Awards Season Recap: Who actually won the Statues?

Hello Readers,

With Awards Season drawing to a close, I am looking back on this year’s most popular films in nominations to see what awards they actually walked away with from the big ceremonies. There were a few surprises this year including Emma Stone winning Best Actress for her role in Poor Things at the Academy Awards and I’m Just Ken from Barbie winning over Billie’s song at the Critics Choice Awards.

Unfortunately, many of the winners this season are from films featuring straight white characters in English. I have chosen the main American/British ceremonies as my markers but the films with POC/queer characters or not in English did not do as well in these categories. Napoleon is the exception, I believe it was widely panned due to its historical inaccuracies and confusing story line.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Oscars: 13 nominations and 7 wins

BAFTAs: 13 nominations and 7 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 13 nominations and 8 wins

Golden Globes: 8 nominations and 5 wins

SAG Awards: 4 nominations and 3 wins

Oppenheimer did about as well as expected winning over half its nominations at all the ceremonies. It is an America-centric film with the cast, crew and funding coming from the US featuring an important American event and invention. Christoper Nolan is a well-respected director in the film industry and along with his production team, has been responsible for some of the most visually interesting and complex films of recent years including Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014) and Tenet (2020). Robert Downey Jr won all of his nominations for the film along with the editing, score and director nominees sweeping their categories. Personally, I think there were other films that deserved some of these awards but I am pleased for the team particularly Emma Thomas winning the Oscar alongside Nolan for Best Picture.

Barbie (2023)

Oscars: 8 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 5 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 18 nominations and 6 wins

Golden Globes: 9 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 4 nominations and 0 wins

Unfortunately Barbie was largely panned at most of the awards. It managed to secure decent nominations and a whopping 18 at the Critics Choice Awards but did not deliver in terms of wins. I believe where Critics were concerned, it was a hit but with such a strong year, other films appealed to a wider range of voters. I believe this to be the case at the Oscars and Globes. Barbie was a well-produced film with so many details but with being marketed towards women and starring a toy doll that was mostly successful in the US, I don’t think this film quite had the reach. Ironically, Oppenheimer with an American plot, largely white cast and upsetting plot details did rather well. Take that as you will about the state of the country.

The Holdovers (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 7 nominations and 2 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 8 nominations and 3 wins

Golden Globes: 3 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 2 nominations and 1 win

This film did well in chosen areas such as acting but was largely ignored in others. The core cast really brought the humour and raw emotion of the film to life. This film was also set in an elite part of American society on the East Coast with mainly white characters but perhaps the boarding school element was just not as much of a hit among the voters. The inclusion of Mary as a main character despite her lower status as the school cook was a well-meaning attempt to connect with other elements of society but I am not sure it 100% worked. I did enjoy the film and the story but I think it appealed more to my demographic. In another weaker year, I think this film could have taken home more. It certainly would have done well in a less diverse voting pool.

American Fiction (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 1 nomination and 1 win

Critics Choice Awards: 5 nominations and 1 win

Golden Globes: 2 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 3 nominations and 0 wins

Many people have declared this film an important piece of cinema due to the themes of the plot. Perhaps white and non-black voters just could not relate to the concepts that this film was trying to portray. It was certainly punchier in its themes of blackness and racial divide than the Holdovers but brought humour to it. The film was very interesting and although the book/film featured was over the top it was trying to demonstrate how people want to hear black voices. It was maybe this metaphor that people did not pick up on and took the film at face value. To me, this film was one of the biggest snubs on the list due to its important ideas and complex characters. I am glad its wins were for the script as that is what made the film shine.

Poor Things (2023)

Oscars: 11 nominations and 4 wins

BAFTAs: 11 nominations and 5 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 13 nominations and 1 win

Golden Globes: 7 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 2 nominations and 0 wins

I still have yet to watch Poor Things despite it being available on streaming and its award record can possibly show why. It made a big splash in nominations but has lacked in terms of wins. Most awards have been for Emma Stone’s portrayal of Bella Baxter and the design teams (costumes, production, hair and makeup and VFX). The plot or film overall has not had much success. Without having seen it myself, I cannot judge too much but the strong and graphic sex scenes may have something to do with it. I believe Americans to still be prudish when it comes to sex on screen, never rewarding films with an R rating highly at awards shows. Brits maybe equally as so with the BAFTAs all being for the design teams. It had good reviews when it came out but only winning one award at the Critics Choice Awards demonstrates its reception among the experts.

