by Juan Carlos Ojano
As explained in Part One we're looking at Netflix's deep slate this year and pinpointing how they might be competitive in each of the 23 Oscar categories (it used to be 24 categories but Sound Editing and Sound Mixing have now become one category). In part two, which follows after the jump, we're discussing the "big eight" marquee categories, plus animated feature...
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Netflix broke into this category last year with two of the five nominations. With many animated studio films delayed, they'll have another prime opportunitiy. A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon was released earlier in February and earned a BAFTA nomination. The Canadian-American The Willoughbys was released in April and also received positive reviews. The same response met the anime A Whisker Away, released last June. Some of their lesser known animated films this year are Fearless, Animal Crackers, and Pets United. However, the one that's clearly positioned as their big contender is the adventure musical Over the Moon which just premiered a few weeks ago to positive critical reception.
Previous nominations: I Lost My Body, Klaus
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Netflix has no shortage of contenders in this already stacked category. Some of the most high-profile ones are Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (from an August Wilson play), I’m Thinking of Ending Things (written by Oscar winner Charlie Kaufman), The White Tiger (a stealth contender), The Life Ahead (with source material previously made into an Oscar winning film), and Hillbilly Elegy (based on the best selling memoir). Other adaptations in its slate: The Prom, The Midnight Sky, and The Boys in the Band.
Previous nominations: Mudbound, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Irishman, The Two Popes
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Two strong contenders also serve as frontrunners: Mank (written by Jack Fincher) and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (written by Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin. If this summer's excitement proves steady, Spike Lee could return to the Oscar race with Da 5 Bloods. This would also be the perfect place to recognize Sundance winner The Forty-Year-Old Version (written by multi-hyphenate Radha Blank).
Previous nominations: Roma, Marriage Story
SUPPORTING ACTOR
This category looks like a battleground between the men of The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Rylance, Frank Langella, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eddie Redmayne), the men of Mank (Arliss Howard, Tom Pelphrey, Charles Dance), and maybe Chadwick Boseman from Da 5 Bloods. Glynn Turman and Colman Doming from Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom are as yet unseen. If we're talking extreme longshots, Robert Pattinson’s divisive performance in The Devil All the Time is housed in Netflix, too.
Previous nominations: Anthony Hopkins - The Two Popes, Al Pacino - The Irishman, Joe Pesci - The Irishman
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Three frontrunners immediately pop out: overdue veteran Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy), never-been-nominated Amanda Seyfried (Mank), and Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn (Pieces of a Woman). From the ones seen already, expect small but passionate fanfare from Toni Collette (I’m Thinking of Ending Things) and Kristin Scott Thomas (Rebecca). Sight unseen are Priyanka Chopra Jonas (The White Tiger) and Nicole Kidman (The Prom).
Previous nominations: Mary J. Blige - Mudbound, Marina de Tavira - Roma, Laura Dern - Marriage Story (WIN)
ACTOR
With Chadwick Boseman going lead for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, he joins Gary Oldman (Mank) and Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods) as the strongest Netflix contenders in this category. After that there's a deep well of longshots including: George Clooney (The Midnight Sky), Jesse Plemons (I’m Thinking of Ending Things), Jim Parsons (The Boys in the Band), and Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger).
Previous nominations: Adam Driver - Marriage Story, Jonathan Pryce - The Two Popes
ACTRESS
Netflix could fill all five sots of this category. They won't but they could with their deep well of films. Viola Davis is gunning for her second Oscar with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Amy Adams is still on the hunt for her first win for Hillbilly Elegy, screen legend Sophia Loren hopes to make Oscar history with The Life Ahead, and Vanessa Kirby springs into the conversation with her Venice-winning performance in Pieces of a Woman. Meanwhile, never take 21-time nominee Meryl Streep for granted (The Prom).
Other leading actress Netflix has this year: Jessie Buckley continues her hot streak with I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Felicity Jones n The Midnight Sky, Radha Blank's distinctive force in The Forty-Year-Old Version. If we are also including Globe contenders in musical/comedy, add Rachel McAdams (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) and Leah Lewis (The Half of It).
Previous nominations: Yalitza Aparicio - Roma, Scarlett Johansson - Marriage Story
DIRECTING
David Fincher is (on paper) one of the frontrunners of this category with Mank. Aaron Sorkin might get a Directing nomination with The Trial of the Chicago 7 (even though his directorial skills are still debated). Spike Lee could come back in this category for one of his most audacious works with Da 5 Bloods. Charlie Kaufman could simply be one of the lone Directing nominations that we see in this category with I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Former Oscar favorite Ron Howard returns with Hillbilly Elegy. If you're including possibilities that are more likely to show up at the Spirit Awards there's Radha Blank in a true breakthrough with The Forty-Year-Old Version. Directorial efforts that have yet to be seen: Ryan Murphy (The Prom), Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger), George Clooney (The Midnight Sky), and George C. Wolfe (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom).
Previous nominations: Alfonso Cuarón - Roma (WIN), Martin Scorsese - The Irishman
PICTURE
Mank comes in with touted technical achievement and its focus on filmmaking. The Trial of the Chicago 7’s social relevance certainly brings it more in the conversation. A refreshing approach to the Vietnam War made Da 5 Bloods one of the earliest bonafide contenders.
Longer shots? Hillbilly Elegy looks like the kind of ensemble-focused drama that can sometimes make it in even with mixed critical reception. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a film of such singular vision that it could benefit from a small but very passionate fanbase. The Prom could prove to be a late breaking popular hit. The White Tiger is a question mark at this point, but its source material and release date remains to be promising.
Previous nominations: Roma, The Irishman, Marriage Story
If it gets nominated for every category (highly unlikely of course), Netflix would be the first studio to achieve that in the modern era (one assumes it happened in the early years with far fewer categories)... last year they led the nomination count for the first time but missed in 7 categories: International Feature, all sound categories except Score, Makeup and Hairstyling, and animated and live-action shorts.
How well do you think Netflix will do this year? Netflix films earned 24 nominations last year but that's not an all time record. We're not sure what is (anyone know?) but 20th Century Fox managed 26 nominations for the 2015 Oscars with the combined power of The Revenant, The Martian, and Bridge of Spies.