The 91st Annual Academy Awards: Who Should Win (Part II)
We are just one day away from this year’s Oscar ceremony, following what has been the most unpredictable awards season in recent memory. In this article, I rank the Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay nominees while delving into my take on the relative merit of the contenders.
This article covers the following four Oscar categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Adapted Screenplay. To find out who I think should win the four acting Oscars, click here.
To find out who I think will win, check out my Oscar preview article.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
5.) Joel and Ethan Coen, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Prior Oscar Appearances: Collectively, the filmmaking duo has 16 prior nominations and 4 wins). The three nominations scored by the Coen brothers’ quirky anthology of Western shorts that premiered on Netflix was a big surprise on Oscar morning. It demonstrates their sheer name recognition and the increasing power of streaming services. It is a solid collection featuring well-acted and beautifully shot vignettes, but overall it does not cohere particularly well as a film. Furthermore, many of the vignettes end without any real resolution (narratively or thematically), which is a major limitation of its screenplay in particular.
4.) Bradley Cooper, Will Fetters, and Eric Roth, A Star is Born (Prior Oscar Appearances: This is Cooper’s first nomination for writing, but he has been nominated 6 times for acting and producing; this is the first nomination for Fetters; Roth previously won for writing Forrest Gump and was additionally nominated for writing The Insider, Munich, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). This trio of co-writers did a superb job with their modernization of the oft-told tale (which has already been filmed 3 times.) They pay homage to the preceding versions while adding powerful and unique elements (e.g., Jackson’s relationship with his half-brother/manager.) The dialogue doesn’t always sparkle and the narrative has some pacing issues, but this is a very worthy nominee.
3.) Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk (Prior Oscar Appearances: He previously won this category for Moonlight and was also nominated for directing that film). Two years after delivering the spellbinding and culturally significant Moonlight, Barry Jenkins returned with this compelling and thought-provoking adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel. Although the screenplay struggles a bit to make its two main characters multidimensional, it deserves immense praise for the nuanced manner in which it balances the competing demands of two vitally important social issues — the wrongful incarceration of black men and the need to believe women when they make sexual assault accusations.
2.) Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott, and David Rabinowitz, BlacKkKlansman (Prior Oscar Appearances: See Best Director below regarding Lee; this is the first nomination for the other three.) This quartet expertly adapted the memoir of former Colorado Springs police officer Ron Stallworth and created a film full of wry wit, sharp observations, and well-developed characters that chugs along at a crisp pace. This would make an extremely worthy winner.
1.) Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Prior Oscar Appearances: None; this is the first nomination for both of them). As good as BlacKkKlansman is, I can’t help but give my top spot to the duo who brought disgraced biographer Lee Israel’s memoir to the big screen. The screenplay turns a mildly interesting crime into brilliant cinema by focusing on the painful inner lives and poignant relationship between its two central characters. It is the most richly developed character study I have seen on the big screen in years and is quietly revolutionary in its depiction of queerness.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
5.) Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, and Nick Vallelonga, Green Book (Prior Oscar Appearances: None; this is the first nomination for all 3). If you’re going to release a film in 2018 that includes scenes in which a white man teaches a black man how to eat fried chicken so he can be more authentic and a queer man begs forgiveness from a straight man after being arrested for consensual gay sex, you better have a compelling reason for doing so. This film does not. It is a clunky throwback to the old days in every way — its tone, its pacing, its ideology, and its characterizations. And even worse than being un-woke and out-dated it’s woefully boring and riddled with cliches. This screenplay does not belong anywhere near this category.
4.) Adam McKay, Vice (Prior Oscar Appearances: See below). When the film opens, on-screen text points out that as Dick Cheney is one of the most secretive public figures in American history, there is very little to work with when writing a biopic. Instead of letting this deter him, McKay concocts a chaotic, nonlinear mashup of scenes that provide an occasionally interesting backstory, recreations of well-known moments, cathartic releases of liberal anger, and mostly unsuccessful detours (the less said about the ridiculously over-the-top Shakespeare in the bedroom scene the better.) Some say it should get points for originality. My take is that the film says very little and does so in the exact same manner as McKay’s vastly superior The Big Short.
