[ad_1]
Well, predicting nominees for nine of the 24 Oscar categories just got a little easier. Tuesday afternoon, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced its selections for Best Feature Documentary, International Feature Film, Make-up and Hairstyle, Original Score, Original Score, Visual Effects, Documentary Short, Animated Short and live action short film. And, as you can imagine, there is a lot notable inclusions and omissions that need to be addressed.
238 feature-length documentaries and 93 unprecedented international feature films vied for their respective selection of 15 – and, notably, two films were cut for both: Collective, a doc from Romania on corruption in the health sector in this country; and Mole agent, a doc on a man infiltrated in a Chilean retirement home. Only two previous films, 2011 Pina and 2019 Honeyland, landed on both shortlists.
Other 13 titles on doc’s feature shortlist include long-time alleged leaders Time (Amazon), which illustrates the impact of a harsh prison sentence on a family for many years; Camp Crip (Netflix), about a generation of activists from a 1970s summer camp for disabled children; The truffle hunters (Sony Classics), which follows old people and their dogs hunting white mushrooms in Italy; Welcome to Chechnya (HBO), on LGBTQ abuse in the titular Russian republic; Boys state (Apple), a portrait of a student government rally in Texas; Dick Johnson is dead (Netflix), in which the director inevitably faces the death of her father; and the voter suppression doc All In: the struggle for democracy (Amazon), which highlights Stacey Abrams.
Progress also: 76 days (the very first entry on this shortlist for Sheila nevins‘MTV Documentaries), The painter and the thief (Neon), My octopus teacher (Netflix), Gunda (Neon), MLK / FBI (IFC) and another film that was an international feature film, but did not make the cut in that category, Italy Night (Super LTD).
Among the most notable omissions in feature documentaries are two topical films by former category winners, Bryan Fogelof The dissident, whose film may have been compromised by the presence of another film about the murder of a journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Kingdom of silence (Showtime), which also missed; and Alex gibneyCOVID Chronicle of Totally under control, which was co-directed by Ophelia Harutyunyan and Suzanne hillinger.
Also missing: The social dilemma (Netflix), a widely discussed film about the dangers of social media; On disk (HBO Max), which documented sexual misconduct in the music business; The human factor (Sony Classics), from Dror Moreh, whose first film on the Middle East Peace Process was nominated; I am Greta (Hulu), a behind-the-scenes look at the climate activist Greta Thunberg; two talented films Dawn porter, The way i see it (Focus) and John Lewis: Good problem (Magnolia / Participant); The fight (Magnolia / Theme); Ron howardof Rebuild paradise (Nat Geo); and Town hall (Zipporah), which means the legendary 2016 Honorary Oscar recipient Frederick wiseman, 91, will go another year without her first Oscar nomination.
In something of a rarity there is no shocking omissions from the list of international feature films – go back and see how many years I could tell! Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominees are in attendance Another round (Denmark), Two of us (France) and La Llorona (the first film ever to be shortlisted from Guatemala). Two high profile non-English speaking films that received the names of Globe and Critics Choice, in Korean Threatening and in italian Life to come, were not eligible for Oscar recognition, the first because it is an American production and the second because Italy chose to submit the aforesaid instead. Night (which was not nominated in this category).
The rest of the list includes the very first film selected in Tunisia, The man who sold his skin, and buzzed titles from Taiwan (A sun), Russia (Dear friends!), Ivory Coast (Kings night), Norway (Hope, which is currently being adapted into an English series by Nicole kidman), Iran (Children of the Sun), Czech Republic (Charlatan), Hong Kong (Better days), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Quo Vadis, Aida?) and Mexico (Netflix’s I am no longer here, which was touted by “the Three Amigos”).
Both musical categories are still closely watched, as they involve many renowned contenders. And, of course, this year’s list of 15 original songs includes songs written by, among others, Janelle Monae (“Turntables” from doc All In: the struggle for democracy), Mary J. Blige (“See what you did” from The belly of the beast), Leslie Odom, Jr. (Nominated for Golden Globe and Critics Choice “Speak Now” by One night in Miami), HER (Nominated for Globe and Critics Choice “Fight for You” by Judas and the Black Messiah), Charlie puth (“Free of The one and only Ivan), Celestial (Nominated for the Globe “Hear My Voice” by The Chicago 7 trial) and Christina aguilera (“Loyal Brave True” from Mulan) – and of them of John legend (“Never Break” from doc Give voice and “Make It Work from Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey).