Past Lives (2023)

Oscars: 2 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 3 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 3 nominations and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 5 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

This film did not manage to pick up an award in the award shows I have chosen to highlight but was successful at others. This film was very much about relationships and characters rather than visually stunning VFX or exciting action sequences. It was also told in a mix of Korean and English which may have put some people off. I personally liked the film but I wouldn’t be voting it over others in its categories. Again, being such a strong year especially for foreign language cinema was a downfall of this film. It was great to see female stories be told with Celine Song directing and Greta Lee starring.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 7 nominations and 1 win

Critics Choice Awards: 3 nominations and 1 win

Golden Globes: 4 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

I have recently watched this film and I did enjoy it. The plot was pacy with the court room scenes framing the relationship between Sandra and her husband. Being mostly in French and again with no big action scenes/VFX, the film was largely panned. It was awarded for its screenplay though and being written by a husband and wife duo was probably the reason. Sandra Hüller in the lead was a very strong choice but she did not show emotions in the traditional ways which was one of the arguments she had with her husband before his death. The film was left open ended in terms of whether he died by suicide or other means but it was right to show that this was not important at the end of the day.

The Zone of Interest (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 2 wins

BAFTAs: 9 nominations and 3 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 1 nomination and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 3 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

This film was also largely ignored at this years awards picking up awards for its sound and best foreign language film. The fact that it was filmed in Poland in German with the Nazis at the centre probably had a lot to do with it. There are a lot of Jewish Americans in Hollywood but whether the film was a painful reminder or simply didn’t appeal to other voters, I am not sure. With the Israel/Palestine conflict going on at the moment, a film showing the oppression of Jewish people maybe didn’t hit the mark. It has to be said that the director and producers of the film are Jewish and gave a very strong speech about war at the Oscars. I have not yet seen the film and I would not say that I am particularly excited to, given its content.

Napoleon (2023)

Oscars: 3 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 4 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 1 nomination and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 0 nominations/wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

As mentioned above, this was the most surprising pan of the awards given its director and historical story. Ridley Scott is not usually an awards director but many of his films have been critically acclaimed and hailed by audiences as great cinema. Napoleon did not manage to do this. It angered the French with its British/American cast and great historical inaccuracies. I also found the plot confusing, jumping around different dates like it had somewhere to be. The relationship between Napoleon and Josephine was meant to be a strong point but they spent most of the film hating each other and all the sex scenes were rough and abusive. I think Vanessa Kirby did what she could with the script but I did not feel any warmth from Napoleon towards her even when he hadn’t left her for a younger, fertile woman. The scant nominations were for the costumes, production and VFX all of which looked great but unfortunately the plot/acting could not support it.

Maestro (2023)

Oscars: 7 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 7 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 8 nominations and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 4 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 2 nominations and 0 wins

In nominations, Maestro did respectably well but did not manage to pick up an award. It was a very strong year but I think that Leonard Bernstein being bisexual/into men and women was not well received with voters and particularly cheating on his wife in their later years. There was a controversy about the prosthetic used to give Bradley Cooper a more Jewish looking nose but it was approved by the family. Personally I think Bradley looked more like Leonard with his own nose. The film was a good watch, I saw it at the London Film Festival last year and while an enjoyable film, I have not reached to watch it again on streaming. Carey Mulligan was strong as always but she got drowned out by other stronger performances in her categories from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and America Ferrera. An enjoyable film but it couldn’t hold its own this year.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Oscars: 10 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 9 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 12 nominations and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 7 nominations and 1 win

SAG Awards: 3 nominations and 1 win

I am almost surprised at the panning that this film received given its powerhouse combo of Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. In the past this trio would have swept prizes but with the topic of the murder of Native Americans, they couldn’t make the leap. The only awards came for Lily Gladstone as Best Actress. While she was good, I am not sure her performance in the film was actually enough to secure the win. There may have been white guilt at play for the treatment of Native Americans or just an inability to relate to the culture. The film itself could have been done better in my eyes with too many characters to keep track of and most of the focus being on the few white male characters. If this film had been directed by a female Native American with Scorsese producing, I think there could have been a different result. It would have also made more sense as a limited series.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

My Oscars Predictions 2024

Hi Readers,

I am going to talk through my 2024 Academy Awards Predictions for every category. I have tried my best to watch as many films that are available to me and at least one from each category. Unfortunately most of the short animated films and documentary features I have not been able to watch so I will have to use previous award ceremonies/critics voices to make my prediction.

