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 think Lily Gladstone is an almost cert for the win (and deservingly so). Cannot believe Leonardo DiCaprio didn't get a nom for Killers - madness.

I would be grumpy to see Bradley Cooper get it for Maestro because a) he's not that great in it and b) he is clearly just angling for an Oscar these days. Would love to see Paul G get it for the Holdovers, and think he has a shot. Him or Cillian.

Definately want to see Society of the Snnow get best international film - and think it will.

A friend and her DH saw it yesterday and thought it was very good and funny.

Agree with all you say.

I saw the film preview for Netflix for Society of the Snow and I found it a great film but hard going due to the cannibalism scenes… the director or writer and one of the survivors were interviewed as well as using an interpreter. So yes definitely should get best international film. The acting was incredible and if I recall correctly all the actors were unknown.

I just watched Oppenheimer and generally enjoyed it but it was a bit overlong and I couldn't always follow the story. Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr are brilliant in their roles but I'm surprised Emily Blunt was nominated for this when she hardly does anything.

Oppenheimer better not win for editing. It really could have done with a tighter rein on it, to bring out the very best version of itself.

I've now seen almost all the nominated films and The Zone of Interest trumps them all and should win Best Film and Best Director IMO.

We saw it in a mixed age group last night and everyone thought it was one of the best films they'd ever seen.

I was less disturbed by it than I expected as its sheer artistry is so incredible, but it still hammers its message home, which is that we're all probably closer to the protagonists than the victims of the Holocaust.

I really hope Paul Giamatti wins Best Actor though.

Emma Stone is amazing in Poor Things; really hope she wins.

Past Lives is my favourite of the Best Picture nominations that I've seen. I haven't watched American Fiction or Killers Of The Flower Moon yet though - watching AF next week and KOTFM in a couple of weeks.

I don't think Past Lives will win though. I'd be happy if The Holdovers won - honestly that film put me in such a good mood, I wanted to walk out onto the street and lick the faces of everyone I saw, it was so very enjoyable to watch.

Past Lives is a truly special one. It's months since I saw it and I can still have fresh thoughts about it. It stays with you. Everyone I know who has seen it says the same.

Just thought I’d mention that Past Lives will be available to watch on Netflix from next Thursday, and American Fiction is coming to Prime (later this month or early March).

I very much enjoyed American Fiction but thought it was spoiled by a very clunky ending - it felt like a cop out. However it deals with quite a serious subject in a refreshing way and is more nuanced and subtle than I expected but the ending made me realise that the subtlety and nuance was probably unintentional. Very enjoyable though and some very funny and moving moments. Before the end I was thinking it could take best movie (is it up for that?) but by the time I got to the end I would hope it doesn’t win.

Still gearing up for the marathon of KOTFM and ZOI.

The book off which the film was based was about a book within the book and was a satirical take on the publishing industry’s treatment of black authors.
The ending was consistent with that theme and the idea of an expected resolution for a black man. Funnily enough, Wiley the film exec was delighted with it!
It was brilliant and I hope it picks up an award or two.

@1975wasthebest Thank you. I missed Past Lives because I was ill on the day I’d arranged to see it. American Fiction isn’t on locally until late February so I might as well wait for Prime.

AF is so interesting for the uk because the situation here is so different. Until just a few years ago very few writers of colour were published - whether they are from “the hood” or academia. Different world.

I did understand the film within a film device. It just didn’t work for me. It’s a bit like essays we’d write at school which our teachers hated: and then I woke up and it was all a dream. Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement annoyed me for the same reason.

I’d love it though if Wright upset the Oscars and won best actor.

ZOI is a phenomenal film. It is in a league of its own. The soundscape and music is also wionderful. I have been to Auschwitz museum and one of the first things you wonder is what all the people in the surrounding area were doing while the nightmare was unfolding there. So I was in bits right from the start. I haven’t seen all the nominated films yet but I think this would be deserving of best film and best director.

I have still to see Past Lives and KOTFM before I make my own Oscars predictions list.

I agree!

I now only have KOTFM to see out of all the ones I'm not skipping (I don't want to see Oppenheimer, Poor Things or Maestro); thankfully the Barbican is doing an Oscar Films Week so I have it booked.

I've enjoyed all of them so far, but if I had to pick a favourite I think it would still be Holdovers and I would love to see it win. If I had to (as objectively as possible) pick a deserving winner I'd likely go with Zone Of Interest which I saw last night and thought was stunning.

DH and I watched Oppenheimer over the weekend, and I have to say, I completely understand the hype for Robert Downey Jr as best supporting actor. Cillian Murphy also was amazing as Robert Oppenheimer, but I am still pulling for Paul Giamatti.

Totally agree @CarolinaInTheMorning . I’ve loved watching RDJ since the early 90s and his work on Oppenheimer is a career peak performance for him.

Really? I wasn’t that impressed. I should probably watch again to see what I missed but I can’t bear to. Have a feeling this film might sweep the board but there are much better films imo. As for Emily Blunt’s nomination: it says it all about women in Hollywood where you get good performers relegated to what amounts to bit parts - the same goes for t

I think it’s a close call between Cillian and Paul for best actor. It would be quite odd for Oppenheimer to sweep the board awards wise but for the actor who plays the main character, and carries the movie in a subtle but believable way, to go home empty handed.

Giamatti is also beloved within the industry and it would be a kind of career win for him too, if he wins it. Tricky to call at this stage.

There’s a lot of love for Antaomy of a Fall. I wonder if there could be a hint of a surprise here too with Sandra Huller causing an upset (highly unlikely but still!)

It’s also even stevens in the Best Actress race between Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone. I think Emma will win based on her popularity and acclaim.

The BAFTA’s are this Sunday.

Can’t believe Lily didn’t make the nomination here!

I was going to say the same goes for Florence Pugh. Apparently the real life character she plays was a bit of a genius - albeit a tragic one. The film prioritises the tragedy over the genius.

I think that the women in Oppenheimer do come across as a bit tangential, but I also think that is partly a result of the length of the film and their relatively brief screen time.