Master [Amazon Prime]

Regina Hall gave one of her best performances in a moody, atmospheric horror film that relied more on psychological terror and actual socio-political racial satire. The real evil, as writer/director Mariama Diallo kept drumming in, was America and its ever pervasive and insidious casual racism. The relentless onslaught of micro-aggressions, colourisms, and white privilege that our Black protagonists have to endure was honestly more shocking and bracing than the actual supernatural terror that may or may not just be in their head. 

Master may lack the satirical elegance of Jordan Peele's Get Out, but it did make up for it in its horror component with its reliance on Zoe Renee's unreliable narrator, New England's history of witchcraft and the winterscape. Charlotte Hornsby's cinematography was effectively used to punctuate the growing senses of dread and the juxtaposition of light and shadows as both a thematic and atmospheric choice.

At a brisk 90-plus minutes, the Master was not demanding but Diallo sure did have a lot to say and did try to say/crammed into it. The decision to partition the film into chapters allowed for the passage of time, but it also resulted in a slight interruption of the narrative flow especially with regard to the breaking psyche of those involved. The film could have been a little tighter, removed some of the less consequential subplots, and focused more on either Hall or Renee instead of trying to balance both their storylines simultaneously.

The third actress in this mix was theatre actress Amber Grey and her role was the lynchpin of the Third Act. Her performance was intentionally opaque and vague, but again, her story - and purpose - was too much weight on a small film to carry. 

Following her turn on Nine Perfect Strangers, Hall is finally getting the recognition she deserved and hopefully with this project, she will start getting more films and shows that allow for her to shine. As for Diallo, hopefully she gets a bigger budget for a tighter film because she definitely has a voice and something to say about America.

Turning Red [Disney+]

Like with all Pixar animations, a ranking of their latest within their canon is unavoidable (well, at least until they gets repetitive and boring and it becomes untenable), but Turning Red lands somewhere in the top half of their repertoire (of 25 films). I hesitate to put it in the top third, cause that means it will be at least in top 8/9,  which is kind of impossible. 

What Turning Red has going for it was relatability. Like all good Pixar films, the story was relatable not only for children but also for the adults watching it. Who cannot relate to the awkward pains of adolescent and puberty? The need to please your parents but yet rebel against them? The joy of hanging out with your friends? The chase /of teeny pop idols? The binging of soap operas? And of course, who does not love a big, fluffy, red panda? Coupled that with a healthy dose of humour and an all inclusive supporting cast, it was hard not to be charmed by this coming of age, fantastical story co-written and directed by Domee Shi. 

Then, of course, also undeniably, the Asian pull is strong in this, from the food, to the traditions, to the anime-like sequences (I see you Sailor Moon!). 

This was ultimately a story about family and the bond between parent and child, and specifically mother and daughter, and in that aspect, some might feel a slight disconnect. Menarche and menstruation (or even in a male context, wet dreams and masturbation) is not as universal as death, purpose in life, joy and depression.

However, what was crucial were the feelings associated with growing up and being a teenager. The frustrations between being your parents' child and being one with your friends. The blossoming feelings for someone else. he fantasies of being with a superstar. Who dares to say that these feelings are unrelatable? Shi chose to center the story on a teenage girl because that was what she and co-writer Julia Cho knows best, and that gave the story an authenticity that so many male-led, female protagonists-driven narratives lacked. 

But one thing that it did not succeed as well as the other top tier-ed Pixar films was its emotional heart. Sure, there were laughters throughout the film, but the emotional core was too well telegraphed. It was beat-by-beat and predictable, as were the feelings that ought to be felt. It kind of lacked that missing ingredient in really good Pixar films that just hit the gut and the mind at the same time. A minor quip, but one that truly kept Turning Red from being great - and possibly from winning next year's Oscars. 