Blue highlight means I have seen the film that the nominee worked on.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

BRADLEY COOPER – Maestro
COLMAN DOMINGO – Rustin
PAUL GIAMATTI – The Holdovers
CILLIAN MURPHY – Oppenheimer
JEFFREY WRIGHT – American Fiction

I think this category is a tie between Paul Giamatti and Cillian Murphy looking at the BAFTA and Golden Globes wins. Colman Domingo has made history with his nomination as the first Afro-Latino in the category but unfortunately has not managed to secure a win yet for his outstanding performance in Rustin. Bradley Cooper was good as Leonard Bernstein but I think his directing made the film what it was. Personally I think either Domingo or Giamatti deserve it the most for their performances.

My prediction is Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

STERLING K. BROWN – American Fiction
ROBERT DE NIRO – Killers of the Flower Moon
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. – Oppenheimer
RYAN GOSLING – Barbie
MARK RUFFALO – Poor Things

There is a strong contrast in this category between the serious historical tales of Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer and then Barbie. Both Robert De Niro and Robert Downey Jr. gave dramatic performances but with no room in the plot for comedy. On the other hand, Ryan Gosling’s Ken in Barbie was a comedy character used to portray male ideals about patriarchy and so on. From how Awards Season has been unfolding, this award is looking like a shoe-in for Robert Downey Jr. but you never know what can happen.

My prediction is Robert Downey Jr. for Oppenheimer

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

ANNETTE BENING – Nyad
LILY GLADSTONE – Killers of the Flower Moon
SANDRA HÜLLER – Anatomy of a Fall
CAREY MULLIGAN – Maestro
EMMA STONE – Poor Things

In my own opinion, I think Annette Bening had a very strong performance in Nyad. The award has been a hand-off between Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone so far. I personally wasn’t sure Lily gave an Oscar winning performance. Carey Mulligan also gave a very strong performance but she is in a very strong year.

My prediction is Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

EMILY BLUNT – Oppenheimer
DANIELLE BROOKS – The Color Purple
AMERICA FERRERA – Barbie
JODIE FOSTER – Nyad
DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH – The Holdovers

I would love America to win for Barbie but with other strong performances in this category I am not sure she can secure it. Jodie Foster gave a very strong performance while Emily’s was nothing noteworthy to me. Da’Vine Joy Randolph has been sweeping the awards but after seeing the Holdovers, I am not sure what she did was more award-worthy than her fellow nominees.

My prediction is Da’Vine Joy Randolph for the Holdovers.

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

THE BOY AND THE HERON – Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki
ELEMENTAL – Peter Sohn and Denise Ream
NIMONA – Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary
ROBOT DREAMS – Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé and Sandra Tapia Díaz
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal

I think animation is an often underappreciated category because every shot in the film has to be crafted by people and can take weeks if not months of back and forth. Out of the films I saw, each had a very different animation style so it is hard to compare them with each other. All of them had shots full of detail. I did love Spider-Man but if we’re going off original stories that do not already have a fan base, then I think Nimona and Elemental did well to create whole new worlds. Of course Elemental has had the budget and backing from Disney and their film is an allegory about immigration to the United States which I am sure many people voting in the Academy can relate. Nimona took a leap from the classic medieval tales we know and brought it into a new era with a diverse range of characters. This was based on a graphic novel but is not as well known as Marvel/Disney.

From what I have heard, the Boy and the Heron is a great film. Studio Ghibli always produce high quality work and it is thought this is to be Director Hayao Miyazaki’s last film so I think this one is a very strong contender for best animated feature film.

My prediction is The Boy and the Heron -Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki

CINEMATOGRAPHY

EL CONDE – Edward Lachman
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Rodrigo Prieto
MAESTRO – Matthew Libatique
OPPENHEIMER – Hoyte van Hoytema
POOR THINGS – Robbie Ryan

I must say when watching the films in this category, the cinematography was not my main focus. Looking back I think the cinematography from Maestro and Oppenheimer stood out from the others. El Conde, the plot was very confusing so even though there were some interesting shots, I couldn’t fully appreciate them. For me, Killers of the Flower Moon was more about the actors and the story line. It was a very long film so my main focus became the plot towards the end. The nominations also match those of the American Society of Cinematography where Oppenheimer prevailed this year.

My prediction is Hoyte van Hoytema for Oppenheimer.

