a decent man trying to direct the reckless Bob Dylan. I heard that Culkin is a lock, but I haven't seen the movie yet.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Again, Wicked's costume designs were the best this year. They were unique and visually interesting. I prefer these types of original costumes to period pieces.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
I've only seen Inside Out 2, but I've heard good things about Flow and The Wild Robot
Those are just some of my initial thoughts in some of the categories.
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