93rd Academy Awards: Best Picture

by Lynn Lee

The weirdest aspect of this year’s Best Picture race may be its lack of weirdness.  For an Oscars season that the COVID-19 pandemic first threatened to derail and then expanded, in which the vast majority of voters saw none of the contenders in theaters and almost no traditional Oscar campaigning, the path to the Academy’s biggest prize has been, on the whole, remarkably smooth.  With few real curveballs either in the nominations or in the precursor awards, some might even call it a little dull (especially when compared to how bonkers some of the other categories have been).  On the bright side, the final lineup of BP nominees is pretty solid, even if I’d rate First Cow above them all and would happily swap out The Trial of the Chicago 7 for at least a half dozen other films.  Here’s my take on each of the nominated movies, in ascending order of personal preference.

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SAG Predictions

by Nathaniel R

The Screen Actors Guilds are on Easter Sunday this year. How bizarre right? Blame the Grammys which moved into their previous date sending SAG scrambling. What will win this year? Who knows but here are off the cuff predictions in each category will, could, and should wins just for the hell of it. Do share your own feelings in the comments, won'cha? 

BEST ACTRESS

• Amy Adams, Hillbilly Elegy
• Viola Davis, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
• Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman
• Frances McDormand, Nomadland
• Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

WILL WIN: This is actually tough to guess...

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93rd Academy Awards: "Cinematography as ________ "

Please welcome new contributor Timothy Lyons...

The cinematographers’ branch (like all branches in the Academy) loves a familiar face - think your Lubezkis, your Richardsons and your Deakinses. One of the happy byproducts of an unusual cinematic year mostly void of big anticipated productions and usual suspects, is the higher-than-normal number of newbies recognised across the craft categories for this year’s Oscars. The five nominees for Best Cinematography are made up of: one returning nominee, one longtime veteran of the industry finally getting his due, one up-and-coming darling of the indie scene, one newcomer shortlisted for his feature film debut, and one individual who is (shockingly) on his first nomination despite shooting one of the most picturesque Best Picture winners (!) in recent memory.

Let's explore the five achievements the Academy has chosen to reward these artists for, presented in ascending order of personal preference…

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What's the worst case of "category fraud"?

by Cláudio Alves

Some people don't care about "category fraud" and that's understandable. I'm a big proponent of just being happy that great artists are honored, ignoring the categorization of their work, especially when it's all so subjective. However, when it comes to the Oscar acting prizes, it does feel wrong that awards specifically created to honor character actors are now regularly dominated by stars in leading roles. Instead of opening avenues to highlight those performers with less narratively-prominent parts, the Supporting categories have become a way for leading actors that couldn't crack the leading prizes to still win gold. This game of fraudulent campaigning may have just hit its apex with this year's slew of Best "Supporting" Actor and Actress nominees.

To organize my thoughts and hopefully make the arguments clearer, here's a ranking of the "category fraud" cases of the year from least to most egregious. This is all subjective, though I'd side-eye anyone who tried to argue for the legitimacy of that top choice... 

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Let's do Globe Predictions! Why not, right?

You guys. We know we're not supposed to take them seriously and people get offended when anyone dares to admit that they totally love them. BUT the Golden Globes are enjoyable -- it's a fact. So this year we pour one out for the continually scandal-laden problematic HFPA and what might have been in a non-pandemic-cursed world. The Globes shindig is easily one of the best showbiz nites of each year but it can't possibly hold its usual excitements without all those stars of screen and television milling around drunk both during and inbetween commercial breaks. We wish Amy Poehler and Tina Fey luck at trying to make it lively without a crowd to laugh along with them. It won't be the same without the open bar (on television that is. We're stocking ours up for  sad pandemic home viewing)

Christopher already handled the TV predictions so it's my turn for the movies. After the jump, foolish predictions in all categories for this Sunday night's virtual ceremony...

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