Best Picture 2019

Going into this race, 1917 was the heavy favorite before Parasite sort of stunned everyone and won the whole thing. Though maybe in retrospect the actual winner wasn't that huge of a surprise. It's a great overall lineup though and I can't wait to fully dive into these and experience what was a pretty enjoyable year for film.

2019 Best Picture

Parasite

I'm writing this the day after the Oscar ceremony, surprised and super happy that this film won Best Picture! What a stunning, historic outcome for the Academy. A foreign language film has never won Best Picture (and no, The Artist doesn't count as its only words were in English) before in the 91 previous years. Just an amazing achievement, especially given that this was South Korea's first foray into the Academy awards. That is particularly nuts because South Korea has been making a lot of great films recently, so it's awesome their contribution to world cinema was finally recognized. But this is a review about Parasite, which is an incredibly deserving winner and not some pity vote or something. Maybe it's a backlash against the milquetoast Green Book winning last year and people voting for something more inclusive, but I honestly feel this is one of the best films of the year hands down. It's probably going to be remembered as one of the best films ever going forward, on par with Roma from last year that was snubbed in favor of a film making white people feel good. Parasite, though. It's a film best enjoyed knowing nothing about it really. It's directed by Bong Joon-ho, who you probably know from Snowpiercer and Netflix's Okja. He's done some other Korean films that have been highly regarded but finally broke through with this one. It's about a poor family who sort of ingratiate themselves into the life of a rich family and it's all about that class struggle. But the interesting thing is that both sets of families (and the other people that we meet) have their moments where we despise them or where we root for them to succeed. The film is full of symbolism and gorgeously shot. I've read it described as a visual feast and I think it's such a well composed film. The acting is brilliant and it's a shame that none of the actors were nominated. There were some other possible Asian actors in other films this year that could have or should have been nominated, depending on who you ask. But the point is maybe a win for a film like this will finally usher in the full representation of actors from all around the world. Asian actors have been woefully under represented and maybe it takes a brilliant film like Parasite to loosen people's apprehensions about foreign films and foreign actors. One can hope, anyway. One thing I thought about after watching this film was just why did this film connect with so many people? Yes, it's well made and an almost perfect film, but it's also got the creepy, menacing tone to it. The film seems to start as a pebble rolling down and eventually taking the whole mountain with it as one comment online put it. Maybe it's a universal theme that everyone can relate to or maybe it's a smart look at a global issue that feels local. I think there's a lot to take away from the film and that depends on each person but I sure did enjoy it and that was even after all the hype surrounding it before it won Best Picture. This is hopefully a gateway film for casual audiences to find their way into the global film market and find this plethora of amazing films just waiting for them. Honestly, one of the most satisfying wins I've ever seen at the Oscars and I can't wait to see what Bong Joon-ho comes up with next.

1917

This is an incredibly well crafted film through and through. The directing is top notch and the cinematography is on another level. Roger Deakins won his second Cinematography Oscar for this film after losing like his first seventeen nominations or whatever it was. Truly one of the best who shows here that he's still got it. The single take idea has been done before to great effect like we saw in Birdman, but I think it serves the story so well in this film. Yes, there are obvious places where there were some cuts and edits but it still effectively moves along at such a great pace that you get so engrossed and don't realize the film is just under two hours long. It feels longer yet doesn't at the same time. I think that style also just fits following the character. So much would be lost in having static shots where we get someone talking and then a reaction and then a reaction of that shot and so on like you see in normal films. We feel that time is ever present and not stopping as the characters trudge on to deliver their message. Having them sit in a burned out farmhouse would kill that sense of urgency and stop all momentum of the story. The story is simple and one that we have seen time and time again where a man or men have to race the clock against all odds to do something. But the setting and the way it's shot and the acting of those involved really elevate the story into something much more than simple. There are moments that surprise and shock and moments that wear you down and make you feel for humanity. It can be a gut wrenching film at times and a film set in World War I is still somehow relevant in today's world. It's an incredible film and the one that was favored to win for most of the race and I think it's easy to see why.

Ford v Ferrari

Sunglasses: The Movie. There are a lot of cool looking sunglasses in this film for real. But this is a hell of an entertaining film, even if you know nothing about racing like me. It's just pure entertainment through and through. It clocks in at just over two and a half hours yet it breezes by like the Ford GT40's in this film. It definitely earns it's Editing Oscar win as the action is tightly paced throughout and it never feels like it sags anywhere. Going into this one I was like I don't really care about racing so is this going to appeal to me at all? Yes, it did and I think any casual film goer and racing novice will enjoy this. It features two really great acting performances from Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Bale probably should have been nominated for his role as a guy who helps build the Ford racing car and drives it. It was a great job from him and the two guys get you invested in what's going on in the film. The car action scenes are pretty dope and I like that they don't spend too much time endlessly driving around the track with an inside the car look. It keeps the action short and sweet and we get to see plenty of the car racing around from afar so we can better take in all that's going on and better appreciate the driving and the race itself. It's got good humor and a little bit of drama but never milks one or the other for too long before getting back to what the film is about: the cars and the two men building it and racing it. There's no boring romantic side plot to try to appeal to women, it's just straight to the point delivering an entertaining thrill ride. It's a well made film and definitely belongs on this list purely for the entertainment factor. There's no hidden subtext or intense family issues or anything other than watching some guys build their dream and try to win against all odds. Good stuff here.

