(TGATP Note: Though I usually see all of the nominated films at screenings, between being concentrated on the elections, the brutal cold of this winter, and a 4th bout with Covid, I missed a lot of films this year. Here are my picks and opinions on what I did see.)
This year’s Oscar nominations had some glaring omissions and undeserved nominations that are inexplicable. For example, Edward Berger definitely should have been nominated and won for his extraordinary directing and his cinematographer Stephane Fontaine should’ve also been nominated and won for his extraordinary work in Conclave, my pick for Best Picture of the Year. Kerry Washington also was ridiculously snubbed despite amazing work in The Six Triple Eight.
Anora which sucks and is badly shot and acted, should not have received any nominations let alone won the DGA, PGA, and Critics Choice Awards for Best Picture. This had to have just horny men getting off on the porno-like nature of this film and voting for Madison’s sex scenes.
Best Picture
Anora- The Brutalist
- A Complete Unknown
- Conclave
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- I’m Still Here
- Nickel Boys
- The Substance
- Wicked
Conclave is my pick for the Best Picture due to a Broadway play-like script, great ensemble cast, incredible direction, production design, and cinematography. It is so amazingly shot that every time I watch it, I spot more cinematic beauty that I missed the first time. Anora is so dreadful and bad that I crossed it out and would replace it with The Six Triple Eight.
Best Actor
- Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
- Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
- Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
- Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
- Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice
Though he endures a brutal onscreen rape, Adrien Brody was not better than Timothée Chalamet this year. Timothée learned to sing, play the guitar, and play the harmonica for his amazing turn as Bob Dylan. He gets my vote.
Best Actress
- Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
- Karla Sofía Gascón – Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison – Anora- Demi Moore – The Substance
- Fernanda Torres – I’m Still Here
This should be Demi Moore‘s year. She left everything on that screen as an aging actress desperate to keep her looks. This film’s. message is so important to all women of age and substance. Mikey Madison’s performance was more suited for an AVNs than the Oscars. I would replace her with Kerry Washington in The Six Triple Eight.
Best Supporting Actress
- Monica Barbaro – A Complete Unknown
- Ariana Grande – Wicked
- Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
- Isabella Rossellini – Conclave
- Zoe Saldaña – Emilia Pérez
Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez was vocal perfection and is tied with Ariana Grande as my pick for Best Supporting Actress.
Best Supporting Actor
- Yura Borisov – Anora
- Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
- Edward Norton – A Complete Unknown
- Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
- Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice
I was blessed to meet Pete Seeger once and Edward Norton was spot-on with his accent and manner. Thus, Edward got my vote.
Best Director
- Jacques Audiard – Emilia Pérez
Sean Baker – Anora- Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
- Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
- James Mangold – A Complete Unknown
Edward Berger should have been nominated and should’ve won in this category. There is ZERO way anyone can say that Anora was better directed than Conclave or Dune. Anora was one of the worst directed films I have ever seen. It looks like it was a student film shot on an iPhone. I hated it so much, I would cross Sean Baker out and replace him with Edward Berger. In addition, Frida is one of the best documentaries EVER made and wasn’t even nominated. So this year was full of bad snubs by the Academy.
Best Adapted Screenplay
- A Complete Unknown – Jay Cocks and James Mangold
- Conclave – Peter Straughan
- Emilia Pérez – Jacques Audiard
- Nickel Boys – RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes
- Sing Sing – Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
One of the best screenplays ever, Conclave is both witty and intriguing.
Best Original Screenplay
- Anora – Sean Baker
- The Brutalist – Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold
- A Real Pain – Jesse Eisenberg
- September 5 – Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, Alex David
- The Substance – Coralie Fargeat
I got to meet Coralie Fargeat and interview her after her debut film “Revenge”. I am rooting for her. I loved the originality of The Substance although I felt the bloody ending was over the top and unnecessary.
Best Original Song
- Never Too Late – Elton John: Never Too Late
- El Mal – Emilia Pérez
- Mi Camino – Emilia Pérez
- Like A Bird – Sing Sing
- The Journey – The Six Triple Eight
Can Diane Warren PULEASE be given her much deserved Oscar. For Pete’s sake, 16 times and no Oscar?? Come on already fellow Academy members!
Best Original Score
- The Brutalist
- Conclave
- Emilia Pérez
- Wicked
- The Wild Robot
Best Costume Design
- Wicked
- Nosferatu
- A Complete Unknown
- Conclave
- Gladiator II
Would be great to see Paul Tazewell win this.
Best Make-up and Hairstyling
- A Different Man
- Emilia Pérez
- Nosferatu
- The Substance
- Wicked
Best Production Design
- Wicked
- The Brutalist
- Dune: Part Two
- Nosferatu
- Conclave
Both Conclave and Dune Part Two had some of the most amazing production design in Hollywood history. I will be happy to see either one of these films’ production teams win.
Best Sound
- A Complete Unknown
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- Wicked
- The Wild Robot
Best Film Editing
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- Conclave
- Emilia Pérez
- Wicked
Best Cinematography
- The Brutalist
- Dune: Part Two
- Emilia Pérez
- Maria
- Nosferatu
Best Visual Effects
- Alien: Romulus
- Better Man
- Dune: Part Two
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- Wicked
