Oscar Volley: "Best Original Screenplay" is sewn-up for Ryan Coogler. It's his coronation.

The Oscar Volleys continue. Today, LYNN LEE and BEN MILLER discuss the volatile Oscar race for Best Original Screenplay.

BLUE MOON took the slot many thought/hoped would be filled by SORRY, BABY.

LYNN: Ben, it’s been a long if not especially strange road getting here, and we’re in the homestretch now!  Other than the surprise of Blue Moon being the sleeper nominee, this race seems to be running pretty much as expected.  What do you think of the nominees?  Does Sinners have this in the bag, or could one of the international nominees score an upset?  I don’t think Marty Supreme is winning this one, and I swear it’s not just because it's my least favorite of the nominees.

BEN: As much as I love Blue Moon, I have to pour one out for my beloved, Eva Victor's Sorry, Baby...

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Oscar Volley: “Best Supporting Actor” is one wild ride!

The Oscar Volleys continue. Today, NATHANIEL R and CLÁUDIO ALVES discuss the volatile Oscar race for Best Supporting Actor. 

Andrew Scott in BLUE MOON | © Sony Pictures Classics

NATHANIEL: So Cláudio, it falls to you and me to discuss Best Supporting Actor, and I will try reeaaaaaaaaly hard not to bring up my broken-record pet peeve about this category because I know readers have heard it a million times.  I don't want to talk about it anymore, so for the duration of this conversation, I'm going to pretend that all the actors are in roles perfectly sized for this particular category. And so we're here to discuss everything else... but not that!

Performance quality-wise, I think this is a good quintet - even if I'm still seriously angry that people wouldn't give Andrew Scott the time of day for Blue Moon since his performance is stronger than Hawke's AND he is giving you so much backstory and giving it so economically and with laser minimalist precision. Such a generous actor - he doesn't steal scenes so much as immerse you in them and what's going on between these characters. Anyway, I just love him, and I had to get that off my chest first. It's been a struggle.

So my opening question to you is struggle-themed. I'm curious who you think had the most difficult role to play here and why...

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The 14th Annual Team Experience Awards: "OBAA" and "Sinners" lead the nominations

by Cláudio Alves

SINNERS | © Warner Bros.

One Battle After Another and Sinners lead the 14th annual Team Experience Award nominations. Both films scored twelve nods each, a bit below their Oscar haul in the horror flick’s case, but still respectable. However, neither beat the Team Experience Awards record set by The Favourite, which scored 13 nominations in 2019. As ever, it’s worth reminding that these honors are voted on by The Film Experience writers, excluding Nathaniel, who does his own Film Bitch Awards, wholly separate from this list. He probably wouldn’t have allowed the tie that expands this year’s Best Director roster to six slots. Oh well, it’s more cinema to celebrate, more artistry to cheer and applaud. So, let’s get to it!

Discover the full list of nominees, in our 20 categories, after the jump…

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One Prize After Another at the BAFTAs

by Nathaniel R

The ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER cast cheers on their auteur winning Best Film

Greetings from blizzard-hit NYC. Over the pond the BAFTA awards were held this weekend. Do they change the Oscar race? Who can say but they do take place right before the Academy votes for their own winners:  February 26 through March 5. During this key voting window we'll also experiene the winners of the newly rechristened "Actor Awards" (SAG ceremony is on March 1). If that weren't enough we'll also see the remainder of the Film Bitch Nominations and Oscar volleys right here which are sure to sway thousands of okay tens of vo --- absolutely no one but they're still fun for us to share! 

One Battle After Another took home six BAFTAs with Frankenstein and Sinners tied for runner up with three each.  After the jump all of the winners and some acceptance speeches, too...

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Oscar Volley: Can anyone beat Frankie in "Best Production Design"?

More Oscar Volleys are upon us. Today, ERIC BLUME and BEN MILLER discuss the Oscar race for Best Production Design...

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER's Florencia Martin and Anthony Carlino are just happy to be nominated. They have non chance of winning.

ERIC:  Hi Ben, let's take a look at our five nominated films for the Best Production Design Oscar:  Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, and Sinners.  Maybe just for funsies, we can go backwards.  What are the two films that you think stand the smallest chance of winning this award?

BEN:  Frankly, there aren't many categories where One Battle After Another stands very little chance, but I think we have finally arrived at one...

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