COSTUME DESIGN

BARBIE – Jacqueline Durran
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Jacqueline West
NAPOLEON – Janty Yates and Dave Crossman
OPPENHEIMER – Ellen Mirojnick
POOR THINGS – Holly Waddington

I personally thought that the costumes in Barbie were amazing and for such a large cast with a huge number of outfits, the costume team made everyone look impeccable. All of the other films are period pieces so the costumes differ from the bright colours of Barbie. I don’t think Oppenheimer’s costumes were very imaginative or impressive bar Florence Pugh’s looks but nothing had to be made for purpose. The outfits in Napoleon were very intricate and there were a lot of extras that had to be fitted in period dress as well as the many outfits for Josephine. Both Barbie and Poor Things won big at their industry awards but with Poor Things being awarded the BAFTA, they might have closed the deal.

My prediction is Poor Things – Holly Waddington

DIRECTING

ANATOMY OF A FALL – Justine Triet
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Martin Scorsese
OPPENHEIMER – Christopher Nolan
POOR THINGS – Yorgos Lanthimos
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Jonathan Glazer

I’ve only seen two of the nominees from this category. It’s great to see a woman and two films in foreign languages nominated. Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan are both very accomplished and Academy praised directors so I think the award is well within their reaches.

My prediction is Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT – Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp and John Battsek
THE ETERNAL MEMORY
FOUR DAUGHTERS-Kaouther Ben Hania and Nadim Cheikhrouha
TO KILL A TIGER-Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL- Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath

I have only been able to watch one of the nominees in this category as many have not yet been released in the UK. I am pleased that all the films are non-American this year as there are so many events/topics around the world that do not get the promotion or airtime that they need. From chatter online and watching the BAFTA awards, 20 Days in Mariupol is the favourite this year. I did enjoy the Bobi Wine documentary as much as one could given the topic but with the stance that he has taken on gay rights in the past, I don’t think this film is a strong contender in this climate. I don’t support his or Uganda’s views in general but seeing the way the population are treated, I think he has been brave to go against the regime.

My prediction is 20 Days in Mariupol – Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

THE ABCS OF BOOK BANNING – Sheila Nevins and Trish Adlesic
THE BARBER OF LITTLE ROCK – John Hoffman and Christine Turner
ISLAND IN BETWEEN – S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien
THE LAST REPAIR SHOP – Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
NǍI NAI & WÀI PÓ – Sean Wang and Sam Davis

There are surprisingly two films made in Taiwan in this category: Island in Between about Taiwan and China’s relationship and Kinmen Islands caught in the middle and Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó about the filmmaker’s two grandmothers and their feelings about life. I thought Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó was very sweet filled with joy about dancing but also discussing the hardships of life and death. Island in Between took on a more serious tone but was still interesting and the footage captured really painted a picture. The Barber of Little Rock showed one man’s effort towards helping his community and how it really made a difference but ultimately my favourite out of the ones I saw was the Last Repair Shop. It was very emotional showing the group of people fixing the instruments for over 80,000 children and helping to provide them with a better life away from crime and their personal obstacles. The pacing and interviews with the employees were very well done and brilliantly tapped into human emotion. The buzz online is talking about The Last Repair Shop and Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó due to the directors’ other works being the front-runners in this category.

My prediction is Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó – Sean Wang and Sam Davis

FILM EDITING

ANATOMY OF A FALL – Laurent Sénéchal
THE HOLDOVERS – Kevin Tent
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Thelma Schoonmaker
OPPENHEIMER – Jennifer Lame
POOR THINGS – Yorgos Mavropsaridis

Editing is often an unsung hero of the film world with a good cut often making or breaking the reception of a film. From the films I have seen, The Holdovers had good pacing and was also more digestible at just over 2 hours as opposed to 3 hours plus for the other two. It had great scenery shots cut with the actors and the look and feel of the film including the colour made it feel of the times. I know Nolan likes to shoot on film but the quality of Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon was sharp but did not blend with the story in the same way as the Holdovers.

My prediction is Jennifer Lame for Oppenheimer

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

IO CAPITANO – Italy
PERFECT DAYS – Japan
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Spain
THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE – Germany
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – United Kingdom

I have not seen as much discourse for this category online with many award shows not even having a best International Film category. Given its nomination for Best Picture, The Zone of Interest is a high contender for the win but I really enjoyed Society of the Snow and have written a blog post on it. It was an incredible true story about humanity and survival and I barely noticed it was in Spanish as the emotions and subtitles linked together in my mind. This film has the benefit of being the only one available on streaming so that could help secure it the win.

My prediction is The Zone of Interest

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

GOLDA – Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby and Ashra Kelly-Blue
MAESTRO – Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell
OPPENHEIMER – Luisa Abel
POOR THINGS – Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí and Montse Ribé

Again Society of the Snow did a great job in this category, transforming the actors into survivalists with sunburn and wild hair growth. There are stronger contenders in this category and while Maestro has some great prosthetics on Bradley Cooper and won in its industry awards, I think Poor Things winning the BAFTA is more influential.

