The 90th Academy Awards - Part II

The 90^th Academy Awards are now a part of history.  the lights are now dark at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California and Jimmy Kimmel (who did a spectacular job as the master of ceremonies) has left the building.  All the nominee’s seats are now deserted and a percentage of them took home Oscar gold.  As movie fans the Academy Awards are as big as it gets.  Say what you will about elitism in Hollywood and excess – the fact remains that the Academy Awards is the big show when it comes to the film industry and people get passionate about their favorites.  Las Vegas odds makers even get involved and, of course, people who love movies. 

So, now that the dust has settled, we can sit back and compare our picks against those who actually won – to compare the before and the after, so to speak.  I prepared such a list in the blog post just before this one (see: Picks for the 90th Academy Awards).  There are 24 different paths to striking Oscar gold during the broadcast.  In my meager list of picks I only chose 11 – some of the most popular categories, by my humble reckoning.  Emphasis on the “humble”.  The difference between my list and other film fans’ is that I have not seen ANY of the big nominated films.  I choose my picks by checking out reviews (this time on The American Film Buff: American Film Buff, 2018 Oscar Reviews) and by trying to think the way the Academy voters do.  So, how did I do?  Well, let’s find out together.  I’ll put the category, the winner, and my pick in column form – maybe jot down a note or two along the way…

Best Picture – The Shape of Water / Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Actor – Gary Oldman / Gary Oldman

Best Actress – Francis McDormand / Francis McDormand

Best Supporting Actor – Sam Rockwell / Sam Rockwell

Best Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer / Allison Janney

Best Writing Adapted Screenplay – The Disaster Artist / Call Me by Your Name (NOTE: There was a last-minute change to my pick for this category. Someone reminded me of what happened with James Franco and the #MeToo movement and (on Facebook) I changed my pick to “Call Me by Your Name”.  “LOGAN” was great; however. Exceptionally great.

Best Director – Christopher Nolan / Guillermo del Toro.  I grinned from ear to ear when del Toro won the Oscar.  He is a magical storyteller with a unique eye and a passion for monsters.  His monsters are chock full of symbolism and he wields them like the true master he is.   

Best Original Music Score – Alexandre Desplat for “The Shape of Water” / Hans Zimmer for “Dunkirk”. I didn’t see this one coming. I assumed that it would have been Zimmer or Williams.  ...Man, I should probably watch these movies.

Best Original Screenplay – Jordan Peele for “Get Out” / Jordan Peele for “Get Out”. 

Best Cinemaphotography – Roger Deakins for “Blade Runner 2049” / Hoyt van Hoytema for “Dunkirk”.  I was very pleased hear Deakins’ name read for this one.  Blade Runner 2049 is a beautifully framed film with a unique vision.  As I said in the blog below, “I would LOVE to see Roger Deakins get the nod for “Blade Runner 2049.”  What do you know, he did!

Best Visual Effects – Blade Runner 2049 / Blade Runner 2049.  Out of all of the films nominated this year – THIS is the only one that I went to a theater to see.  (Note to self: you need to get out more.)

So, with help from The American Film Buff and thinking the way the Academy thinks I was able to beat Oscar 6 to 5.  Even without the benefit of seeing any of the films one could tell it was a very close field this year and that is a good thing.  It means that the film industry is doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing – pushing the narrative; the story, further.  Who wins the Oscar?  We do, film fans.  We do.

I’m looking forward to seeing Mr. Kimmel host the 91^st Academy Awards ceremonies.  He is a touchstone to what is real in the land of make believe.  The Academy needs to keep him – even Matt Damon would agree.  As a movie fan, I am also looking forward to all the films between now and then.  …Perhaps, I’ll see one or two of them this go ‘round. 

The 90th Academy Awards

Okay, it’s Oscar time again.  Let it be known that I have seen NONE of the films that are nominated this year.  BUT, I have seen American Film Buff’s reviews of each of the Best Picture nominations (look the works and tremble! American Film Buff's 2018 Academy Noms) and I have stayed once at a Holiday Inn Express.  So how does one pick Academy Award winning films by watching reviews only?  Well, it’s more than that. To do this effectively, one must think like an Academy voting member thinks.  One must get into character, stick one’s finger in the air to test which way the zeitgeist is blowing, use the Force, and choose wisely.  That said, here are my picks for who’s going to be walking away with an Oscar tonight…

Best Picture – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”.  “Why?” lobbyists.  “The Shape of Water”, “Get Out”, and “Lady Bird” are probably better films but they don’t have a chance due to one being science fiction, one being horror, and one with far fewer lobbyists.  Of course, there is always the possibility that “Dunkirk” will slap the Oscar out of Three Billboards’ hands.  I’d be okay with that. 

Best Actor – Gary Oldman.  “Why?” He’s due.

