Get ready for another thigh whacking, bad joke cracking, face slapping edition of the Xth Academy Awards and what a night it should be. Trump-torturer Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting and here’s hoping his sidekick, Guillermo, is part of the Crisis Squad. It seems this year films under two hours are being discriminated against and the Academy has gone back to ignoring minority groups.
Here are my selections for the winners and losers in this year’s awards.
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front (AQOTWF)
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO)
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking
What a list and it seems like you need to make a film of at least 150 minutes to make it. That’s why Women Talking is no hope at a mere 104 minutes and it was only included over The Whale to make sure there’s one token female included. Top Gun: Maverick brought back the crowds but not film lovers. Avatar: The Way of Water had spectacular CGI which couldn’t overcome a ridiculous script. Elvis was another one that used spectacle over substance. The Fablemans was a warm-hearted Spielberg family drama that is a tribute to Spielberg, by Spielberg that didn’t excite anyone not a Spielberg. Tár will offend the #metoo supporters, Triangle of Sadness will offend anyone who just had dinner. All Quiet on The Western Front is just another amazingly shot war film which leaves the darkly funny The banshees of Inisherin and the quirkily funny Everything Everywhere All At Once, my favourite film of the year. It will win because it deserves to. It’s time to reward originality.
Best Director
Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans)
Todd Field (Tár)
Ruben Östlund (Triangle of Sadness)
Isn’t it great to see so many women on the list! Whoopsie! Kwan and Scheinert will win this due to managing a frenetic pace, lots of special effects, great casting and they haven’t won one before. Spielberg and McDonagh have. I’m surprised BAFTA winner Edward Berger (AQOTWF) is missing but let’s hope the Oscar goes to the right winners.
Best Lead Actor
Austin Butler (Elvis)
Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
Paul Mescal (Aftersun)
Bill Nighy (Living)
I admit I haven’t seen Living or Aftersun but Farrell put in his best dramatic performance in Banshees although outshone by Brendan Gleeson. Austin Butler excelled as Elvis but was let down by the script. The standout performance was Brendan Fraser in The Whale who took us from loathing to loving him. He’ll win.
Best Lead Actress
Cate Blanchett (Tár)
Ana de Armas (Blonde)
Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie)
Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans)
Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Ana de Armas is an excellent actress but Blonde was universally and deservedly panned. Michelle Williams was great as the crazy mother in The Fablemans and Michelle Yeoh proved she can do more than martial arts in EEAAO. Cate Blanchett has been cleaning up as Tár in Tár and she is owed an Oscar. She’s far too talented to not have one and the bookies had her as hot favourite but this is now a race in two. I’m going to tip an upset and go for Yeoh due to the backlash against Tár and Yeoh’s vigorous performance.
Best Supporting Actor
Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway)
Judd Hirsch (The Fabelmans)
Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
No one would have heard of Brendan Gleeson if it wasn’t for the McDonaghs and what a joy he is to watch. Barry Keoghan is excellent as well and handles the rise from TV soap class easily. Judd Hirsch is good in Fablemans but Ke Huy Quan is at lower than bank interest odds as the beleaguered husband in EEAAO. After a lifetime of neglect after being the kiddie in Raiders, his time has come and his speech will open the floodgates of tears.
Best Supporting Actress
Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
Hong Chau (The Whale)
Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin)
Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
This is a difficult category due to the number of outstanding performances (special mention to Hang Chau) and the markets have shifted and this is now a three-way battle. Jamie Lee Curtis had a ton of fun in EEAAO and has been hot on the promo trail. Kerry Condon was brilliant in Banshees and Angela Bassett was favourite after her long history in an industry that normally ignores her but has drifted. I think Kerry Condon is the most deserving, but this could go to any of these three.
Best Adapted Screenplay
All Quiet on the Western Front, Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Written by Rian Johnson
Living, Written by Kazuo Ishiguro
Top Gun: Maverick, Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks
Women Talking, Screenplay by Sarah Polley
I’m not sure what Glass Onion was adapted from, but my first question is: Why? This script had more holes than a block of Edam and was even more cheesy. What was Top Gun: Maverick adapted from… Top Gun 1? Nonsensical predictable action stuff. This was a close call between Women Talking and All Quiet On The Western Front but now Women Talking by Sarah Pooley has moved well ahead.
Best Original Screenplay
The Banshees of Inisherin, Written by Martin McDonagh
Everything Everywhere All at Once, Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
The Fabelmans, Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner
Tár, Written by Todd Field
Triangle of Sadness, Written by Ruben Östlund
This is a skinny field of contenders, really. The Fablemans is one man’s tribute to Speilberg’s family. Triangle of Sadness is almost three films in one, but only one and a half are interesting. Tár should have been in the foreign category as it likes to talk in a different language – Symphony. This leaves a very close battle between Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Banshees of Inisherin and the bookies have them neck and neck. I loved both, but also believe EEAAO is one of the most original scripts I’ve seen in many years and McDonagh has won for Three Billboards.