Nonetheless kudos to the voice cast and especially Sandra Oh! She was an inspired choice. An amazing voice actress! She imbued her character with such rich emotional complexities that it was at times heartbreaking. And she just sounds like she was having a blast!

Of course we also needed to add Billie Ellish and Finneas O'Connor to the soundtrack to cash in on the GenZs. Let us be practical on that, but at least their boyband songs sounded appropriately 90s.

Turning Red as a little post-credits stinger, stay to the end! 

The Eyes of Tammy Faye [HBO Max]

Jessica Chastain was fantastic in this otherwise middling, unfocused and vague biographical drama of ex-televangelist, LGBTQ-icon, Tammy Faye Bakker. Not only was Chastain lost in the make-up and prosthetics, she was also fully immersed in her role, giving a full-bodied and unapologetic performance, embracing the voice, the idiosyncrasies, the mannerisms of one Tammy Faye. But if only the screenplay, by Abe Slyvia, managed to support her. 

Chastain and Andrew Garfield had great chemistry together, and Garfield on his own did good work in portraying Jim Bakker, but we never really got to deep dive into either Tammy Faye as a person or their marriage. Consequently, the movie always just felt that much more superficial and lacking in focus. It seemed more interested in painting the broad strokes of the Praise The Lord empire - and they were very broad strokes - than filling in the shades and hues of the people that created the PTL network. 

Regardless, Chastain was indeed very good, and in the footsteps of Charlize Theron in Monster and Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour, the Oscar will be hers to lose (and the SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards have also kind of cemented that). But unfortunately, just like Renee Zellweger for Judy and Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady, the talented Chastain will get rewarded for a so-so film. 

In Tammy Faye, Chastain avoided the easy route of an all-out impression and mimicry, instead - in some of the film's finer (not finest) moments - Chastain allowed us to glimpse the fragility and naivety that still remained this louder-than-life personality. It is to her credit that Tammy Faye was not just a one-note, two-dimensional character. 

Cherry Jones, as Tammy Faye's mother, was the only other supporting actor that seemed to be able to hold onto her own, and their relationship, as brief as it was depicted in these 126 minutes, was actually a highlight. The evolution and the unspoken love was more so than anything between Tammy Faye and Jim. 

The Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling is almost guaranteed, and barring an upset, Chastain will finally get her first Oscar, ten years after her first nomination.

The Hand of God (È stata la mano di Dio) [Netflix]

 

Paolo Sorrentino's latest film is also one of his most personal. A semi-autobiographical, coming of age story mired by tragedy but punctuated with delightful humour, insightful truths and personal reflections. At times fable-like and at times surrealistic, Sorrentino's camera offered a voyeuristic look into this family and the protagonist - a stand-in for him - as we watch him navigate through this eventful phase of his life.

There is pain, but there was also love. The love amongst the family felt palpable and genuine. This was a small film that felt authentically intimate. It had not been shaped nor moulded to fit the masses, and I doubt it will gain the mass appeal of Sorrentino's other big hits. However, here we have a filmmaker telling a personal story and we should be so fortunate to be allowed a step into this personal space.

In Filippo Scotti, Sorrentino has discovered a star in the making. With his curls and waif-ish men-boy look, comparisons with Timothee Chalamet will be inevitable, but Scotti's Fabietto had more of an innocence to his eyes than Chalamet's Elio, and as the protagonist Scotti's wide-eyed view of the world allowed us - cynical folks - to be simultaneously detached from his experience but also empathetic to it. And that was the power of Sorrentino's storytelling.

The supporting cast were great, especially Teresa Saponagelo and Toni Servillo as the parents, Luisa Ranieri as the enigmatic, tortured Aunt Patrizia and Betti Pedrazzi as the mysterious and cantankerous but wise Baroness.

Diego Maradona's infamous comment of course gave the film its title, but Maradona himself played little role in the story itself except as a placement in time. 

