Nomadland [Hulu/VOD]

 

This was an amazing film! I really, really liked it. Definitely the Best Film of this awards season (thus far, but then, not many films are left to watch). 

Writer/Director/Editor Chloe Zhao did a fantastic, stupendous, there-are-not-enough-adjectives-to-describe job in creating this deceptively simple but yet utterly complex film. At times almost documentary-like in its coverage of the nomads it depicts, and at times a gorgeous travelogue of middle America, and yet at times an intimate character study of a fascinating and deeply flawed but oddly relatable individual. 

Absolute kudos to Frances McDormand for giving yet another transformative and riveting performance rooted in a sincere honesty that really did seemed genuine and heartfelt. 

Also, hands down one of the best cinematography of the season! Cinematographer Joshua James Richards captured an almost National Geographic/BBC Earth-like depiction of the American landscape with his stunning wide-angles and all the beautiful light mother nature has to offer. But not just the great outdoors, one of his best moments was a tiny, indoor, private moment where the light was just so intimately captured as it played across the faces. 

Zhao also had the music of Ludovico Einaudi played throughout the film and his haunting piano scores added even more textures and emotional resonance - but never cloying or manipulative - to the film. 

This truly was an extraordinary film and a pity it could not be fully enjoyed on the big screen. 

The only other named actor in the film was David Strathairn but even he paled in comparison with the first-time performers that Zhao had surrounded McDormand with. Zhao managed to coaxed performances out of these true nomads that was, again, honest and sincere. And this translated beautifully on the screen with their relationship with McDormand. That really gave this film a rare coat of authenticity that was not glossy or false. 

Zhao non-narrative storytelling never felt difficult nor pretentious. As we followed McDormand, we slowly understood the purpose and the story that Zhao wanted to tell. There was no rushing, no dramatics, no histrionics but yet this film had so much soul, so much feelings and so much emotions. Each passing encounter or each fleeing moment just made sense. There was love, there was tragedy, there was friendship, there was fear, there was anger and there was - ultimately - hope. A Best Adapted Screenplay nomination is definitely on the cards, but this will a tough category this season and it will be unlikely to win given that it will be going against a few heavyweights like Mank, One Night in Miami, The Father, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and even the Borat sequel.

McDormand is definitely in line for another Best Actress nomination. Looks like it will be either be her or Viola Davis for the statuette (with Carey Mulligan a dark horse). McDormand's vanity-free performance was riveting and like all great actors, she does so little but yet achieves so much. Hers is a face that speaks a thousands words. Her eyes holds so much emotions that you fear you might drown if you stare at them too long. This is a woman that has connected with her character and has became her. McDormand was Fern and Fern was her. Where Mildred Hayes - her last Oscar-winning performance in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - was loud and commanding and demanded your attention, Fern was quieter, controlled but yet equally your eyes are drawn to her.

This was an unlikely hopeful film. It has hope for the present and hope for the future. It is a film that dared you to be you and dared you to believe in yourself. Simply amazing. Zhao has outdone herself and now has made the upcoming MCU Eternals a must-watch (no pressure!)