The Irishman

This is certainly classic Scorsese. His longest film so far is about Jimmy Hoffa and the mob and a hit man who is his long time collaborator, Robert De Niro. Stating it right off the bat, it's great to see Scorsese and De Niro work together again. It's even better to see Joe Pesci come out of retirement to work with his friends and deliver a flipping great performance. It's even more betterer to see Scorsese finally work with Al Pacino. It always felt like a match made in heaven and for some reason had never happened until now. Thankfully it has happened as Pacino also gives us a great performance. The thing I really enjoy about this film is the acting. Scorsese got the most out of all of his actors, but especially those three. De Niro and Pacino in a lot of their most recent films were almost caricatures of themselves, playing up what made them great actors. Pacino plays Hoffa and has those moments where the character gets loud and excited but it never becomes that wild man Pacino we've seen a lot of in his later work. The stuff where he looks wide eyed and shouts a lot and curses even more - none of that is here. Scorsese reigned everyone in and made them focus and give us great performances. I was worried Pesci might phone it in being out of acting for so long but even he toned it down and focused more. That was my pleasant surprise from the film but it maybe was to be expected because this isn't the typical mob film from Scorsese. It's more a rumination on the past as De Niro's character narrates from a nursing home almost like it's a confession. The music is still there but even that's toned down. The violence isn't as gratuitous and graphic. It seems to only be when necessary for the story. The language is cleaned up as it doesn't seem like they are going for some kind of f-word world record like in previous films. It all seems way more pensive and mature and like a grand final opus with his favorite actors. It does run a bit too long. The ending drags quite a bit and probably should have been cleaned up with tighter editing. But it didn't seem interminable as the pacing is pretty good. I like that the film opened with a signature Scorsese style with a song playing over a one shot that moves through a nursing home until we find De Niro. It was pretty cool to see. I do wish Scorsese would do something more with the women in his film, though. They are all just wives or daughters and do nothing. Even Anna Paquin who plays De Niro's daughter as an adult only says three small lines. That's something he should be working to fix, honestly. But overall I enjoyed the film. I think those going in expecting another Goodfellas are going to be sorely let down as this is way more of a retrospective of the mob era and this hit man's life than a slick genre film. Thank goodness Netflix stepped in to make this as it is a very good Scorsese film.

Jojo Rabbit

I wasn't sure what to think about this film before watching it. It had gotten some good reviews and then started getting awards buzz and then awards love, but I wasn't sure if this was some Springtime For Hitler kind of thing or what. I was for sure hoping it wasn't a Life is Beautiful kind of thing and thankfully it was not. It's about a little boy who is a staunch Nazi who looks up to Hitler and has an imaginary Hitler as a friend (played by director Taika Waititi, naturally). His mother isn't for the war and is hiding a Jewish girl in their home and we see the breakdown of Jojo's fanaticism into stark realism. This sounds like a downer of a film but it's hilarious, I promise. It's like if Wes Anderson made a Hitler film. The subject is treated warmly and is very touching at times when it comes to Jojo and his mother. Jojo himself is very innocent and only a Nazi because he has grown up in Germany during that time. There's all kind of hi-jinks and colorful characters and even more colorful sets. The film looks vibrant which is something Waititi wanted instead of the drab greys and browns we think of as being war torn Germany. The acting from everyone involved is great, but especially the kids. As you know, I'm not a big child actor fan but the lead, Roman Griffin Davis, and his fat little friend are both charmingly funny and affectingly sweet. I think what I do like most about the film is that a lot of its comedy is very understated. It's looks Waititi gives as Hitler or Scarlett Johansson opening an imaginary door or any number of little details that make this a fully funny film. When you make a Nazi film with an imaginary Hitler, you dance dangerously close to the line of being in poor taste but I think Waititi is able to make it all come off as being respectful, but also a big fuck you to Hitler and that era. Not that saying that in today's world is some wild notion or anything. It was a film that I was a bit apprehensive going into but quickly warmed to it because it is so funny and so emotionally affecting. Definitely worth checking out if you are/were apprehensive like me.

Joker

I loved this film a lot. This was the film I wanted to win until I saw Parasite. I actually saw this in theaters because I was so hyped for it and Joaquin Phoenix. And it definitely lived up to the hype. Forget all the stupid media crap surrounding the film because they were hoping that the film would incite violence and be more controversial than it was, which was barely at all and only manufactured by the media. It was all really weird that that's what got focused on instead of the story and acting. Which both are incredible. Phoenix deservedly finally won his Oscar. It's a beyond brilliant performance and should be held up there as an all time great in my eyes. But I also enjoyed that this was a different spin on the Joker and thought it being a somewhat origin story really gave it a different feeling. It wasn't Joker going against Batman and seeing a bunch of other enemies or the typical Gotham feel to the world. It's just about a guy that society doesn't care about and actively tries to keep down who finally has enough and does something about it. It's very relatable and not in a serial killer kind of way, but in a I feel overlooked and cast aside by the rich and powerful kind of way. I think there's lots of different ways you could interpret this film and what it means is based on how you feel. But I don't think this is just some white guy gets angry and decides to kill people kind of thing. That's missing the point on purpose and not trying to actively engage with the story and the choices the director makes. I think the film is supremely crafted by Todd Phillips who poured his heart and soul into this. I think too many people were dogging him because he made popular comedy films before this, but you can do Old School and The Hangover and still create a masterpiece. It's so well shot and composed and looks great with a tremendous cast and soundtrack and gave us an iconic shot of Joker dancing on the stairs that will be remembered forever. Even if I think the choice of Gary Glitter is awful and any number of other songs could have made that an even more iconic and brilliant scene. And a lot of people criticized it as too derivative of Scorsese which is never a bad thing. It does remind me of The King of Comedy (and we've got De Niro in the film) but this is its own thing. Anything gritty and depressing and violent in 70s NYC will be reminiscent of Scorsese, Joker is its own world, though. Obviously Joaquin is the reason this film is as good as it is because without his dedication to the role it would feel off, I think. He makes you feel so sad for Arthur Fleck and you end up rooting for him, even as he kills. I just think there is so much to like and admire about this film and I'm so glad the Academy recognized it. This isn't a comic book film. It's a deeply personal look into a man who is mentally worn down by society and it just happens to be a version of the Joker. I want more intense, personal dives into the lives of heroes and villains like this because it works so well in the right hands. I say just watch this film without anyone telling you how to feel about it (me included) and see how it affects you. Because I think there is so much to enjoy on a film level about this one and I'm happy that it came close to winning.