3.) Alfonso Cuaron, Roma (Prior Oscar Appearances: See Best Director below). Roma is a superb film (more on that later), but by its very design its screenplay is not its strongest aspect. That is not to say it is weak. Although the minority who disliked the film say “nothing happens” in it, I found it to be a compelling narrative marked by poignant character development and powerful commentary about the economic and racial divides that exist in Mexico.
2.) Paul Schrader, First Reformed (Prior Oscar Appearances: None; Remarkably despite writing two of the most acclaimed films in Hollywood history — Taxi Driver and Raging Bull — he has never been nominated). After failing to be nominated for the multi-nominated Scorsese masterworks Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, Schrader scores his first nomination for a film that received no other nominations. (First Reformed should have at least scored an additional nomination for Ethan Hawke’s superb lead performance.) His screenplay is thought-provoking and quite singular as it explores characters, settings, and themes rarely explored in contemporary film. I may not have been a fan of every choice he made, but it is an exceedingly impressive work that proves that he has much left to say.
1.) Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite (Prior Oscar Appearances: None; this is the first nomination for both of them). By far the best nominee in this category, the screenplay for The Favourite would make a worthy winner in any year. The film takes one of the stalest of all sub-genres — the British costume drama — and manages to make it something fresh and urgent. The tale of two scheming women who compete for the affections of the deeply troubled Queen Anne is full of surprising twists, wicked humor, and cunning dialogue. It gets extra bonus points for the way its themes subtly parallel one of the most tragic aspects of the Trump administration — seemingly strong, decent people who debase themselves in horrifying ways to attach themselves to power.
BEST DIRECTOR:
5.) Adam McKay, Vice (Prior Oscar Appearances: He was previously nominated in this category for 2015’s The Big Short, for which he won Best Adapted Screenplay; he is also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay this year). Just as he did with the film’s screenplay (see above), McKay attempts to recapture all that made The Big Short such a strong film by using the same quirky techniques that worked in that film (e.g., fourth-wall breaking, showy editing, celebrity-delivered exposition). Rather than show his brilliance by repeating this feat, McKay shows that he is a one-trick pony. His direction is as subtle as a two-by-four over the head and hardly as effective.
4.) Pawel Pawlikowski, Cold War (Prior Oscar Appearances: He won Best Foreign Language Film for 2014’s Ida, but has never been nominated for Best Director; he is also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film this year). Pawikowski’s nomination here was a welcome surprise on Oscar nomination morning, even if he likely took the spot of the very deserving Bradley Cooper. This year’s other foreign language, black-and-white period film about an auteur’s parents is almost as audacious as Roma, even if it does not work quite as well for me in the whole. The film is an aesthetic masterwork, with its powerful use of music, decisive editing, and memorable imagery. It is a worthy successor to his Oscar-winning Ida.
3.) Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman (Prior Oscar Appearances: He has previously received nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Documentary Feature as well as an Honorary Oscar, but has never before been nominated for Best Director; he is also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay this year). Spike Lee is long overdue for a competitive Oscar and BlacKkKlansman marks one of his finest achievements. It is crisply paced, riveting, and uses quirky directorial tricks (e.g., historical film footage, fictional news reels, contemporary news footage) far more successfully than McKay’s Vice. His work here is far from subtle but it is undeniably powerful and ultimately very successful.
2.) Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite (Prior Oscar Appearances: He has previously received nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film, but has never before been nominated for Best Director). The Greek auteur made his most mainstream film yet with this nevertheless bizarre upending of the historical costume drama. He meticulously recreates court life of the era, while paying careful attention to the bizarre details that films typically miss. He perfectly captures the brilliant performances of the film’s three leading ladies. He keeps things at exactly the right pace and tone throughout. And his clever use of the fish-eye lens in several key scenes was a risky but ultimately successful choice.
