by Nathaniel R
Hmmm... let's see Joaquin Phoenix Joker and Adam Sandler Uncut Gems for Best Actor (blargh and double-blargh*), Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson for Marriage Story, A24's Waves for everything, Renee Zellweger's second Oscar for Judy, Christian Bale for Ford v Ferrari, Ad Astra for something or other (or will this go the First Man route of being wildly praised at its festival bow and then too "reserved" emotionally to actually catch on?) and... what else... what else.... Sure we missed something.
It all feels dizzying right now since everything just began happening all at once, as is tradition this week of each year. The numbers of course don't add up. If you accept preemie buzz with no caveats about anything that happens after this week, we already have the Best Actor lineup (Phoenix, Driver, Sandler, Bale, and Banderas) and the supporting actor winner (Brad Pitt, OUATIH). But this is a small sampling of the movies and performances to come in the next few months of the year...
The Oscar race is a marathon, and not a sprint (though it is a shorter marathon this year which could change things slightly... we think mostly likely in the form of no surprises since whatever sticks early is likely to just be what Oscar voters on having no time to shift and begin to think for themselves after the precursors). This cacophony of online voices is but the first wave of critics and pundits trying to force narratives into reality from the high altitudes of Colorado, and the canals of Venice. Some of these narratives will land and some will dissipate as other titles emerge or meet wider and probably less enthusiastic "first!" responses.
We shall see. Excited for Oscar season yet? We leave for TIFF in just a couple of days and then things really explode... at least in front of our movie-mad eyeballs. Chris and I will try to type at you as much as possible from Toronto as we soak up the cinema.
Waves has won raves but will that be enough? Family dramas often struggle at the box office and which of the ensemble will emerge as an Oscar nominee?
* The double-blargh should be explained. This is nothing against Adam Sandler per se, just about the typical Oscar business of non-superb actors having a much easier time winning buzz if they surprise on strange occassions (even if they have no interest in challenging themselves for 95% of their working career) whereas routinely brilliant actors are often taken for granted; just ask Tilda Swinton with her one & done Oscar bout, Kirsten Dunst with her zero nominations, or Annette Bening and Glenn Close with their never-winning status despite multiple statue-worthy performances.