Little Women

Initially I didn't really care about this as a film when it was announced it was Greta Gerwig's next project. I mean, it's been done a few times before and I already watched Winona Ryder's version that she was nominated for back in 1994. But then the cast started coming together and I love me some Saoirse Ronan, so I was on board especially given what they had just done with Lady Bird. Gerwig is becoming this supremely talented all around film maker and writer. It's only a matter of time before she finally gets nominated for Director and wins for Screenplay. The Screenplay mention is important because she took a much beloved classic book from 150 plus years ago and gave us this fresh retelling of the story. It's got a modern sensibility to it while retaining it's classic feel. The use of the two different timelines at the same time worked great to me, even though some people were confused about what was taking place when. I didn't think it was difficult to follow at all and really added to the film. The pacing was tremendous as we kept moving back and forth and it ratcheted up the tension of what was going to happen in the story even though we already know what happens. That's amazing that Gerwig can get us so invested in the story just by tweaking the format. It also helps that we get some wonderful sisterly chemistry between all the girls, with Florence Pugh the standout. Chris Cooper was actually the one who I liked the most because his presence was so sad but hopeful and he just nailed that role. Laura Dern felt a bit out of place, almost too modern for the story, but maybe that's what Gerwig was going for. I also appreciated that the film never felt stuffy or stale. It's essentially a costume period piece that we've seen before, but Gerwig managed to make it feel fresh and vibrant and made it more compelling than any of the other films of this story. I'm just really impressed that Gerwig took on a classic and made it distinctly her own and made it worth watching and up for Best Picture.  I hope her next work is just as good as this one.

Marriage Story

I do love Noah Baumbach films. I said earlier in Scarlett Johansson's review that he makes these New York films that feel very specific but once you watch them they have such a universal theme to them. This film is no different. It's about divorce, which a ton of people can relate to, whether they have married and divorced or been a child of divorce. This is a more positive outlook on divorce despite how brutal the proceedings can be. It's a seemingly great couple in New York who are divorcing and we find out Johansson is moving to LA for a TV pilot that gets picked up and Adam Driver is a super successful theater director. They hope for an easy, amicable split but then lawyers get involved and it gets nasty and ultimately things are decided and family is still stronger than all. The lead performances are amazing but the supporting performances are equally up to the task. Laura Dern won a deserving Oscar, but Alan Alda and Ray Liotta should have been in the discussion as well and never really were. Both are great as Driver's lawyers. The film presents this story as trying to keep a family together and it ends up fracturing but the spirit stays alive and I think that's the big takeaway. It gets nasty but in the end they still care for each other and want the best for their son. Driver moves to LA at the end to take some UCLA residency and it's a good look at compromising. I think if this were the early 80s this film would have cleaned up at the Oscars because it does remind me of those adult drama films that did so well like Ordinary People and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979, I know it's not the 80s) and that's a compliment. It's this super serious adult drama that speaks to so many people in a way that is natural. Yeah, they may be artists in LA and NYC, but we can all relate to their difficulties. I do feel Driver's banging his assistant isn't delved into fully and it even being there makes him look like a scumbag but his defense is it was when they were already separated. I feel it's only natural that we take sides when watching this film as I felt for Driver being railroaded but maybe women will side with Scarlett branching out on her own. It's a really strong film that is so universal that it will stand the test of time as a great film.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

I really enjoyed this film. I mean, I've liked all of Tarantino's films, but this one felt a bit different than all the rest of his output. Yes, it's heavily stylized like only Tarantino can do and it has his penchant for rewriting history in a favorable outcome. But this feels like a love letter to Tarantino's youth. I think it showcases LA and the Hollywood area well and makes me feel really nostalgic for a time and place I've never been to. It's got unbelievable acting all around and the story is actually less heavy and frantic like some of Tarantino's other films. It's also, mostly, less violent which I actually prefer for this story. His other films have lots of violence and rapid fire cuss words all over the place. This one feels more measured and toned to fit with such a laconic stunt man in Brad Pitt and a self doubting cowboy in Leo DiCaprio. There are some great individual scenes but the film doesn't just feel like a collection of cool scenes thought up by Tarantino. Those quiet in between moments add to the depth of the characters and establish a continuity in the story. That's what I love about this one. It's not just about the craziness of killing Hitler or guys all pointing guns at each other and saying motherfucker every third word. It's respectful of the time and place it's covering yet can still give us crazy scenes like the ending. I also like that Tarantino had fun shooting the TV shows as if they were real. Seems like it was something he really wanted to do and I heard they were wanting to do an actual series of Bounty Law, though I don't know how likely that is. I really love how great he made old LA look and how alive and real it felt. I could have just watched two hours of Brad driving around LA and been entertained.  The one thing I wasn't too fond of is how little Margot Robbie matters in the film. She just seems there so Tarantino can film her feet and ass. She's mostly just dancing in her scenes and I wish Robbie could have more to do with the character. But even with that, this film is so good and I just love how laid back it feels. A lot of his stuff has this tension and intensity that just keeps ratcheting up as we go along. This felt mellow by those standards and I was really digging it. I think this will eventually be considered one of Tarantino's best and it would be up there for me.



