Friday, February 7, 2020

2020 Oscars: Personal Nominations


My other annual Oscar tradition, who I would’ve nominated in my favorite categories. I veered off from the Academy on a lot of my opinions, and on some categories, I found such an embarrassment of riches that I was eliminating nominees that I genuinely loved because there just wasn’t enough room. That’s a good problem to have!

Best Picture – The category allows up to 10 nominees, so I’m going to take all 10. Quite a few differences here; I only kept about half the original nominees.

1917
Dolemite is My Name – Everyone was talking about Eddie Murphy, but I thought the film as a whole was just fantastic.
The Farewell
Jojo Rabbit
Just Mercy – Gorgeous film. I’m really disappointed that it wasn’t recognized at all.
Little Women
Marriage Story
Parasite
Queen & Slim
The Two Popes

Best Leading Actor – Quite a few changes, but most of the swaps I made were from performances I haven’t seen yet, so that can’t be helped.

Taron Egerton (Rocketman) – I feel like Egerton would’ve gotten in if a) Bohemian Rhapsody hadn’t happened last year and b) Rocketman came out later this year.
Adam Driver (Marriage Story)
Michael B. Jordan (Just Mercy) – Loved this performance. So subtle, yet so affecting.
Eddie Murphy (Dolemite is My Name)
Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)

Best Leading Actress – This was a hard one, because I loved all the actual nominees, but I had to make room for a few others (I’ll admit, it hurt to leave out Saoirse Ronan for Little Women.) Tons of actresses doing fantastic work this year!

Awkwafina (The Farewell)
Cynthia Erivo (Harriet)
Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story)
Lupita Nyong’o (Us) – Probably the most important nomination in this post. It’s absurd that she wasn’t on the real list.
Renée Zellweger (Judy)

Best Supporting Actor – My biggest category shakeup. I only saved one of the nominations here and switched out all the rest!

Christian Bale (Ford vs. Ferrari) – Not a movie I’d have put up for Best Picture, but Bale’s performance is great here.
Jamie Foxx (Just Mercy)
Tom Hanks (A Beautfiul Day in the Neighborhood)
Song Kang Ho (Parasite) – I debated about where to put actors from Parasite. It’s such an ensemble piece that my guess is everyone would’ve been up for the supporting categories.
Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit) – Yes. Fight me, I don’t care, I feel very strongly about including this nomination!

Best Supporting Actress – Quite a few changes here, and I eliminated at least one performance I really loved (Scarlett Johansson in Jojo Rabbit) – that’s how competitive this category was this year!

Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers)
Park So Dam (Parasite) – I’d have liked to nominate Cho Yeo Jeong as well, but I couldn’t fit everybody in.
Florence Pugh (Little Women)
Margot Robbie (Bombshell)
Shuzhen Zhao (The Farewell)

Best Original Screenplay – More big changes. We’re getting into the categories where you’re seeing which Best Picture nominee I didn’t see (Joker) and which ones didn’t appeal to me as much (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, The Irishman,) because it’s in the Screenplay and Director nominations that you really see their absences.

Dolemite is My Name
The Farewell – I knew I needed this film in here, but first, I had to look up whether it qualified as Original or Adapted.
Marriage Story
Parasite
Queen & Slim – Really hard-hitting, loved this script!

Best Adapted Screenplay

Captain Marvel – Is it a list of mine if I don’t sneak at least one comic book movie in there?
Jojo Rabbit
Just Mercy – Really disappointed that this one didn’t make the real cut.
Little Women
The Two Popes

Best Director – This is an odd-looking category, most notably because I have two films on here that I didn’t nominate for Best Picture. But while I think both Rocketman and Us could’ve used tighter screenplays to really hit that top level, I think their direction was exquisite.

Jojo Rabbit – As with all my Jojo Rabbit nominations, this is non-negotiable. I’m still annoyed that Taika Waititi wasn’t nominated here.
Little Women
Parasite
Rocketman – Spectacularly put together – those musical numbers tell the story with such flair and emotion!
Us – Just masterfully directed.

Best Cinematography

1917
Knives Out
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Parasite – I really think this one should’ve gotten in, was surprised it didn’t.
Us

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