OSCAR INFO----March 2nd-- 4pm PST

Here are my favorite choices from those films nominated.  I use letter grades, but have translated them to a number grade--best being 4...alphabetically to start.

ANORA-----B     (3)

THE BRUTALIST-----B  (3)

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN----A    (4)

CONCLAVE------A    (4)

DUNE II-----B    (3)

EMILIA PEREZ-----B   (3)

I'M STILL HERE----B+    (3.50)

NICKEL BOYS-----C      (2)

THE SUBSTANCE-----C    (2)

WICKED----A      (4)

 

Here are my favorites in different categories--

Actor-------Timothy Chalamet (A COMPLETE UNKNOWN)

---------runner up Adrien Brody (THE BRUTALIST)

Supporting Actor----Kieran Culkin (A REAL PAIN)

Actress-------Cynthia Erivo   (Wicked)

------runner up   Fernanda Torres (I'M STILL HERE)

Supporting Actress----Zoe Saldana (EMILIA PEREZ)

------runner up  Monica Barbaro (A COMPLETE UNKNOWN)

 

Animated Feature---THE WILD ROBOT

Cinematography--THE BRUTALIST

Costume Design--WICKED 

Directing-------COMPLETE UNKNOWN (THE BRUTALIST and ANORA  runners up)

Film Editing---WICKED  (THE BRUTALIST runner up)

International film---I'M STILL HERE  (EMILIA PEREZ runner up)

Original music Score--WICKED, WILD ROBOT, THE BRUTALIST, CONCLAVE, EMILIA PEREZ-

----------------All five are great scores so I put them in order of preference.-------

Make-Up and Hair Styling-----WICKED (EMILIA PEREZ runner up)

Original Song----no preference

Production Design-------WICKED (THE BRUTALIST runner up)

Sound-----WICKED (COMPLETE UNKNOWN, WILD ROBOT--all great)

Visual Effects------WICKED

Writing--Adopted Screenplay-----CONLAVE (COMPLETE UNKNOWN runner up)

Writing-Original story-----A REAL PAIN (moving, funny and brilliant)

Short films---I haven't had a chance to see any in those categories.

 

Worst nominated films of the year----

THE SUBSTANCE--a predictable, plodding science fiction story--really grotesque and creepy.  The two leads spend much screen time completely naked on a cold bathroom floor covered in blood and slime with their spines open to bacteria and germs.  Ugh! To it's credit, nominee Demi Moore gives it her all, but what an ugly way to try to win an Oscar.

Also---THE NICKEL BOYS--This is a well meaning story about life at a boys reformatory prison, but it is filmed like an abstract, experimental low budget film complete with only showing the back of the head of a talking character, and a shaking camera that distracts from any dramatic punch the film should have.  It is also edited haphazardly so that I wasn't sure what was going on half the time.  Odd then that both films have been nominated for best picture, yet a fine little film like A REAL PAIN has only two nominations, but it seems to have a lock for both categories (supporting actor and original story.) 

ALL THE NOMINEES except NICKEL BOYS are now streaming with various channels and pricing, so there is no excuse to see at least a couple films that interest you before the Oscars next Sunday.