The rest of the list is filled with “Io Si (Vu)” of Life to come (a Globe and Critics’ Choice nominee for Eternal Bridesmaid at the Oscars Diane warren), “Green” from Sound of metal, “Show me your soul” from Mr. Soul!, “Rain Song” by Threatening and two laugh-out-loud comedy numbers: Critics Choice nominee “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of the Fire Saga“(what a star Will ferrell promised me he would sing at the Oscars if nominated) and “Wuhan Flu Song” by Next Borat movie (the performance of the MAGA gun rally which almost led to the lynching of Sacha Baron Cohen).
MY: Andra’s Day“Tigress & Tweed”, nominated for the Globe and Critics’ Choice of The United States vs. Billie Holiday, Taylor Swift“Only the Young” from the doc Miss Americana, Justin timberlake“Just Sing” by Trolls: Around the world (he was nominated for the previous installment “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”), nominated for Critics Choice “Everybody Cries” by The outpost and Kristen wiig and Annie mumolo“I Love Boobies” by Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar.
Which brings us to original scores. Among the 15 shortlisted are all the usual suspects: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross‘ Mank and Soul (the latter of which they composed with Jon baptiste), both nominated for Globe and Critics Choice; three other Globe and Critics Choice nominees, Alexander Desplatof Midnight sky; James newton howardof World news and Ludwig Goranssonof Principle; Emile mosseriNominated by Critics Choice Threatening; and Terence blanchardof Da 5 Bloods, Daniel Pembertonof The Chicago 7 trial, Dustin O’Halloran and Volker Bertelmannof Ammonite, Benjamin wallfischof The invisible Man and Mulan through Harry gregson-williams (who was also a writer of the aforementioned “Loyal Brave True”).
If there is a surprise in the list, it’s that John debneyof Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey to choke Elliot Goldenthalof Glories.
The 10 makeup and hairstyling finalists, who will each be invited to present seven-minute clips during a March 6 bakeoff, include four of the six nominees for the corresponding Critics Choice Award, Emma, Hillbilly Elegy, Ma Rainey’s black background and Mank. (The two that missed: Promising young woman and The United States vs. Billie Holiday.)
Some expected to see Prom appears on this shortlist, but she was beaten by Birds of prey, Glories, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, The small things, One night in Miami and Pinocchio.
My colleague Carolyn Giardina, our tech writer, has more to say than I do on the 10-track visual effects shortlist (each of which will be able to feature 10-minute snippets during a March 6 bakeoff). But, for me it is not surprising to find Principle, Mank and Midnight sky on the list, not to mention less acclaimed but large-scale studio projects like Birds of prey, Bloodshot, Love and monsters, Mulan and The one and only Ivan. I’m a little surprised, but pleasantly, that the list also includes entertainment Soul and documentary Welcome to Chechnya, the latter uses controversial “deep fake” technology to protect the identity of LGBTQ people and their protectors in Chechnya. I would have thought that The invisible Man would have made the cut too, but it doesn’t.
Finally, there are the three shortlists – try to say it quickly a few times in a row – of 10 each. I don’t claim to be familiar with many titles that made or didn’t make the cut, as I don’t usually watch shorts until the preselections are announced. But I will say that I am delighted to be included on the live action list of Two distant strangers, a kind of groundhog day on police brutality, which I discussed with the co-director Free Travon and executive producer Sean ‘Diddy’ combs on a recent episode of my podcast (it’s still looking for cast but this Black History Month I expect a streamer to pick it up pronto); and two impressive Netflix entries, A song for Latasha and What would Sophia Loren do?, on the doc shortlist, and a third, the 2D If something happens i love you, on the lively short list.
Applications voting for all categories will run from March 5-10. Nominees for the 93rd Academy Awards will be announced on March 15. And the Oscars itself will take place – in one form or another – on April 25.
[ad_2]
Source link