My prediction is Poor Things – Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

AMERICAN FICTION – Laura Karpman
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY – John Williams
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Robbie Robertson
OPPENHEIMER – Ludwig Göransson
POOR THINGS – Jerskin Fendrix

It is great to see 92 year old John Williams nominated for the final Indiana Jones film which is one of the franchises that he is most known for. Ludwig Göransson has won the BAFTA and Golden Globe and is generally well known in the music and film score circles. He has had previous nominations in the music categories at the Oscars as well.

My prediction is Ludwig Göransson for Oppenheimer

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

THE FIRE INSIDE – from Flamin’ Hot; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
I’M JUST KEN – from Barbie; Music and Lyric by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
IT NEVER WENT AWAY – from American Symphony; Music and Lyric by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson
WAHZHAZHE (A SONG FOR MY PEOPLE) – from Killers of the Flower Moon; Music and Lyric by Scott George
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – from Barbie; Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

I am not a big music person but I just re-listened to all the songs and they all have their own strengths. Dianne Warren who composed The Fire Inside is a seasoned nominee in this category having been nominated the last 8 years in a row. Jon Batiste’s song was very emotionally powerful; after watching the documentary, I can understand what he has been going through. Both the songs from Barbie have different tones, I’m Just Ken is playful and a metaphor for the reverse sexism in Barbieland. Billie Eilish’s song has so much heart and when you listen the lyrics it relates to how Barbie feels but also how everyone can feel non-existent and without a purpose. The song from Killers of the Flower Moon is important to the story but as its in a different language it personally didn’t impact me as much as the others. It has a steady rhythm but nothing stands out.

My prediction is Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell with What Was I Made For? from Barbie

BEST PICTURE

AMERICAN FICTION – Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers
ANATOMY OF A FALL – Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion, Producers
BARBIE – David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, Producers
THE HOLDOVERS – Mark Johnson, Producer
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi, Producers
MAESTRO – Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
OPPENHEIMER – Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, Producers
PAST LIVES – David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, Producers
POOR THINGS – Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, Producers
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – James Wilson, Producer

This is the most sought after prize in Hollywood. With Asian led films winning in the last few years (Parasite, Everything Everywhere All At Once) along with Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland and then a deaf cast leading CODA last year, it seems this category is awarding diversity and ambition. American Fiction and Past Lives fit this mould with diverse casts along with Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest being non-English. This category is not really represented in the same way at other award shows. The BAFTAs have best British/International film, the Globes split by genre so there is always a lot of discourse around who will receive the prize this year. Personally I think Barbie, The Holdovers and Maestro were produced very well creating a real world for the characters and telling interesting stories. These films did all have white protagonists and were in English so it would be great to see something more diverse lead the way.

My prediction is Oppenheimer as it has been a well-loved film this year and Christopher Nolan is a very well-respected director.

PRODUCTION DESIGN

BARBIE – Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis
NAPOLEON – Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Elli Griff
OPPENHEIMER – Production Design: Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman
POOR THINGS – Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek

With the same nominees for Production Design as Costume, its clear that these films made an impact visually on audiences. Barbie famously created a giant Barbieland set, causing a global pink paint shortage along the way. I think the scale and locations of Napoleon have been underestimated as its currently predicted last to win. Poor Things once again won the BAFTA and is the top prediction. Oppenheimer built a lot of its sets including a quickly put together Oval Office and a desert town.

My prediction is Poor Things – Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

LETTER TO A PIG – Tal Kantor and Amit R. Gicelter
NINETY-FIVE SENSES – Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess
OUR UNIFORM – Yegane Moghaddam
PACHYDERME – Stéphanie Clément and Marc Rius
WAR IS OVER! INSPIRED BY THE MUSIC OF JOHN & YOKO – Dave Mullins and Brad Booker

Unfortunately I was only able to find one of these films to watch so I can’t use my own thoughts too much here. From what I have read online War is Over! has the biggest backing being produced by Yoko and Sean Ono Lennon and the animation being done by Weta FX, known for Avatar. Many people, myself included still mourn John Lennon and he was especially well loved in America so I think this has a good chance. The theme of the film I saw, Ninety-Five Senses was powerful but it was not a relatable story with the main character having committed a crime out of frustration.