With the Venice Film Festival Grand Jury prize under its belt (and the Marcello Mastrolianni Award for Scotti), it was no surprise then that The Hand of God is also now in the running for an Oscar. But it will be against stiff competition in the International Feature Film category with Drive My Car as the clear favourite.

Flee [Hulu]

 

This was cinema. It was no wonder that Flee became the first film to get simultaneously nominated for Best International Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature and Best Animated Feature.

The animation employed here was a tool to convey a harrowing, hearbreaking and poignantly timely story of escape and freedom. Animation allowed the story to be told but also allowed the film makers to hide Amin Nawabi's true identity - for reasons made clear in the documentary - and to tell an unrestricted and unflinching story. The animation also helped to recreate moments from his past and his memories, but these scenes were never indulgent nor exploitive. Just like a documentary, they were meant to convey and express. 

Flee was not only a story about Nawabi's flight away from politics, war, oppression, intolerance, bigotry, but also from the binds within himself. The guilt of escaping; the guilt of being alive; the guilt of being "different".  This was a documentarial masterclass in empathy. Nawabi's journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance also became our journey of reflection and learning. We are there with him through his childhood in Kabul, through the harrowing months in Moscow, through the arduous and terrifying escapes - yes, plural - to get asylum. 

And it was a brilliant choice to juxtapose the past with the present, which allowed us to see how much he has grown but yet had not. His future has not been set but we - like him - are trepidatious about how it will be. Will he give himself the chance to love, to settle, to be free? Or will he always be trapped by the fear?

Those final few moments of the film were brilliant. They brought tears, laughter, joy and - most importantly - hope. There is not a more timely film right now about our current world's situation. 

Peace.

The Mitchells vs the Machines [Netflix]

Now, my money is on this winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It had everything, except songs, but then it had that one great sing-a-long momnent, so maybe, it did have everything! It had a great animation style - a brilliant mix of 2D, 3D, computer-animation and hand drawn - it was funny (seriously, a few good laugh out loud moments), emotional and heartwarming (parents and children, siblings, familial bonds), and most importantly it did not dumb down. The themes of being yourself, loving means letting go, acceptance are universal but they were never pandered to the lowest IQ-level. There was still a lot of heart in the story as irreverent, absurdist, fantastical as it was. 

The animation style was amazing. It was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse but without the comic book vibes, instead it felt more organic to a "human" story. The 2D and hand drawn details just added another layer of familiarity and authenticity to the story.

Sure, the premise of the film was a sci-fi, robotic apocalypse that left only this one, dysfunctional family to save ALL OF HUMANITY from is kind of a trope, but the values it carried was beautifully laid out through the slightly long 114 minutes. Director and co-writer Mike Rianda never beat it into you and never lay it out point-blank. He slowly unfurled the knots within the Mitchells such that the climatic scene was well-earned and the epilogue a sweet, well-deserved ending.

It definitely also helped that Rianda and co-writer Jeff Rowe populated the story with interesting side characters to lighten the mood and bring the laughs. However, they have also sneakily imbued these minor side pieces with learning lessons of their own, e.g. social media envy, self-improvement, doing the right thing, acceptance.

And of course kudos to Rianda et all for having a LGBTQIA+ protagonist but never really making their sexuality a focus of the film. 

As for the voice cast, first of all, cast Olivia Colman as your evil AI overlord Every. Single. Time. She was a hoot and stole everything scene! Abbi Jacobson gave our protagonist Katie a real sense of teenage angst, growth and maturity, and Maya Rudoph continues to be an excellent voice actress following her Emmy-winning success on Big Mouth. And director Rianda seemed to be having lots of fun voicing Aaron and the Furbies.

O.M.G. The Furbies are still scary. Terrifying.

The only complaint I have of this film was that it could have been a little tighter in the middle act and perhaps lose about 10 to 15 minutes. That would have kept the story more streamlined and the pacing to the climax more urgent. Nonetheless, this is most likely another Sony upset for the Oscar. 

