Split Decision: "Bugonia"

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Tonight, ERIC BLUME and CLÁUDIO ALVES discuss Bugonia...

ERIC: Cláudio, a friendship is nothing without honesty, so I'll honor our friendship by saying I've been putting off our conversation on Bugonia, because it's a film that brought me such perverse joy and basic movie-movie satisfaction...and I know you are not a big fan of Lanthimos' aesthetic and style, his partnership with Emma Stone, and some of Stone's key performances.  They all mean a lot to me, so diving into this pit seems a bit challenging. 

But what is the purpose of being a passionate cinephile if you can't dive into the pit, right?  I'll start by saying that I think Bugonia is great, crazy, zany fun, and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.  That's just basic-level movie audience talk, but it's true, and I can't say that about a lot of movies, not even a few that I rank higher in my top ten list this year!  Now, proceed, my friend.

CLÁUDIO: For the record, I'm not anti-Lanthimos nor am I anti-Stone…

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Split Decision: “Blue Moon”

In the Split Decision series, our writers pair up and face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Tonight, CLÁUDIO ALVES and NICK TAYLOR discuss Blue Moon...

CLÁUDIO: Since I'm the one organizing the Split Decision convos, I end up trying to assign everyone at least one film they love, or like, so they have something to defend against the naysayers. Sadly, that usually means I get to fill in the grumpy contrarian roles in most of the volleys I do. Not so this year, since I made sure to assign myself Blue Moon. I caught it at TIFF right after Nouvelle Vague, ready to be disappointed as I was by Linklater's French misadventure. And yet, what I got was one of the director's best films in a while, a text besotted with the musicality of florid verbiage and performances to match. It was love at first sight. I gather your experience was very different. Please share with the class, dear Nick. 

NICK: It was not! I really wish Linklater had given Blue Moon the same stylistic care he applied to Nouvelle Vague…

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Split Decision: “Train Dreams”

In the Split Decision series, two of our writers face off on an Oscar-nominated movie one loves and the other doesn't. Today, JUAN CARLOS OJANO and CLÁUDIO ALVES discuss Train Dreams...

JUAN CARLOS: So why don't you like Train Dreams?

CLÁUDIO: Seriously, that's how you start our convo?

I guess it's an appropriately blunt opening to argue over a blunt movie that wears the costume of subtlety and gentleness without quite pulling it off. Well, in my opinion, of course, since being the one organizing this series has made me well aware that everyone on the team likes Train Dreams. And, to be fair, the picture's grown on me to the point I'm actually rooting for it in the Best Cinematography race and wouldn't even be mad if it pulled off an unprecedented victory in Best Original Song. It's a picture full of great elements that ultimately falters under the weight of one or two major failures, some misbegotten choices that collapse the potential it might have had in different circumstances…

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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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Team Experience Oscar Predictions: The Final Scores

by Cláudio Alves

Nobody predicted SINNERS to secure Delroy Lindo his first Oscar nomination. | © Warner Bros.

How did your Oscar predictions turn out? At The Film Experience, ten writers did their best, and now we have results. Baby Clyde achieved the highest accuracy, dethroning former champion Eric Blume. But there’s more, so check the full data below. When we aggregate predictions, surprises emerge: none of us saw Delroy Lindo or Avatar in Costume Design coming. Conversely, everyone expected Paul Mescal in Best Supporting Actor, so we all misjudged that race.

Without further ado, here’s the final score…

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