That Time of the Year!

 

Well, the nominee list has been released and the date set! Now, I get to gorge myself on movies galore! It really is my favourite time of the year! 

Before I list the nominees, I will lay out my guide. As always, I will do my best to write an analysis on the films up for best pic. (I might add two extra if I can this year - The Whale with Brendan Fraser, as he is a big contender for Best Actor and Tar with Cate Blanchette, as she is a big contender for Best Actress. So, let's see if I can squeeze 12 movies in over the next few weeks! 

My criteria will be on the following: 

• On Theme, Message, DC (Director's Concept) 
• On Directing, to the above
• On Acting - individually and ensemble, character arcs, development, believability
• On the Story - plot, complexity, arc, development, climax
• On the Technicality and how it develops all of the above
• set, costumes, details, etc. 
• score, music, etc.
• filming: angles, editing, sound, effects, cinematography, etc.
• On the Power of the Film, how I felt while I watched it, how did I feel when I left the theatre, did I see it again and how did that change my experience
• On Comparison to other films in the genre as well as to others in this category
• On the Real World Relevance and Connection to our time
• What else is it up for, what else has it won, accolades, and others' comments.

I do wish I could write on the analysis for other best sections, but I might include various in each film as it fits. 

Nominees in the Six Big Categories for this year, 2023 

(I will make my prediction before the Oscars start on March 12th!

1.    Best Picture

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Elvis
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• The Fabelmans
• Tar
• Top Gun: Maverick
• Triangle of Sadness
• Women Talking

Best Director

• Martin McDonagh (Banshees)
• Danial Kwan & Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere)
• Stephen Spielberg (The Fabelmans)
• Todd Field (Tar)
• Ruben Ostlund (Triangle of Sadness)

Best Lead Actor

• Austin Butler (Elvis)
• Colin Farrell (Banshees)
• Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
• Paul Mescal (Aftersun)
• Bill Nighy (Living)

Best Lead Actress

• Cate Blanchett (Tar)
• Ana de Armas (Blonde)
• Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie)
• Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans)
• Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere)

Best Supporting Actor

• Brendan Gleeson (Banshees)
• Brian Tyree Henry (Causeway)
• Judd Hirsch (The Fabelmans)
• Barry Keoghan (Banshees)
• Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere)

Best Supporting Actress

• Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
• Hong Chau (The Whale)
• Kerry Condon (Banshees)
• Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere)
• Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere)

A quick comment - I am grateful that there are still the Actor and Actress categories.