94th Academy Awards (Oscars 2022)

A year that started coming back to some sense of normalcy as the pandemic waned. The film fests again was a launching pad for many of what would be the year's biggest award contenders. Sundance had CODA, Cannes had Drive My Car, Venice had The Power of the Dog and Spencer and Telluride had Belfast. Foreign films continued to enchant with Drive My Car, The Worst Person in the World, L'evenement and even Titane picking up accolades and raves throughout. Streaming also had a good year, Netflix dominated with films like The Power of the Dog, The Lost Daughter, Don't Look Up, Tick Tick...Boom and Passing, AppleTV had the big hit CODA and even Amazon is in the running for Being the Ricardos. Musicals tried to connect with the audience but unfortunately as great as they were, films like West Side Story and Into the Heights failed to connect with the pockets of the general public. 

The nominees these years were a good bunch, all very deserving (especially given that that atrocious House of Gucci was mostly snubbed). Sure, as usual, some nods were overlooked - smaller films and less-known names overlooked for the big shiny marquee names. Nonetheless, it was still a good crop of nominees. 

As usual, remember, the winner may not always be the best of the year. Every time, it is about the narrative and sometimes who deserved (to finally) win.

*Winners are highlighted in red. 

BEST PICTURE

Belfast

CODA

Don't Look Up

Drive My Car

Dune

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Who Should Win: Drive My Car
Who Will Win: The Power of the Dog
Who Could Win: CODA

The Power of the Dog was the most powerful film of the year. It had all the crafts going for it but also a layered, nuanced emotional story anchored by a phenomenal cast that brought layers and complexity to a relatively simple story (looking at you Dune). However, in my heart, Drive My Car was a cinematic achievement. Director Rysuke Hamaguchi spun a short story into a three-hours emotional epic into the human psyche the never - ever - felt wasted and so empathetic. CODA, on the other hand, is gaining steam and momentum for its well-liked cast and feel good sentimentality. Similarly, that also extends to King Richard. The Power of the Dog only has its Netflix-bias against it and of course Jane Campion's recent faux pas. 

BEST DIRECTOR

Kenneth Branagh, Belfast

Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car

Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza

Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog

Steven Spielberg, West Side Story

Who Should Win: Jane Campion 
Who Will Win: Jane Campion
Who Could Win: Steven Spielberg

As above, Campion's biggest obstacle will the HUGE faux pas she made at the Critics Choice Awards. Voters may turn away from her and in that case, Spielberg might be the safest bet. Everybody - but the paying audience - seemed to love and appreciate West Side Story, Hamaguchi may get his rewards from Best Adapted Screenplay and Best International Film, Branagh's Belfast is not as well-received as it thinks it is and Anderson's Licorice Pizza may just be too lightweight for the voters.

BEST ACTOR

Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog

Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick...Boom!

Will Smith, King Richard

Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Who Should Win: Benedict Cumberbatch
Who Will Win: Will Smith
Who Could Win: Benedict Cumberbatch

This is going to be a two-horse race between two very well-liked actors. Smith had a star-making turn in King Richard in which he effectively carried the film throughout. It was a transformative role for him and gave him a whole range of emotions to work with. Cumberbatch, on the other hand, had the more subdued role. Less showy than Smith but equally emotional. Nuanced and layered, sympathetic and detested. But I think Oscar voters will try their best to avoid #OscarsSoWhite again. Washington is barely campaigning and he has already won, Bardem was great and this is his recognition, and Garfield still got years ahead of him to really breakout.

BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter

Penelope Cruz, Parallel Mothers

Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos

Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Who Should Win: Jessica Chastain
Who Will Win: Jessica Chastain
Who Could Win: Nicole Kidman

Unlike the actors, this is a tough race to call. Essentially a 3 to 4 horse race, sorry Cruz. Interestingly enough, as many have pointed out, none of the Best Actress nominees are in films nominated for a Best Picture. Given that all these five women were phenomenon in their roles, this lead me to believe that the winner will eventually be either the actress that voters most respect, i.e. Olivia Colman, most deserving, i.e. Chastain, or in a movie most actors supported, i.e Kidman. As long as there is no Lady Gaga, I am all for anyone to win this year.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Ciaran Hinds, Belfast

Troy Kotsur, CODA

Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog

J.K. Simmons, Being the Ricardos

Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Who Should Win: Troy Kotsur
Who Will Win: Troy Kotsur
Who Could Win: Kodi Smit-McPhee

Smit-McPhee has been the front-runner in this race ever since The Power of the Dog screened. He gave an intense, indecipherable, meticulous performance that continued to haunt even after the film is over. However, Kotsur is having a late surge, and as the only acting nominee for the well-liked CODA, he may end up getting the award for his hilarious and heartwarming portrayal. And no doubt well-deserved too.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter

Ariana DeBose, West Side Story

Judi Dench, Belfast

Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog

Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Who Should Win: Ariana DeBose
Who Will Win: Ariana DeBose
Who Could Win: Aunjanue Ellis

Fantastic performances by all five women here. Although Caitriona Balfe should have gotten that Belfast nomination, even though Dame Dench had that one powerful final scene. Nonetheless, this award is DeBose's to lose. Her Anita was the absolute standout of West Side Story and based solely off America, her performance was seared into memory. Ellis and Dunst will be the close contenders. Both well respected veteran actresses who finally have films that showcased their talents and rewarded them both with nominations.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Belfast

Don't Look Up

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

The Worst Person in the World

Who Should Win: Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Who Will Win: Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Who Could Win: Adam McKay, Don't Look Up

A surprise that Aaron Sorkin was not nominated here. Possibly his spot was taken by Norwegian hit The Worst Person in the World, although it is unlikely to win. Branagh's screenplay for Belfast may have been personal but it lacked the child-like innocence expected from a film told from a kid's POV. This may be the place to reward PTA for a simple screenplay that told a lovely, rather authentic, love story. Don't Look Up might just sneak it as the more politically correct choice - and the voters do love their Adam Mckay.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

CODA

Drive My Car

Dune

The Lost Daughter

The Power of the Dog

Who Should Win: Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, Drive My Car
Who Will Win: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter
Who Could Win: Sian Heder, CODA

Again, this year seemed to be all about spreading the wealth. My vote goes to Hamguchi and Oe for their phenomenal work in spinning a Murakami short story out to a three-hour epic into the human psyche. However, Gyllenhaal has been sweeping the smaller precursor awards, and that momentum will likely lead her to score her first Oscar. Also, voters do love to reward their actors who triumphed outside acting. Hader remained the dark horse, but if she wins this, I don't see Kotsur getting his award then. 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Encanto

Flee

Luca

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Raya and the Last Dragon

Who Should Win: Luca
Who Will Win: The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Who Could Win: Encanto

Luca has the most heart, but The Mitchells vs the Machines is going to take the big prize here because - as an animation - it was just really well done. Encanto is insanely popular and as the advantage of recency and the catchy soundtracks, but it was, in my opinion, not a very good film (the animation was impeccable as one would expect from Disney). Flee was phenomenal, its animation was used to tell a story that otherwise could not have been told. However,  I think its best chance still lie with Best Documentary Feature. Mitchells had everything going for it, a good story, character depth and development, humour, pathos, innovative animation and design, and plain ol' fun.