Best Cinematography
All Quiet on the Western Front, James Friend
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, Darius Khondji
Elvis, Mandy Walker
Empire of Light, Roger Deakins
Tár, Florian Hoffmeister
They should rename this the Roger Deakins award as he’s constantly nominated. Elvis is a whirlwind of imagery, but even Roger would agree All Quiet On The Western Front is the winner here with some magnificent work. It’s visually stunning.
Best Documentary Feature Film
All That Breathes, Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov
Fire of Love, Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman
A House Made of Splinters, Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström
Navalny, Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris
Most of these are unseen here, but Navalny is the short priced favourite.
Best Documentary Short Film
The Elephant Whisperers, Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga
Haulout, Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev
How Do You Measure a Year? Jay Rosenblatt
The Martha Mitchell Effect, Anne Alvergue and Beth Levison
Stranger at the Gate, Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones
Unreviewed: Elephant Whisperers is favoured to win.
Best Film Editing
The Banshees of Inisherin, Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
Elvis, Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond
Everything Everywhere All at Once, Paul Rogers
Tár, Monika Willi
Top Gun: Maverick, Eddie Hamilton
An Editor is important to the final product as a technician but also as a support to the director. It’s hard to separate their work with so many of them featuring quick sharp cuts to accentuate the action or movement of drama. Only Tar used long cuts, so it’s out. The betting has Everything Everywhere All At Once just ahead of Top Gun: Maverick. Both used a lot of CGI and sharp edits to keep it moving. I’ll stay on the EEAAO bandwagon.
Best International Feature Film
All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina)
Close (Belgium)
EO (Poland)
The Quiet Girl (Ireland)
Unfortunately, we haven’t seen Argentina or EO here and I was moved to see small heartfelt films with adolescent leads (Close and The Quiet Girl) being nominated. I am surprised The Triangle of Sadness isn’t nominated here, but is in Best Film? It doesn’t matter; it’s no contest: All Quiet On The Western Front is the big budget, brilliantly shot war epic which will win this category.
Best Original Song
Applause from Tell It Like a Woman, Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick, Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler
Naatu Naatu from RRR, Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose
This Is a Life from Everything Everywhere All at Once, Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne
Naatu Naatu is the favourite in this competition of the blandest music ever, coming to an elevator near you.
Best Production Design
All Quiet on the Western Front, Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper
Avatar: The Way of Water, Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole
Babylon, Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino
Elvis, Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn
The Fabelmans, Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara
I hope they re-remind us what this category means. Babylon is favoured, just ahead of Elvis. If they managed to develop stick-proof leather lounges, Babylon should edge it.
Best Visual Effects
All Quiet on the Western Front, Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar
Avatar: The Way of Water, Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
The Batman, Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick
Top Gun: Maverick, Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher
All these films have amazing special effects but Avatar: Way of Water managed to keep people engaged for over three hours due to its extraordinary effects which took us underwater, despite a script filled with more pot holes than a Ukraine road. It has raised the bar and deserves this award.
Best Animated Feature Film
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Joel Crawford and Mark Swift
The Sea Beast, Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger
Turning Red, Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins
Guilermo del Toro is involved in two contenders, but the one with his name is the hot favourite.
Best Costume Design
Babylon, Mary Zophres
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ruth Carter
Elvis, Catherine Martin
Everything Everywhere All at Once, Shirley Kurata
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Jenny Beavan
There are no period pieces and there is great work amongst the contenders. Aussie Catherine Martin has won this twice before on Baz Luhrman films and is favoured to pick up a third for Elvis.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
All Quiet on the Western Front, Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová
The Batman, Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Camille Friend and Joel Harlow
Elvis, Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti
The Whale, Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley
They must have spent hours getting Elvis’ quiff just right as they’re hot favourites to win this.
Best Original Score
All Quiet on the Western Front, Volker Bertelmann
Babylon, Justin Hurwitz
The Banshees of Inisherin, Carter Burwell
Everything Everywhere All at Once, Son Lux
The Fabelmans, John Williams
Hello John Williams (again), but Babylon is the hot favourite here.
Best Sound
All Quiet on the Western Front, Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte
Avatar: The Way of Water, Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges
The Batman, Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson
Elvis, David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller
Top Gun: Maverick, Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor
War films do well in this category and it’s a race in two. Top Gun should win it’s award from All Quiet on The Western Front.
6 – 10th September 9:30pm
Flightpath Theatre