My prediction is War is Over! Inspired by the music of John & Yoko – Dave Mullins and Brad Booker

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

THE AFTER – Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham
INVINCIBLE – Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron
KNIGHT OF FORTUNE – Lasse Lyskjær Noer and Christian Norlyk
RED, WHITE AND BLUE – Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR – Wes Anderson and Steven Rales

I have seen most of these short films and all have interesting stories. I thought The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was entertaining and Wes Anderson is certainly a great storyteller but its message was not as powerful or emotive as the other films. I think The After was very well-produced and has the power of Netflix behind it; Red White and Blue had the most evocative story I think and was a topic that is being hotly debated in America right now. Invincible wasn’t in English and seemed like a personal story rather than one that will appeal to everyone.

My prediction is The After – Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham

SOUND

THE CREATOR – Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic
MAESTRO – Steven A. Morrow, Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE – Chris Munro, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor
OPPENHEIMER – Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O’Connell
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn

From what I have read Oppenheimer is leading the charge for the Sound category. It has won awards at its own industry ceremonies and the people involved have all been highly commended in past projects. I personally thought The Creator had great sound in the film and combined with the VFX and other elements it truly expressed the vastness yet familial intimacy of the film. Top Gun featuring Tom Cruise was a winner last year so his involvement in Mission Impossible could secure another win.

My prediction is Oppenheimer – Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O’Connell

VISUAL EFFECTS

THE CREATOR – Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould
GODZILLA MINUS ONE – Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 – Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams and Theo Bialek
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE – Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould
NAPOLEON – Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco and Neil Corbould

From what I have read online, the award could go to either The Creator or Godzilla Minus One. The Creator won big at the VES Awards taking home five prizes but Godzilla Minus One with just a team of 35 artists (allegedly) and the director acting as VFX Supervisor managed to make the most popular box office hit of the Godzilla franchise and the third-highest grossing foreign language film in the US. Poor Things won the BAFTA but with no Oscar nomination, anything could happen. Mission: Impossible had some great Visual Effects combined with the stunts to create some never before seen shots – memorably the motorbike-parachuting off the cliff. Guardians of the Galaxy had a lot of CGI characters including Rocket the Raccoon who had a bigger role this film in addition with all the green screens to create outer space.

I personally think The Creator deserves the award as after learning what their budget was, the film was such high quality and it featured some very exceptional futuristic technology that blended seamlessly with the Asian scenery.

My prediction is Godzilla Minus One – Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

AMERICAN FICTION – Written for the screen by Cord Jefferson
BARBIE – Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach
OPPENHEIMER – Written for the screen by Christopher Nolan
POOR THINGS – Screenplay by Tony McNamara
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Written by Jonathan Glazer

Personally I am not sure what existing story the Barbie screenplay was nominated for is but it looks like the two butting heads are American Fiction and Oppenheimer. American Fiction has won at the BAFTAs and Critics Choice Awards so far with Oppenheimer winning at lesser ceremonies but sweeping the board in other categories. With the Oscars splitting into two categories, Globe winner Anatomy of a Fall has been taken out of the running here. Personally I think the Barbie script was great and encompassed all the different parts of being a woman whilst also funny and serious.

My prediction is American Fiction – Cord Jefferson

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

ANATOMY OF A FALL – Screenplay – Justine Triet and Arthur Harari
THE HOLDOVERS – Written by David Hemingson
MAESTRO – Written by Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer
MAY DECEMBER – Screenplay by Samy Burch; Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik
PAST LIVES – Written by Celine Song

I was only able to watch three of the films this year but the chatter I have seen and based on previous awards, the top contenders are Anatomy of a Fall and May December. Anatomy of a Fall has won big at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes, both shows big indicators for who will take home the Academy Award. Whilst watching The Holdovers, I think the words were chosen carefully to curate the tone and emotion that the film wanted to portray whereas in Past Lives, the words were almost secondary to the emotions and were more regular. Maestro was a good script with many phrases referring to life but to me this film was brought alive by the acting and the music.

My prediction is Anatomy of a Fall – Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

That concludes my predictions for the Academy Awards 2024. I am planning to do a round up of which films were honoured this Awards Season so I will talk through the winners there.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

What I Have Enjoyed at the Cinema This Month

Hello readers,

In the last few weeks, I have seen a few interesting and entertaining films at the cinema including at the London Film Festival so here is my review. While summer blockbusters are over, the rest of the year promises interesting releases both at the cinema and on streaming. So when the autumn weather finally does appear, there will be lots to watch on the big screen or curled up on the sofa at home.