A year after we get such a lame choice for the Best Picture win, we get one of the best choices ever in my opinion for Best Picture in Parasite. It's just such a great, great film and indicative of the amazing foreign work that is out there waiting to be watched by American audiences. I think it helps when the director is super likeable and already involved a little with Hollywood, but this is the start to how the Academy should be. I would have also been extremely happy if Joker won, which was a slight possibility. The fact that it gained so much traction and respect even though the media wanted it to cause problems is amazing. But it's a well made film and a great combo of director and actor. 1917 was the front runner for most of the race. But it deserved to be up there because it is so technically well made and a very good film to boot. It will become a classic war film but I liked that the story was so singular and small and not covering a bunch of battles and historical points. It's a personal film that reaches beyond its own simplicity. Marriage Story wowed me. I flipping love the two leads in it and in another, weaker year would have been all about it winning. Just a brutal look at marriage and relationships that again is a personal story. You should be noticing a theme by now. Once Upon a Time is classic Tarantino yet also different, which I enjoyed. I love how laid back it feels and its reverence to older Hollywood. The Irishman kinda, sorta surprised me. I think a lot of people were expecting a typical gangster film from Scorsese but this was a contemplative, ruminating film about the past and getting older. It's long as hell but worth a watch for sure. Little Women was very good for being the 40th iteration that we've seen. That comes off as an insult but I mean that this film breathed new life into the source material and made it something worth watching with great directing and acting. I enjoyed Ford v Ferrari on a pure entertainment level and feel this is where we could have trimmed the fat and maybe added some other films possibly instead. But it's here and though it will be completely forgotten about except on some trivia night 10 years or less from now, it's a fun film. Jojo Rabbit is interesting. I liked it and felt the humor was respectful of the subject but also feel like this will probably be looked at down the line as not belonging on the list. Maybe I'll be wrong and history will judge this film better, I just am not sure a couple months later that this film belongs. But if this is the worst of the group, then we had a pretty awesome group overall. Couldn't be more happy with this year and all of the films I watched. I am highly looking forward to how crazy 2020 will be given all that has gone on in under 6 months and if there will even be a ceremony. Here's hoping there is and it's a great one like 2019.


Oscar Winner: Parasite
My Winner:  Parasite
Joker
1917
Marriage Story
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
The Irishman
Little Women
Ford v Ferrari
Jojo Rabbit

Leading Actor 2019

This is a good mix of actors honestly. A couple veterans, a couple first timers, and an up and coming Academy darling. This has been Phoenix's win from the start as the race never deviated from that. I am happy that Phoenix will win his Oscar but I'm also happy I get to dive into these amazing actors' performances.

2019 Best Actor

Joaquin Phoenix - Joker

I think this performance is utter brilliance by Joaquin Phoenix. Yes, I'm a huge fan of his and believe he probably should have already won an Oscar, but this blew me away with how amazing it was. I love that it's a sort of Joker origin story, but it eschews all the usual Gotham tropes and cliches and gives us this deeply personal film about a deeply flawed person. Arthur Fleck is this guy who is fed up with being beaten down by society and living in a city full of people that don't care about him. It's about rising up and telling those people enough is enough. The physical transformation is impressive seeing as Phoenix went the Christian Bale route and ate like one little meal a day so we would get this sinewy, gaunt looking person to make Arthur look even more pathetic. What's also impressive is how empathetic Phoenix makes us feel towards Arthur. He is deep down a good guy just trying to live in the city and take care of his mother and try to make it big in stand up comedy. Those are dreams we can all relate to and the constant beating down suffered by him at seemingly every turn is one that makes you furious. Arthur is just misunderstood and pushed to his limit. What I like the most about Phoenix throughout the performance is how detailed and nuanced it is. There are so many little flourishes that he puts on it that really drives home how talented he is and how great of an actor he is. Like when Arthur laughs at the wrong times at the stand up club. Or how quickly he will go from his laughing fits to being perfectly normal. Or the subtle comedy throughout the film that Phoenix throws in like in the beginning where he is chasing the kids who took his sign and he screams when running in front of a car all animatedly. And the time his gun falls out of his pants while performing for sick kids at the hospital and he screams and chases it. It's hilarious and there are so many of those little moments in the film where we remember that Arthur wants to make us laugh even if it's in tense or shocking moments. But while there are those funny moments and times where we really feel for his shitty lot in life, there are those times later in the film where he is terrifying and so intense. When he first kills, his newfound confidence and purpose is striking. How Phoenix can play both sides so well is why I think he's one of the best actors going right now, if not the best. He plays the meek, cowardly, run down Arthur with the same verve as the confident, powerful, deadly Joker. The change from one to the other is what I find brilliant about the performance. I love the line where he says all he has are negative thoughts. That whole scene is an amazing masterclass and the whole film is him just taking an established character in the Joker and turning it on it's head and reinventing it and breathing much needed life into it. It says a lot that the Joker has won two Oscars because of how different he can be portrayed. Phoenix's portrayal is my personal favorite, though very different than all the others. Maybe it's because Arthur Fleck is so real, like we could easily see that happening in today's world. I love everything about this performance and think this is Phoenix's best. I hope he tops this, though, because we certainly know he can.

Antonio Banderas - Pain and Glory

I knew nothing of this film going in other than it was a Pedro Almodovar film and I suspect anyone reading this is in the same boat. This project has allowed me to watch a couple of Almodovar's films which is partly why I started doing this. It's allowed me to see films I otherwise never would have and opened me up to a whole new world of film. This film is a sort of reflection on a director's life loosely and tangentially based on Almodovar himself played by Banderas. I'll come out and say it straight away, I don't really like this film much. I don't think it really says anything interesting or insightful and I'm not sure why I should care about it or the characters. It's about a director on the decline both physically and mentally as one of his films is back in the public eye being touted as a classic. He reconnects with his lead actor who he hasn't spoken to since filming 30 years ago and they start doing heroin together. We flashback to Banderas' childhood growing up poor and going to a religious school despite not liking religion. We see one of his first loves as an adult and the breakup and how writing was therapeutic for him. To me, it's a self indulgent mess that wants to be deeper than it is. Banderas does do a good job of playing this conflicted man both internally and outwardly. He's a man transfixed on his past and it's like this keeps him stuck in the present as he trudges along with his physical ailments and his mental degradation. This shows off Banderas's range as we are more used to his charming action hero exploits and here he is being introspective and on a path towards self destruction. Banderas is a great actor who kinda got stuck doing action and romantic films once he hit it big, but he came up through Almodovar. It's fitting that he gets nominated for playing a version of the Director that helped make him a household name. To me, the performance is good but not anything I'd watch and want to tell everyone about. Banderas was better in the Almodovar film The Skin I Live In though comparing the two is kinda silly. It is really great that we can say Antonio Banderas is an Oscar nominated actor and it feel right and just. He's a great actor with lots of great Spanish performances that most people have never seen. If this gets someone curious about those roles, then that is fantastic. I don't love the performance but I love the nomination.

