Oscar nominations

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

I’ve seen Oppenheimer, Barbie and The Holdovers.

My call is Cillian Murphy best actor and Oppenheimer best film/screenplay.

Da’vine Joy Randolph is strongly being tipped for best supporting actress in The Holdovers and I do hope she gets it. The Holdovers is an incredible film.

Anyone else have any bets on who they think will win?

I really dislike the trailer for American Fiction (I know that's silly), but I have to watch it as want to watch all the films of the main nominees.

Two more films left to watch - Killers of the Flower Moon (might watch tonight) and Zone of Interest (which is out on Friday).

You might love Killers of the Flower Moon. Me, personally, I found it very hard to keep track of characters, plot and found it badly filmed (though it was a good story).

I saw the holdovers last night.

Trying to get through them all.

It's so complicated when they are all on different platforms or out at different times!

The Holdovers is the best movie I have seen in ages, so I am pulling for it all the way. But I haven't seem Oppenheimer yet. I think Best Actor is clearly between Murphy and Giamatti. Giamatti was the surprise winner at the American Critics' Choice Awards so who knows?

I loved Killers of the Flower Moon, it was so compelling throughout and brilliant performances. I did have to watch it over 3 days though, as its long at 3.5h!

I saw The Color Purple and would love to see Daniella Brooks win the Oscar for her role.

I'm looking forward to watching the Holdovers this weekend, although the premise doesn't sound too appealing, I am hoping it lives up to expectations.

Ha - snap - you're the same as me re Best Actor. I've seen Oppenheimer and thought Cillian Murphy was great in that but Giamatti was equally as good in The Holdovers (and apparently he's long overdue an Oscar). I'd hate to be on the Judging Panel!

The Holdovers I agree was one of the best films I have seen in a long time.

Danielle Brooks won't get Best Supporting Actress (it'll be a shock if she does), Da'Vine Joy Randolph is hotly tipped for that. I haven't seen The Color Purple though.

The Holdovers was a big surprise hit for me - I went into it with no expectations and not knowing much about Giamatti and came out loving the film, and him, plus Dominic Sessa (how is he only like 21 and such a good actor?!).

Brooks is wonderful in The Colour Purple but Da’Vine is one of those performers who makes you feel you can see into her soul - so beautiful.

I wish Sessa had been nominated. He really threw himself into the part. I loved his rawness. I am hoping that Giametti will win - one for the oldies!

I still haven’t seen American Fiction. I am dragging my feet over it because the trailer makes it look as though Wright plays a superior sanctimonious academic who thinks he’s a better writer than his female counterpart - and it also seems to make fun of working class culture but I shouldn’t be so biased.

It's not a panel I don't think?

I thought the Oscar's winners were decided in an open vote by all the academy members 10000 of them, a mix of actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, costume designers, cinematographers, etc etc.

Ah you’re probably right re the voting!

You’ve nailed it with Da’Vine’s acting, Giametti and I must now see The Color Purple!

Totally agree re Sessa being nominated. Guessing Oscar people thought he was too young but he’s scooped lots of other awards for that role. He’ll be huge though! Immense raw talent.

I don’t know much about American Fiction. It’s on at my local cinema though.

Not great re premise of AF to recommend it to me which isn’t great really… It’s a big critics awards winner generally though in 2023 who so hopefully academy award voters don’t go with the herd and vote for it based on previous awards/views.

Why’s Alexander Payne omitted as best director Oscar nomination?

It was certainly a surprise. And then a day later a story emerged that the Critics Choice Awards may potentially have been rigged - or at least improperly influenced - by the membership of the Hollywood Critics Association. Of course by that point the results were out and nothing could be done.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cca-hca-misconduct-allegations-1235790502/amp/

The awards season is partly about momentum, and in many journalistic circles Cillian Murphy has been heavily underplayed or minimised as a frontrunner from the start. I’m not sure why, but I know that he hasn’t played the Hollywood game for the best part of 25 years and journalists famously struggle with to get anything juicy out of him!

I think it will be a tight race anyway.

The Director’s Branch of the Academy always does its own thing, and tends to go for slightly more highbrow or niche choices.

Seen in this context, Payne and Gerwig both missing out makes sense.

Hugely snobbish of them then!

Payne has won two Oscars previously.

I’m going to zone of interest on Sunday. I’m getting through them now. Quite afew are on Sky Cinema so I may pay to watch them at home this weekend

That’s ok then!

I’m going to watch American Fiction tomorrow.

I'm glad Napoleon is basically nowhere. It was incredibly weird and poorly acted.

I think Cillian, Da'vine, Emma Stone and Robert Downey Jr will win. Best picture - Oppenheimer.

I really enjoyed American Fiction.

@Ramalangadingdong - the film is based on the book Erasure and focuses on racial bias in the publishing industry and the negative stereotyping that many publishers expect of black authors’ characters/stories.
The female writer sadly was pandering to this stereotyping for personal gain, blaxploitation, and Wright’s character was disgusted by this although he does end up travelling a similar road but initially for different reasons.
The film also looks at personal and family dysfunction but the comedic touches help to lighten some heavy subject matter.
Some very fine acting - highly recommend it!

I enjoyed it too. Loved Wright but must admit that I thought Sterling Brown was fantastic. I just looked it up and realise that he’s nominated for best supporting actor.

I've just watched Nyad on Netflix. It was good but I'd not have picked it as an Oscar film!