The Creator (2023)

If you’re looking for a film that covers current world issues, then The Creator hits right on the mark. Hollywood writers and actors are just coming to a close on a historic union strike over the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it means for their industries. Studios have already been using AI to create title sequences and there were talks of using it to generate written content and scanning an actor’s likeness for unlimited use.

The Creator looks at a world where AI was invented and integrated into society much earlier than it was in reality. Mankind begin to rely on AI for many household tasks, driving them around, factory work and running the digital space. A devastating nuclear bomb hits Los Angeles killing over one million people and sparking a war between AI and humans.

There are two types of AI, those who fully look like robots and those with human likeness’ having been given the faces of real humans. They are more complex and can do many jobs that humans do not want to do.

In the film we see Josh (John David Washington) with his wife, Maya (Gemma Chan) in an unspecified East Asian country. America has outlawed AI and forced it into hiding on New Asia where AI is still used for the police, farming and the robots are accepted by the people as citizens.

American soldiers attack and while escaping, a pregnant Maya’s boat is blown apart. Josh was actually sent undercover to get close to Maya and her father, Nirmata (The Creator) who made the advanced version – simulants and is rumoured to have made a weapon designed to kill all enemies of AI. Torn with grief for his wife and unborn child, Josh goes back to America to live a quiet life.

Five years later, the American army come knocking. Their new weapon, NOMAD has been launched and flies over the world, scanning and destroying any AI robots it finds. They know Josh is the best connection to Nirmata’s location and filled with hope that Maya is alive after some convincing footage, Josh joins them.

What happens next is an all out war between the Americans, New Asia and its AI friends. Josh finds out that Nirmata’s weapon is a powerful simulant in the form of a child. Together they journey New Asia seeking Maya.

I loved the universe that was created for this film and it really showed what could happen if AI was integrated into society. It was interesting to see the Americans as the enemies, particularly as this is an American made film but after reactions to other attacks on national soil, I am not surprised by their retaliation. I thought the bond between Josh and the child was emotional and this connection only deepens as the film’s plot develops. There was such a mix of technology and old traditions, especially in the small villages that made the film feel realistic and also hopeful that if AI ever becomes sentient in that way, society could integrate.

Watching this film in IMAX made it much more intense and I felt that I couldn’t look away. There was plenty of action scenes but the quieter scenes were poignant and added a lot of heart to the characters. I would definitely recommend watching this one in the cinema and it was a great start to the autumn cinema season. I give it 5/5.

Maestro (2023) – Netflix in December

Bradley Cooper directs and stars as Leonard Bernstein, a New York City conductor and composer from the 1950s, 60s and so on who is known for West Side Story and conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

We see his rise to fame from age 25 as a wannabe musician to a global success with many bows to his string in a lovely sprawling New York Estate. Leonard is eccentric with wild hair and an untameable energy that he pours into his compositions. He also has a variety of male and female lovers with no strong direction until he meets Felicia.

He falls madly in love as they both rise to success, her as a Broadway star. In the later years, with three adult children, Leonard’s discreetness about his relationships with men starts slipping and Felicia is diagnosed with an illness.

The use of black and white and musical elements in the first act of the film helped to demonstrate to the audience how playful Leonard was and never took life too seriously. He saw it as a musical where he could act in any way he wanted with no real consequences. As soon as he gets his taste of fame, conducting the Philharmonic, he realises that to reach a certain level of notoriety, he must keep up appearances.

His later years are in full colour with some very impressive prosthetics showing himself and Felicia (Carey Mulligan) age into New York arts royalty. Bradley Cooper played the character with a lot of depth that is uncovered as the film goes on. His whimsical and spontaneous nature is paired down in public and that is reflected as we only see his public persona as husband and father, rather than his gay affairs.

They come back on screen when he grows to be around 60, turning grey and having had such a successful career that he starts to not care as much as to who knows about his proclivities. Felicia is worried about the children finding out, particularly Jamie (Maya Hawke) who is particularly perceptive.

Carey Mulligan always plays a good role and rather than choosing to see her as the victim here – a wife whose husband would rather play for the other team – I think she has chosen her life and only starts to become intolerant of Leonard’s lifestyle when it endangers the family image and how their children would view their father. She focuses on her own career on stage and screen and keeps close bonds with Jamie and Shirley, Leonard’s sister (Sarah Silverman).

The tone of the film often felt frenetic with Leonard’s intense energy and dramatic conducting scenes, leaving him looking as though he had just taken a bath. One of the best scenes for me was when he is conducting a large orchestra and choir in a church. You can really see his passion for music and tell how his directions make the piece better.