1.) Alfonso Cuaron, Roma (Prior Oscar Appearances: He has 1 prior nomination and win in this category for Gravity; he has 5 other prior nominations in other categories and 5 total nominations this year for Roma). Alfonso Cuaron’s follow-up to Gravity seems like a 180 degree pivot on the surface. Whereas Gravity was a brief, thrilling contemporary film set in outer space, Roma is methodically paced slow-burn of a historical film that is set in the routine of daily domestic life. However, the two films share some key similarities. They are both fully immersive and deeply emotional films about the internal experiences of strong women. And they are also equal in their brilliance. From the hypnotic opening shot to the moving final image, the film is a string of strikingly staged and unforgettable scenes.
BEST PICTURE:
8.) Green Book (5 total nominations). My take is that the first three films on this list are among the weakest to be nominated for the top Oscar in recent memory. (One would have to go back to 2011’s lineup that included Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and War Horse to find one with such clunkers.) Of the three, I found Green Book the hardest to sit through. Beyond its painfully outdated themes, it is a slow-paced, cliche-ridden bore that failed to move or amuse me.
7.) Bohemian Rhapsody (5 total nominations). Ever-so-slightly ahead of Green Book is this Freddie Mercury biopic that was met with very weak reviews upon its release but rode huge box office to shocking awards season success. Though it is far more entertaining than Green Book, the film is equally problematic thematically. Its dark, tragic take on Mercury’s sexuality and failure to adequately explore his racial and cultural background are huge missed opportunities. Bohemian Rhapsody is ultimately a by-the-numbers musical biopic that is hardly worthy of its legendary subject.
6.) Vice (8 total nominations). I will not rehash my evaluation of the film’s weaknesses that I outlined above, but I will say that the film simply did not work for me as entertainment. It was all over-the-place and uninvolving. It is hard to believe that a compelling film could not be strung together when the two central performances were that inspired and skillful.
5.) Black Panther (7 total nominations). Now onto five great films that are richly deserving nominees. Much ado has been made about the fact that Black Panther is the first superhero movie or movie based on a comic book to be nominated for the top prize. There has been a very small handful that have been deserving over the years, but none more than this. Ryan Coogler’s film is not just a great superhero movie, but a great movie overall. It is well acted by a brilliant cast and the screenplay is full of humor, tension, and rich sociopolitical commentary. It is not here because of its singular box office success or cultural significance — it is here because it is a damn good movie.
4.) BlacKkKlansman (6 total nominations). I have published my full review of the film in a previous post, but as a quick recap, I found BlacKkKlansman to be one of the most thought-provoking, timely, and entertaining films of the year. It is a stunning achievement by a filmmaking legend; one which I truly believe will stand the test of time.
3.) The Favourite (10 total nominations). As stated above, the combination of an exceedingly clever screenplay, a trio of brilliant performances, and the bizarre but assured touches of an unconventional director made this one of the year’s best surprises.
2.) A Star is Born (8 total nominations). I have written at length about my admiration of this film in a prior post, but I will briefly summarize. Although it has its imperfections, the fourth iteration of A Star is Born is a great artistic achievement. It showcases wrenching, nuanced and award-worthy work from three well-known stars. It updates an oft-told tale with contemporary themes and a modern edginess without sacrificing that which made the first three films so beloved. And it has some of the most raw and authentic musical sequences ever to make their way into a feature film.
1.) Roma (10 total nominations). Despite the unanimous praise heaped on Roma by critics, I found myself skeptical going into the film. I have seen far too many supposed masterworks by beloved auteurs that left me cold to get my hopes up. But for me, Roma was an immersive and powerful experience that worked on many levels beyond the obviously impressive aesthetics. It definitely is not for everyone, but this is one film buffs will rightfully be revering for decades to come.
Click here to see my rankings of the four acting nominees.
Click here to see my predictions in all 24 Oscar categories.
I will be blogging all throughout awards season, so follow me on Medium and/or Twitter if you want to stay up to date on how things progress!
Check out my other awards show articles on the Oscar hosting and popular film category controversies, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Primetime Emmys.
Check out my articles about the following nominees: BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, and A Star is Born