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Drive My Car, Japan

Flee, Denmark

The Hand of God, Italy

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, Bhutan

The Worst Person in the World, Norway

Who Should Win: Drive My Car
Who Will Win: Drive My Car
Who Could Win: Drive My Car

This will be Drive My Car's to lose. Unless it is going to bring home the Best Picture award which is unlikely as it is less accessible that Parasite. Flee's only chance might be Best Documentary and The Worst Person in the World just does not seem to have the momentum.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Ascension

Attica

Flee

Summer of Soul

Writing with Fire

Who Should Win: Flee
Who Will Win: Flee
Who Could Win: Summer of Soul

Unfortunately, this is a blind spot for me, I will go with Flee since I was absolutely moved by it. And it being nominated in three categories should be a feat unto itself. But I hear Summer of Soul is wildly popular.

BEST ORIGNAL SCORE

Don't Look Up, Nicholas Britell

Dune, Hans Zimmer

Encanto, Germaine Franco

Parallel Mothers, Alberto Iglesias

The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood

Who Should Win: The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood
Who Will Win: Dune, Hans Zimmer
Who Could Win: The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood

Dune - for all its narrative fault - was technically brilliant and Zimmer's score was one of the many under-the-line highlights of an otherwise 3-hour slog. Greenwood's tortured score for Power was one of the many memorable moments in a powerful film. Same too for Iglesias' eclectic score for Parallel Mothers and Britell's punchy jazzy track in Don't Look Up. 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Be Alive", King Richard

"Dos Orugitas", Encanto

"Down to Joy", Belfast

"No Time to Die", No Time to Die

"Somehow You Do",  Four Good Days

Who Should Win: No Time to Die
Who Will Win: No Time to Die
Who Could Win: Be Alive

This is going to be Billie Ellish vs Beyonce and Ellis will take it. If Bruno was around, on the other hand (shhhhh....We don't talk about Bruno!).

BEST SOUND

Belfast

Dune

No Time to Die

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

Who Should Win: Dune
Who Will Win: Dune
Who Could Win: West Side Story

No more sound mixing and sound editing, and so this again will go to the sci-fi opera epic Dune. Although as a musical, West Side Story has a chance.

BEST PRODUCTION

Dune

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

The Tragedy of Macbeth

West Side Story

Who Should Win: Nightmare Alley
Who Will Win: Nightmare Alley
Who Could Win: Dune

All five films have stunning production designs, but Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley was really something. From the carnival in the first half to the art nouveau of the second half - and that Cate Blanchett's office (stunning!). Dune might also just take too just for its grandeur and expansive scope of world building.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Greig Fraser, Dune

Dan Laustsen, Nightmare Alley

Ari Wegner, The Power of the Dog

Bruno Delbonnel, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Janusz Kaminski, West Side Story

Who Should Win: Bruno Delbonnel
Who Will Win: Ari Wegner
Who Could Win: Greig Fraser 

As always, my own personal favourite tech category. Delbonnel black and white filming of Macbeth was one of the standout. Those images still resonate. However, Wegner's gorgeous wide-angled lensing of New Zealand and her intimate caressing of the characters within the house are going to get her the award. Fraser might get it with Dune II but he is also getting some love with The Batman.

BEST FILM EDITING

Don't Look Up

Dune

King Richard

The Power of the Dog

Tick, Tick...Boom!

Who Should Win: King Richard
Who Will Win: King Richard
Who Could Win: Don't Look Up

Those tennis scenes itself would surely sewed the win up for King Richard. Although Don't Look Up had some great editing especially towards the climax.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Cruella

Cyrano

Dune

Nightmare Alley

West Side Story

Who Should Win: Cruella
Who Will Win: Cruella
Who Could Win: Cruella

I mean for a film all about fashion, this sure has to be Cruella's to lose.

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Coming 2 America

Cruella

Dune

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

House of Gucci

Who Should Win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Who Will Win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Who Could Win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

The unrecognisable transformation of Jessica Chastain to Tammy Faye makes this the undeniable winner.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Dune

Free Guy

No Time to Die

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Who Should Win: Dune
Who Will Win: Dune
Who Could Win: Spider-Man: No Way Home   

Marvel is not going to win this unless they want to appease the fanboys. Dune's VFX was spectacular.