There were many laugh out loud moments, for example when Leonard runs into David (Matt Bomer), ex-lover and now new father in the street with his wife and child and joyfully tells the baby, ‘I’ve slept with both your parents’ and then runs away in glee. The film does take on a sadder tone at the end but Leonard’s gift for music and lust for life pulls you through.

I thought this film was excellent and really captured the spirit of the New York Arts scene at the time and painted a full and varied picture of Leonard’s life. Though brilliant, he had flaws and those are not shied away from. There were some industry heavyweights producing the project including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg so there shouldn’t be any doubts in the quality of this film. It was amazing to see it on the big screen in the Royal Festival Hall at Southbank but if you haven’t managed to get tickets this year then the film will be coming to Netflix this Christmas along with a limited cinema release.

I give the film 5/5.

Priscilla (2023) – Mubi

While many people will have seen Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis that debuted last year to great reviews and Oscar nominations, we did not really see much of Priscilla Presley’s story in there. Sofia Coppola’s new film changes that.

Priscilla focuses on Priscilla’s relationship with Elvis and his treatment of her for the duration of their marriage. We don’t see anything of Elvis that Priscilla doesn’t see and most of the film is set at Graceland where Priscilla spends the majority of their relationship.

The story starts when Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) is 14 years old. Her father has just been shipped out to West Germany in the late 1950s and she is bored. She goes to the diner and does her homework but hasn’t made any friends. Another soldier, Terry and his wife invite Priscilla to a party at Elvis’ house as he likes to meet people from back home. Despite the 10 year age gap, the two hit it off.

Priscilla is thrilled that a star such as Elvis would pay attention to her and manages to convince her parents to let her go to another party at his house. They start a sweet courtship and share a kiss before Elvis goes back to America. Priscilla thinks of him for the next two years. When she is 17, Elvis rings her up and sends for her. She goes to Graceland but after taking a pill, passes out for two days.

Unable to be apart from her rekindled love, she manages to convince her parents to let her permanently move there as long as she enrols in a good Catholic school. Elvis treats her like a queen with gifts and trips to Vegas but begins to control how she dresses and her appearance.

Priscilla then hears rumours of Elvis being involved with his various co-stars in Hollywood. He denies it but also gets angry at Priscilla and sometimes violent with her when she questions his commitment.

To a modern and educated audience, the relationship looks basically like grooming. Priscilla falls deeply in love with a man that is a different generation to herself and also absent for two years but she does start to gain more control when Elvis falls down an alley of drugs and performing.

From what I have seen, Priscilla Presley though she left Elvis, still holds him in great contempt, recently celebrating the 45th anniversary of his death at Graceland, their former home. This film was based on her own book and she was a producer on the film so even if she does not hate him for what he did, she wanted to tell her side of the story and explain why she stayed so long.

The casting of the film was excellent, particularly as Cailee Spaeny looked so young and small next to Jacob Elordi as Elvis and his various friends/cousins that they hung around with at Graceland.

While Jacob Elordi may not receive the praise that Austin Butler did for his portrayal, I think he did a brilliant job with showing the side of Elvis that Priscilla experienced. Even with her, we see his charming persona that many women went crazy for. I think with the hair and the voice, he had more of a look of Elvis than Butler did but this film was not about him.

It was great to see Priscilla find her own life in LA towards the end of her marriage but with the time jump between the situations, it was hard to imagine how a young isolated woman would have found the courage to make new friends and flirt with her karate instructor, all with a young baby and married to the biggest icon on the planet.

Overall, I enjoyed the film but it did leave me feeling quite sad for the life that Priscilla wanted and could have had if Elvis had not been cheating on her and taking all the drugs. It was interesting to only hear mentions of the Colonel in this film whereas in Elvis (2022), he is the narrator and basically the main character of the story. Perhaps this was to show that Priscilla didn’t really know the influence that the Colonel had or the control he wielded over Elvis. There was one time when the Colonel suggested that Elvis take some time for himself and Priscilla stayed at Graceland waiting for him without questioning it.

Looking into the story, some parts were concertinaed for the film so events weren’t quite as shocking as depicted in the film but as Priscilla was involved, the film was very accurate and you could feel her feelings in every scene as they played across Spaeny’s face. It is clear why she won Best Actor at Venice Film Festival. I saw the Special Presentation at the London Film Festival and Cailee Spaeny was there and read a great message from Coppola. The film will be hitting cinemas on Boxing Day and streaming on Mubi sometime in the future. I give it 4/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn