New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Detroit

Kathryn Bigelow once won an Oscar for directing The Hurt Locker, a movie that went on to win it all, way back in 2009 now. She returned with Zero Dark Thirty which did make the Best Picture list, but Bigelow herself was shut out after some ridiculous controversy about how the film endorsed waterboarding engulfed her Oscar chances.

I expect the director is going to have to fight back harder to get back into the winner’s circle. Although I thought Detroit was exceptional, and so did most critics, audiences completely ignored the tough-to-stomach race relations drama. And because it’s Kathryn Bigelow (too successful a woman, if you ask me!), controversy also followed, with individuals questioning whether, because of her race, she is entitled to make a movie about race.

Too bad. Another one bites the dust in the brutal awards combat. I would be surprised if anything from this film got anywhere near the Oscars, but look to see if it shows up in critics’ list for clues as to what may be in store.

Get Out

Meanwhile, it was that “other” film about race that had people talking, what with its 100% RT rating for the longest while, way back in February. Get Out, the scary story about a black guy who visits his girlfriend’s white suburban parents and discovers a disturbing secret, was well-liked by critics and audiences, and could provide some surprises. A screenplay nomination seems in the bag. If you ask me, the movie is too much Stepford Wives, too much Body Snatchers, and I never really got what the big fuss was about. But you’re not asking me for my opinion on the film, but about its Oscar chances.

I’m going no for Best Picture for the moment, but Jordan Peele should be okay to get a nod in this category.

Wonder Woman & Logan

Speaking of Warner Bros., they made a big splash during the summer when they announced that alongside Dunkirk they’d be pushing their golden egg, the surprising and epically successful origin story Wonder Woman, in the awards race, along with its director, Patty Jenkins. I applaud Warner’s commitment - they are pursuing the gender angle on this one - but I am not sure it will result in much. While most involved with the project have been universally praised, the cold harsh truth of the matter is that the snob club that are critics and voting bodies are just not ready to invite these pictures to the party.

Call me antiquated if you will, but I can’t help but agree that movies that depend on this sort of fantastic excitement for its appeal rather than something somewhere more profound or insightful, have one place, but it is not on the winner’s podium. Time may prove us all wrong, or the awards may just become irrelevant. It is great to see a female director break through in this way in this male-dominated movie genre. But I just don’t see it as an awards contender in anything other than minor tech categories. If Deadpool didn’t make it....

And if Gal Godot can’t bring her movie to the game, I doubt Hugh Jackman will. While many tried to play the Logan game, that one is dead in the water.

Acting Races & Screenplay Races

That’s about it in the Best Picture race if you ask me. I tried to reach for something and did my best, but the truth is that there isn’t that much to pick from. Even Taylor Sheridan’s follow-up to Hell or High Water, the magnificent Wind River, hasn’t found that loud critical voice.

Movies by other famed directors (think Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled), or others with lofty names attached to them (think Charlize Theron’s Atomic Blonde) served somewhat niche categories but ultimately will not amount to much beyond potential costumes or cinematography nods.

In the acting races, there is a lot of promise in the future and we will cover that. For now, only Salma Hayek has made some noise really with the Trump-era film Beatriz at Dinner. The other roles that are being floated around seem too small to me.

For screenplay, other than Get Out, it seems like the indie comedy The Big Sick is headed for an original nod. Again, call me out of touch or not understanding what the big deal is about (the movie seems a remake of dozens of others), but there you have it.

Tech Races

The obvious contender here, in addition to what I’ve mentioned above, is the live action version of Beauty and the Beast, which dazzled with production values, costumes, as well as special effects. The latter category could also see the return of the Planet of the Apes franchise, with “War” a potential entrant in Best Visual Effects. And of course all comic book/superhero movies are always a force to reckon with in that category, though none seems to have made a big impact so far.

And when the biggest animated movie so far this year is maybe The Boss Baby, maybe Despicable Me 3, look for this branch to ruffle some feathers with more silent, international, or artsy films, or all of the above, in this category, unless Disney’s Coco has something to say about it.

* * *

That’s it for now! It is truly a joy to be back prognosticating Oscars with you guys. Next week I will offer a preview of the Venice/Telluride/TIFF Festival lineup before heading to the Rockies myself to cover what they have to offer.

Continued:       1       2