Leonardo DiCaprio - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

I was thinking about this performance for a bit to figure out what to write. And as I thought about it, the more this performance seemed to reflect DiCaprio's career as a whole. I saw little bits of all his other performances and characters in his role of actor Rick Dalton. This is a guy who becomes fully committed to his roles and inhabits his characters and really shows us what great acting is these days. This one is no different, only that he's almost fully invested in being almost like himself but different pieces - Frankenstein like. DiCaprio has all kinds of different roles to play as Dalton. He is the badass, smooth talking cowboy from the TV show. He is the anxiety riddled, self doubting, floundering actor who feels like his career is slipping by. He's a great villain, doing some of his own intense stunts. He's funny and fearful and fearless and frankly incomparable. He's a mess of a guy who doubts his own abilities and is intimidated by a little girl, yet can fry some hippie intruders. There's so much going on in the performance and DiCaprio balances it all so well. He makes it seem like this is all one guy reacting to different things and makes it believable. We can see he's a tortured artist and you wonder how much of himself is DiCaprio putting into this performance. I think it's a just a really good performance of an actor playing an actor that most everyone seemed to really like in the film. It just feels so representative of his work as a whole and is a lot of fun watch him be all these different roles in one. I can't wait for more from him and to see what he does next.

Adam Driver - Marriage Story

I am going to be honest. I am writing this a couple months after watching the Oscar ceremony and watching this film and performance because I got kinda burnt out again trying to cram everything into a short time frame so I can post these. It ends up always biting me in the ass as I lose that spark, but here I am writing it now. I am a huge Driver fan. I think he's one of the best younger-ish actors working today and I love how he was a Marine and then decided to pursue acting. He just seems like a good dude overall and delivers some amazing work film after film and this one is no exception. It's great that the Academy is finally taking notice and it's only a matter of time before he wins one. In this, he plays a husband and father who is going through a divorce that at first seems like it will be a pretty amicable split before reality sets in and it becomes emotionally draining, rough life experience he wasn't expecting to go through. He's a successful theater director with an actress wife who was great but gave it up to start their family and who is now wanting to go out and act and be her own person again. While Driver's character may not be exactly like you or me, he brings a universal truth to the role. We can see ourselves as him, fighting for his son and for himself. What I like about Driver as an actor is how he doesn't seem all that impressive at first. Seems kinda dorky and serious and one dimensional. But then he shows you the depths of his acting ability and we see just how great he can be. Whether it's in scenes like when he and Scarlett argue in a small apartment and yell awful things at each other or whether it's him singing a Broadway song at karaoke and nailing it while also imbuing it with so much emotional heft. He's so authentic in every role, but this one was where he seemed to truly shine and let his acting chops do some flexing. I think it's a great performance and if it wasn't in the year where Phoenix clearly deserved it, I'd probably be voting for him. He will get there soon enough, I believe.

Jonathan Pryce - The Two Popes

Wow! What an incredible performance from Pryce. Interestingly, this was the first real life person that Pryce has ever played due to him looking like Pope Francis and it gets him his way overdue first Oscar nomination. This is a man who has created some amazing characters and been in a number of highly regarded films. He has won two Tony Awards and is an all around versatile actor, which is showcased in this film. He plays Cardinal Bergoglio who later becomes Pope Francis. The film is mostly about Bergoglio as he initially wants to resign from being Archbishop and meets with Pope Benedict, expertly played by Anthony Hopkins. The majority of the film is just these two men talking about life and religion and God and it's a thing of beauty to watch them go head to head. And the great thing is they aren't competing with one another and it's not contentious at all. It's two guys acting in harmony with one another as the Pope eventually let's on that he wants to resign and thinks Bergoglio should stay on because he'd make a good Pope. The other part of the film is about Bergoglio's past in Argentina as a young priest and how he worked with the military junta at the time to try and save some of his fellow priests, though many see him as a traitor for that. Their conversations are about reconciling one's past and about each other's idea for what the Church should be doing for the world and it's people. Pryce is amazing, simply put. He speaks Spanish in the film (which from everything I read was on point for a non native speaker) along with Italian and Latin and English. He plays his character like a regular guy, who doesn't like all the pomp and circumstance. He's a man of the people, atoning for his past sins by living a simple life and foregoing luxury so as to better connect with the people. Pryce shows this in his interactions with every day people like the gardener at the Pope's second home. Pryce exudes this warmth and friendliness that radiates from the screen and makes you like this guy even more. Pryce also has these moments when talking with Pope Benedict where his reactions to things are so raw and real. When told that the Pope wants to resign Pryce lets out an exasperated No! and just looks stunned and hurt. We can tell he wants the Pope to continue because he respects him but also probably because he wants to resign himself. There's this mix of emotions that come out that feel like a natural response to the moment. Even his reactions to when talking about the sexual assault/rape issues in the Church (which are not mentioned enough) are one of anger and despair and frustration that the Pope and others wouldn't just do the right thing. Pryce's performance is the sum of its parts. It's all these little reactions and moments throughout the film that adds up to a complete portrait of the man he is playing. I feel like I know Bergoglio/Pope Francis intimately and that's because of Pryce. I have always liked his work, but this performance is on another level and I'm glad he finally has an Oscar nomination to his credit. Well deserved.



Fuck man, how do you judge this group. I am fully into Phoenix winning his Oscar. He deserves it and is one of the most brilliant actors working today. Banderas being nominated is so cool even if I don't really like the role. He also deserves to be Oscar nominated and more people should check out his Spanish performances. Driver is bound to get an Oscar eventually. This dude is so talented and such a good guy that you can't help but root for him. His performance here is breathtaking. It's so strong and only comes in the middle of the pack. DiCaprio is actually really amazing in his role, too! It's not asking much but he does play the self doubting cowboy to perfection. I'm glad he already got his Oscar because I wouldn't know what to do. Pryce, though. Pryce blew me away. If it wasn't for Phoenix, I'd be shouting from the rooftops and the middle of all the streets that Pryce deserved to win an Oscar. His Pope performance is so friggin amazing. I've always liked him as an actor and I'm so glad he was finally recognized by the Academy. I feel like I'm saying that a lot recently but it's true. Pryce could have won easily if not for the Joker. This was a great group and I hope 2020 offers up the same kind of performances.

Oscar Winner: Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
My Winner:  Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
Jonathan Pryce
Adam Driver
Leonardo DiCaprio
Antonio Banderas

Leading Actress 2019

All season long this was Zellweger's with no one really coming close. Scarlett had an outside chance but the vibe was always for Renee. Honestly, the nominees aren't really all that exciting based off their films and this seems like a weak year for the category overall. But I say that having only seen Ronan, who I love, and the fact that there was no real race this year. Maybe these will surprise me but I've got to watch them to find out, so let's go.

2019 Best Actress

Renee Zellweger - Judy

All awards season this was the winner. The film came out with little fanfare and was in and out without getting much buzz for the film. Zellweger was touted as the only real highlight and even with her being the front runner it didn't seem to garner much enthusiasm. It was one of those years where it just felt like a foregone conclusion and no one thought twice about it. Zellweger played Judy Garland towards the end of her life when she went to London to put on some shows. This is a snapshot look at the end of her life and we see her as being down and destitute and going through divorce and not being able to stay with her kids. It's not really a happy film by any means and Zellweger plays that depressed, anxious, jaded role as well as she can. Zellweger has that boozy, medicated wobble down pat and the expressions on her face and in her eyes seem to match the dreariness of her soul. A lot of the praise for the performance was for Zellweger's singing ability, for which she trained for a year to learn the songs and get the voice down and be able to sing convincingly. Those are my favorite parts as I feel that's when Zellweger really becomes Judy and channels her spirit the most. But there are other times in the film where it does feel like Zellweger is playing Judy and being more focused on trying to look and mimic the part rather than really being Judy. Zellweger does do a good job of showing the desperation and exasperation that Judy feels towards the end of her life. She is fed up with everyone trying to take advantage of her and with things not quite going to plan and there are scenes where you can just feel that loneliness and pain. I'm not a big fan of the film overall but I do see what people loved so much about Zellweger's performance. It also helps that the Academy loves when they can reward themselves and vote for a Hollwood icon. It might also be some people just voting for Judy by proxy, wouldn't surprise me at all. But now Zellweger has her second Oscar and we can move on to next year where hopefully the crop of nominees is much better.

Cynthia Erivo - Harriet

Cynthia Erivo seemingly came out of nowhere, though she is a Tony Award winning actress. She's a British actress, which has rubbed some people the wrong way that an American wasn't chosen to play this pivotal African American woman in our nation's history. I get that complaint as maybe an American would take the role more to heart than someone else, but we had Daniel Day-Lewis play Abraham Lincoln and Meryl Streep play Margaret Thatcher. So what does it really matter who plays Harriet Tubman? It's the second year in a row that a Best Actress nominee was also nominated for Best Song which is pretty interesting. And Erivo will be playing Aretha Franklin in the future, so there's a lot going on for the only black acting nominee this year. She obviously plays the titular character and she does a good enough job. She grounds the film and helps relate Harriet to us, but make no doubt about it - this is a showcase for Erivo. She gets to sing and sometimes at moments you don't expect, ruining the immersion. She gets to play a sort of action hero as the bewildering ending has her in a semi shootout with her former owners son and a black bounty hunter. It's a strange way to end the film and the whole thing overall isn't very good. It mashes up some different ideas but is still just boilerplate biopic, which is a shame because this is one of the first movies ever about Harriet Tubman from what I understand. Erivo is the only reason to watch this film besides to learn a little more about Tubman but without Erivo this is a dud. Erivo is good in showing the former slave become this determined woman who wants to save as many people as she can. I just didn't like the scenes where she'd have visions and talk to God. It takes away from what Tubman actually did which is just as amazing and important if not more so than God supposedly telling someone what to do or getting them out of trouble. It's a bunch of hokum and I feel like if this film were in better hands that Erivo could have shined more and the film would have been better overall. Instead we get a mess with a singular performance keeping it afloat.

Scarlett Johansson - Marriage Story

The double nominee has a great time acting in this divorce flick. Noah Baumbach creates these films that are so New York usually but still echo as a universal truth. Maybe I should have saved that line for the review of the film itself but it's true. He makes these particular films that seem like they are for only a few people but end up be for everyone. Johansson may be a successful actress now working in avant-garde theater who decides to move to LA for a pilot that gets picked up. None of us can relate to that. But we can relate to her relationship overall. We've probably all experienced parts of what she goes through, if not the whole gamut of her emotions. She has spent ten plus years with a man who she gave up a more successful career path to be with to have a family and nothing feels her own. Her husband has become more famous and she kinda longs for what once was. That's my take and I feel that women might see it differently and that's okay. This film leaves a lot open for discussion and takes and all that. For Johansson, playing an actress is probably a great thing. This is acting. It's italicized because it's serious acting and it's where the character recounts some story while they pace a room and go through one hundred emotions and it lasts ten minutes and everything is choreographed to look spur of the moment. She gets to focus on the acting and really get to the essence of the scene. The whole film is somewhat like that as we see what feels like a normal, regular couple going through a divorce. It's just done in such a great bit of acting. There's a ton of emotion from Johansson and everything feels so real and authentic and you say something to your ex and then it gets turned up to a hundred in court. Yeah, their anger and their frustration with each other while staying amicable is amazing. The scene where Scarlett and Driver tear into each other and say every awful thing they are thinking about each other in his dingy little apartment is so moving and tense. It feels like an argument I would have if I was smart enough in arguing which I suck at and end up never explaining myself and always losing. Johansson's crying in the office the first time she meets her lawyer but then walking around the room and blowing her nose and recounting everything is what actors dream of and is the hallmark of a Noah Baumbach film. It focuses on the actors and the dialogue and the emotions and it builds out from there. I think this is the best work Johansson has ever done and I'm not convinced she shouldn't have won the Oscar for this. I think it's super strong and just amazing work almost tailor made for her.

