Well, it’s that time of year again! I’m not finding myself super excited about this year’s crop of nominees. I’ve seen (and loved!) a couple of the nominated films, and of the ones I haven’t seen yet, there are a few that excite me, a few that leave me feeling unenthusiastic, and a few that I don’t have much thought on at all.
First, much love to Sinners earning a record-breaking sixteen nominations! Its nominations are well deserved, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. I was happy to see three of its actors recognized—Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, and Wunmi Mosaku—but I really wish Miles Caton had gotten a Supporting Actor nod as well. And of course, it’s getting all kinds of recognition for its music, design, and technical elements. However, I’m wary of how much love it’ll actually get on Oscar night. It’s such a brilliant film, but so far, awards season seems to be positioning it as an also-ran with a few token awards.
The only other Best Picture nominee I’ve already seen is Frankenstein. It got nine nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Jacob Elordi, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and a host of design nominations (naturally!) I’m disappointed not to see Guillermo del Toro up for Best Director, and just in general, I’d have liked to see a little more love for it.
Of the other Best Picture nominees, I’m most looking forward to Hamnet. Chloe Zhao’s direction is always so beautiful, and I’m interested in the story. I’m curious about Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent, both of whom are also up for Best International Feature, along with a few other awards. I’m cautiously curious about Bugonia. While I like Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos’s work is always interesting, his movies tend to leave me a bit cold. I don’t know much of anything about Train Dreams, and F1 has me feeling, “Oh, one of those,” like Ford vs. Ferrari and Top Gun: Maverick before it—I’ve heard Best Picture nominees like that described as “dad movies,” which feels very apt to me. As for Marty Supreme and One Battle After Another, I’m not all that excited about either, and I’m wary about them stealing thunder from Sinners.
Looking back over the movies I’ve seen this year, a few disappointments stand out to me. There’s no recognition at all for Mickey 17, Wake Up Dead Man, or Wicked: For Good. I know Mickey 17 came out a while ago, but you’d have thought Bong Joon Ho’s newest film would’ve warranted a bit more attention, and Robert Pattinson was stellar. I just saw Wake Up Dead Man and really liked it—put me down as an official Benoit Blanc fan! And nothing for For Good? Not a one? Not even Best Makeup and Hairstyling, at least? That made me sad.
I’m trying to keep an open mind, and I’m sure I’ll find some gems I might not have been expecting. I always do! But this year, as I put my list together, it’s feeling a little less like an exciting watch list, and a little more like homework. I’m not sure if anything will top the two I’ve already seen. We’ll see how it goes.
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