Nominees: Wolfwalkers, Promising Young Woman, Nomadland, Dick Johnson is Dead, First Cow, I'm No Longer Here, You Will Remember Me, Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time
Oscars pick: Nomadland
Nominees: Minari, Promising Young Woman, The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Sound of Metal, Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7
This will be a strange one as we didn't get much of a theatrical run for most movies released in 2020, with several being pushed back to 2021. I've always gone with first general or domestic release dates, rather than festival showings, but in 2020 everything changed, festivals went virtual, open to a wider audience, and several films had their premiers on the internet... so the parameters have had to shift with the times. Also, I'm not following Oscar by extending the film season through Feb 2021, my awards cover 2020 releases alone.
So, let's get to it...
My winner, The Father, is like an episode of the Twilight Zone, only a thousand times more terrifying, because we haven't slipped into some fantasy realm, but a devastating reality. I've seen other movies on dementia but never one so unnerving. And though it eventually strips away the surreal qualities of its opening acts and allows us to see the truth of the matter, it's no less crushing.
And Anthony Hopkins is... beyond incredible. We all know this, but perhaps I've grown so accustomed to his genius, that I took for granted how gifted he is? Because -and this is weird to say- he surprised me, with the variety and depths of emotion he plumbed - he took his craft to another level and completely destroyed me. And I can't see how Soderbergh -the director of this year's Oscars, who switched the traditional order of things so that Best Actor was the final category awarded - could have watched this film and not entertained the notion that Chadwick Boseman wasn't a shoo-in, and that he (Soderbergh) might not get the grand finale he expected. Yes, that would have been a beautiful, sentimental gesture to a classy, talented actor, who I like and respect... but to my mind, Academy voters got it right, they selected the best, among the best.
Of course, I'd be remiss in not acknowledging Olivia Colman's quietly powerful work as well. When you look at the impressive body of both careers - and can proclaim that Colman & Hopkins gave two of their finest performances, well, that's really saying something.
Florian Zeller adapts his own play and manages the tricky balance of keeping the characteristics of theater, while also making it cinematic - expertly blending the language and supercharged emotion of the stage, with the movement and editing unique to the movies, in doing this, Zeller creates a staggering film experience.
š Acting: Carey Mulligan gave a towering performance. Bitting, blade-sharp, but also achingly sad, a bruised fighter who goes down dark and frightening paths to make a point, about empathy, respect, and how a man can't destroy a life and just, walk away from that. An absolute stunner. (Oscar nominee Andra Day was phenomenal and will be a leading candidate for 2021, Colman is my supporting runner-up). It was just as cut and dry for the actors: Though yes, Delroy Lindo and RĆ©my Girard (who also plays a man suffering from dementia) were amazing in their respective roles.
And Anthony Hopkins is... beyond incredible. We all know this, but perhaps I've grown so accustomed to his genius, that I took for granted how gifted he is? Because -and this is weird to say- he surprised me, with the variety and depths of emotion he plumbed - he took his craft to another level and completely destroyed me. And I can't see how Soderbergh -the director of this year's Oscars, who switched the traditional order of things so that Best Actor was the final category awarded - could have watched this film and not entertained the notion that Chadwick Boseman wasn't a shoo-in, and that he (Soderbergh) might not get the grand finale he expected. Yes, that would have been a beautiful, sentimental gesture to a classy, talented actor, who I like and respect... but to my mind, Academy voters got it right, they selected the best, among the best.
Of course, I'd be remiss in not acknowledging Olivia Colman's quietly powerful work as well. When you look at the impressive body of both careers - and can proclaim that Colman & Hopkins gave two of their finest performances, well, that's really saying something.
Florian Zeller adapts his own play and manages the tricky balance of keeping the characteristics of theater, while also making it cinematic - expertly blending the language and supercharged emotion of the stage, with the movement and editing unique to the movies, in doing this, Zeller creates a staggering film experience.
š Acting: Carey Mulligan gave a towering performance. Bitting, blade-sharp, but also achingly sad, a bruised fighter who goes down dark and frightening paths to make a point, about empathy, respect, and how a man can't destroy a life and just, walk away from that. An absolute stunner. (Oscar nominee Andra Day was phenomenal and will be a leading candidate for 2021, Colman is my supporting runner-up). It was just as cut and dry for the actors: Though yes, Delroy Lindo and RĆ©my Girard (who also plays a man suffering from dementia) were amazing in their respective roles.
Honorable Mentions:
Jasna ÄuriÄiÄ, Quo vadis, Aida? * Masami Nagasawa, Mother * Amy Ryan, Lost Girls * Sidney Flanigan, Never Rarely... * Jessie Buckley, I'm Thinking of Ending Things * Wunmi Mosaku, His House * Frances McDormand, Nomadland * Elisabeth Moss, Shirley * Nina Hoss, My Little Sister * Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman * Virginie Efira, Bye Bye Morons
Honorable Mentions:
Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods * Ben Affleck, The Way Back * Riz Ahmed, The Sound of Metal * RĆ©my Girard, You Will Remember Me * Steven Yeun, Minari * Albert Dupontel, Bye Bye Morons * Sami Bouajila, A Son * Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round * Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom * Sope Dirisu, His House
Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods * Ben Affleck, The Way Back * Riz Ahmed, The Sound of Metal * RĆ©my Girard, You Will Remember Me * Steven Yeun, Minari * Albert Dupontel, Bye Bye Morons * Sami Bouajila, A Son * Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round * Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom * Sope Dirisu, His House