Saoirse Ronan - Little Women

I love Saorise Ronan so much. She is my celebrity crush and I very much want her to win an Oscar someday. She has four nominations by age 25 which is absolutely incredible. And all of her nominations are well earned and deserve the high praise they have received. In this one, she plays Jo, the second oldest of the March sisters. You've probably seen a version of Little Women before or read the book in school, so you know the kind of person Jo is. She is an intelligent, independent woman who is headstrong and stubborn at the same time. She's boyish and more interested in being a writer than finding a boy and settling down. She's the driving force behind the film and Ronan imbues her character with the necessary energy to keep it all going. She really sets the tone of the film, giving it a vibrancy and freshness that is much needed for this old classic tale. It's a modern take for a character that was always way ahead of her time anyway, so we see that aspect really come to life through Ronan. The sisterly love and camaraderie is also quite evident between the actors and that makes for a much stronger bond between the characters which is what the book is about. Jo doesn't want to succumb to romance because she wants to keep her family together. But life happens and she ends up finally finding love. Ronan is strong and compelling as Jo and without her to drive the narrative, the film might falter from lack of cohesion. She becomes Jo and her enthusiasm for the character is infectious. We feel what she feels and that's the sign of a great actress. I will say, though, as much as I love Ronan, I think that Florence Pugh gives a more interesting performance. Mostly due to the fact that she has to play the youngest sister (even though she's like 24 in real life) and then mature into a young woman. It's a great arc for Pugh and great acting as well. Just so you don't think I'm blind to anything but Ronan. I honestly can't wait for Ronan to finally win her Oscar because it's coming sooner than later.

Charlize Theron - Bombshell

The big winner of this film was the makeup team who rightly won an Oscar for their work. They transform Theron into Megyn Kelly with her angular face and it's totally convincing. There are times it's hard to actually see Theron under the look, so that helps for the immersion in the story. Theron is fine in the film and obviously no stranger to transformations to try and win an Oscar. Monster saw her uglify herself but also dive deep down into the soul of a serial killing woman who had been abused by men her whole life. I'm struggling to find a point to this film or a reason to care. Yes, sexually harassing women at work or anywhere is an awful thing that still goes on all over the country and world today. We get that sexual harassment and coercion and rape and all that is inherently wrong and evil. We have been told and shown that in films throughout the years and especially recently as the Me Too movement has taken root. But we've also had that issue told in better films with smarter, more nuanced stories that have emotional heft and don't just say this is bad, give us Oscar. The film to me is mostly surface level stuff. You get all these Fox News cameos by actors playing all the on air personalities we know and it becomes more of a game about who is playing that anchor or where is Geraldo or something. And what's the lesson learned from the film? Yeah, it's wrong to do that but Fox News is still a cesspool of America that is rotting this country from the inside. They are still the same company and news organization that brought us Trump and don't care at all about women or minorities or human decency at all. So the company got sued and Roger Ailes was let go but everything has continued on. The message of this film hits weak and it seems it's more done to capture Adam McKay's funny, but serious style and expose the underside of Fox News. Except all the women involved have been worse off where Megyn Kelly is now doing news from Instagram. It wasn't a watershed moment and I feel they try to make it look more powerful than it was. Now, how does this relate to Theron. Well, I don't really care much about her performance. I recognize that it is good for what it needs to be, but it's mostly style over substance. Megyn stands up for herself after Gretchen Carlson comes out with her accusations but she was still a piece of shit herself who helped flame all the racism and alt-right garbage we have going on. The women at Fox don't care about humanity unless it conforms to their world view. No, they didn't deserve what happened to them but also nothing really happened. Theron does try to treat Megyn as a normal person caught up in a terrible situation but when you don't care for the character, how can you invest in the film? A great performance will make you care and this is by the numbers in a soft as hell movie.



This certainly wasn't the strongest group, which is a shame. And a shame that Zellweger had it locked up for so long. Lots of other great female performances out there getting overlooked, especially foreign ones. One day those will be recognized. Theron is an easy fifth because it's more about the makeup and the look than about the acting. It was what you'd expect and I'd rather be challenged by the nominees. Erivo gets by on the strength of her gravitas. The film is mostly a dud, but she makes it interesting even if she can't elevate it. I'm sure we will see more of this woman in the future, though. Zellweger was just gunning for another Oscar and got it. The performance is fine and I like the singing and some of the Judy bits, but it's mostly just Renee playing Judy. I need more than that to win an Oscar. Give me a full performance! Ronan is great but is also upstaged a bit in her film. This wasn't the one to win but hopefully she gets hers soon. Johansson, the double nominee, should have won for a tremendous performance if all was right with the world. Crazy that she didn't even really challenge Renee. A disappointing group for the most part and I hope this doesn't continue for next year.