Best Actress – Francis McDormand.  “Why her?”  Well, from what I understand it’s a good performance in a film that doesn’t really know what it wants to be.  She is talented, but I believe her name has been whispered by several lobbying firms in a full court press.  She’d be a fine choice among an excellent group of actors this year.  I understand that Margo Robbie and Saoirse Ronan delivered great performances too.  McDormand, FTW.

Best Supporting Actor – Sam Rockwell.  Not to take anything away from his performance, but Three Billboards has a powerful lobby.  I’d like to see Christopher Plumber take it for the pick-up shots alone, but smart money’s on Mr. Rockwell.

Best Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer.  This is Ms. Spencer’s third nomination. She won for “The Help” and, although it’s a close field this year, she’s my pick for “The Shape of Water”.  “Why?” The Academy likes will run with a familiar winner. They’ve seen her work – they’ve recognized her, and they’re about to do so again.

Best Writing Adapted Screenplay – “The Disaster Artist”.  I have neither read the book nor seen the film – THAT said, this is going to win.  Special shout out to “LOGAN”, which is, for my money, in the top 10 ‘Superhero’ films ever made.

Best Director – Christopher Nolan.  “Why?” Spectacle.  The Academy enjoys a sweeping spectacle.  Nolan knows how to tell a story and “Dunkirk” was made for the big screen (especially IMAX).  This is a tight field this year.  As much as I’d love to hear the words, “And the winner goes to Guillermo del Toro!” I will not.  From what I understand, Jordan Peele and Greta Gerwig are no slouches either.  That said, tonight it’s all Nolan.

Best Original Music Score – Hans Zimmer for “Dunkirk”.  This will be a close one between Zimmer and John Williams for “Star Wars – The Last Jedi”.  Justifiably so.  Zimmer, by a nose.

Best Original Screenplay – “Get Out” by Jordan Peele.  “Why?” because this is how the Academy works – let the first-time nominee get the writing credit and two films from now, once he/she has paid their dues, THEN give them the Oscar for Best Picture or Best Director.  Mr. Peele will walk away the winner; although, I would not be opposed to hear Guillermo del Toro’s name either.

Best Cinemaphotography – Hoyt van Hoytema for “Dunkirk”.  I would LOVE to see Roger Deakins get the nod for “Blade Runner 2049”, (oddly one of the only films that I have seen this past year), but, “Dunkirk”, will ring in the Academy viewer’s/voter’s memory.

Best Visual Effects – “Blade Runner 2049”.  This is, again, a tight field this year.  Although there are some truly wonderful contenders this year, I have to give the edge to “Blade Runner 2049”. Like it’s predecessor it envisioned the future and made it real.  Dare I say, it is a beautiful offering.  “War for the Planet of the Apes” is probably a close second.

SO, there are my picks.  How about YOURS, fellow film fan?  Who’s walking away with the Oscar tonight?  

Dear Oscar

Oscar

Let’s not mince words. 

We’ve grown apart.

I still love film but I can’t stand by and watch what you’ve become.  This has been coming for a while now but the corporate “industry” has tipped the scales at the expense of “entertainment” at the expense of the art.  I know that art will find a way and eventually, so shall we.  I’ll be wherever the story is being served while you will be in the gift shop selling yourself.  That is not a bad thing it just cuts to the core of our separate motivations.  We are looking for different things and, I fear, we have met an impasse.  Neither of us really wants to change and you could say that neither of us has to.  Perhaps someday you will reconsider and rediscover that love of storytelling that originally caught my eye.

I used to do a yearly blog concerning the Academy Awards where I would force myself to ‘think the way the Academy’ thinks to try to pick the winners.  We had a good run, you and I.  Some years you would win, some years I would.  The fact of the matter is, Oscar, these days I have enough on my hands avoiding things such as SOPA or PIPA than I do adding any further grist to the Academy mill.  I’m not a pirate and being treated like one by the corporate office(s) in the entertainment industry has me feeling more than a bit alienated.  And then there is all that wasted time and energy on, “the red carpet.”  Oscar, even you must see the self-aggrandized, bloated, misguided sense of importance & worth that the people you run with these days are about.  You do, don’t you?  That red carpet is another reason why I can’t bear to be with you this year.  You know me, I still go to the movies but these days, I’m picky; very picky.  I can feel myself getting more so as time marches by.  Really the best thing to get people back into theaters is to tell good stories.  You and your friends know that, right? 

I don’t say these things to hurt you.  I say them because I truly want to believe that deep down beneath that shiny exterior there lays a glimmer of that spark of creativity, wonder, and sheer storytelling that first drew me to you in the first place.  Who knows, perhaps that spark still exists in some of the people that you have been calling friends these days too.  I’d like to think that is the case. 

I hope one day we will strike a balance again you & I and once more we will pit our picks against each other.  I just think we need this time apart. 

Please give my love to Billy, I’m sure he’ll do a fine job.

Adieu,

Evil Chicken