Oscar Winner: Renee Zellweger - Judy
My Winner:  Scarlett Johansson - Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan
Renee Zellweger
Cynthia Erivo
Charlize Theron

Supporting Actor 2019

You look at this list of names and it's a who's who of acting giants. Everyone on this list already has an Oscar (Pitt's was for producing 12 Years a Slave) and I wonder how many times that has happened in history. I'm happy that Brad gets his first acting Oscar as this was his night from the start of the race. No one else even came close. I know I'm going to enjoy all of these performances because I don't think anyone on this list could be awful when they actually try. Interesting that from these giants, no one had been nominated since 2012 for acting and that was Brad. Before that it was 2000 for Tom Hanks, so it's been awhile for everyone here to have been nominated again. Good to see them all back.

2019 Best Supporting Actor

Brad Pitt - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

This win was locked up from the start and the whole race was just a victory tour for Brad. It's probably the best outcome and certainly the best performance of the bunch. Finally, Brad gets his acting Oscar and now everyone on this list has at least one. To me, this is sort of the perfect type of role for Brad. He's this laconic, cool guy figure that draws you in using only a stare or these brief badass moments where he fights Bruce Lee or a hippy. For what seems like such a simple performance, Brad brings a ton of depth to the role. He's not just an aging stunt guy hitched to another aging star. He's a protector and comfortable with where he is in life and the simplicity of it all. The story alludes to so much more to this character and we never really get to dive in to figure it all out, but Brad helps fill in some of those missing pieces just from his presence in a certain scene. We learn a lot about who he is without him dumping a bunch of exposition on us about his past or what he's thinking in every second. We can try to figure it out just from him sideways glancing at Bruce Lee or figuring out there's some weird stuff going on at the Spahn Ranch. Brad is the kind of actor that can act without having to say a lot and it serves him well in this role. I'm so glad that he finally won an acting Oscar and even more glad it was for a role that he seemed to really love and give his all to. This is one of those wins you can look back on say that the Academy got it absolutely right.

Tom Hanks - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

It's been forever since Tom Hanks has been nominated for an Oscar after it seemed like he could get nominated for anything. And in that time since his last nomination in 2001, he has done some tremendous work and probably should have been nominated for a few of them. For this one, he plays the lovable Mr. Rogers. This film isn't a Mr. Rogers biopic, though, hence why Hanks is nominated in Supporting Actor. It's really a film about a journalist who is made to interview Mr. Rogers and then the two become friends and it's about how that friendship shaped and affected the journalist. Filling Mr. Rogers' shoes and sweater is a tall task. I'm not sure anyone but Hanks could even be up for the task and even he fails a little. Not that Hanks isn't right, just that no one can match Mr. Rogers' genuine warmth and compassion and humanity and his love for people. That always came through on his show and Hanks has the tough job of trying to replicate that. And while Hanks is a warm, likable guy himself he just can't quite match Mr. Rogers. It's a damn good try, though, as Hanks really does try to get to the heart of Mr. Rogers. It's just that no one can really match that so we are left with seeing Hanks play Mr. Rogers on screen, but in fairness he plays him really well. He has the warmth and ethos of Mr. Rogers down pat and watching him makes you nostalgic for sitting around watching the actual show as a kid. I think it's that spirit of Mr. Rogers that Hanks evokes that makes this a successful performance. It might not be quite all the way there, but no one would be able to do that. But this is definitely a palatable approximation of a much loved wonderful man. To be clear, I don't want a full on imitation of Mr. Rogers, I am merely saying that he is a unique individual and Hanks' interpretation of the man is quite something. It's a nice welcome back to the Oscars for Hanks.

Anthony Hopkins - The Two Popes

Hopkins plays Cardinal Ratzinger who became Pope Benedict XVI. We briefly see him as Cardinal after the previous Pope has died and doing the political maneuvering thing before the vote. Most of the time is him as Pope Benedict and his conversations with Jonathan Pryce's Cardinal Bergoglio. It's an intimate look at two men who lead a religion and have differences in opinion on how the faith should be interpreted. They respect each other, though, and from that we see this mutually satisfying discussion on faith and what it means. Hopkins eventually lets on that he's going to resign because he's old and can't hear God anymore and there are lots of scandals swirling around the Vatican. It's almost a crisis of faith but not quite as Hopkins gives us a really honest portrayal of a complex man. It felt like he was just having a talk with me as the viewer as corny as that sounds, but it felt so personal. It's like we are a fly on the wall as these two men shape the direction of the Church. There's a lot of brief, dry humor in this film that Hopkins excels at that keeps this film from caving in from it's own serious weight. He allows us to see the Pope is not some infallible person, he likes drinking orange Fanta and playing the piano. He's a man that's been put into a position of power that he's now not sure he can or should wield. I like that Hopkins and Pryce talking together feels more like two equals conversing rather than it being something contentious or a competition. The two compliment each other well and feed off of each other and it's so fun to watch. I adore Pryce's performance, but Hopkins is no slouch here. He paints a complex portrait of a man losing faith who has to make a tough decision. You can see the anguish and doubt on his face and that's all because of Hopkins' acting. He's tired and wants something better for the Church. Hopkins is so convincing in this aspect and it makes for a very good performance.

Al Pacino - The Irishman

What I liked about this film from Scorsese was that it was a return to form for everyone involved. And it wasn't a Goodfellas Part 2 that I think a lot of people were hoping for. It's this reflective, pensive story about the past. It's hard to imagine that Pacino and Scorsese had never worked together until now, but it feels like a match made in heaven. This was indeed a return to form for Pacino as his turn here as Jimmy Hoffa. What I like best about it is that this is acting and not just Pacino yelling loudly and wildly flailing his arms and looking crazy and calling that acting. He can create the persona of Jimmy as the huge influential guy with lots of power without resorting to the cliches he's done in the past. He's playing Jimmy Hoffa and bringing that presence to the film and not playing Al Pacino and bring his own overpowering presence to the film. Even when Pacino does have to get loud when rousing the teamster union guys, it's with a purpose and still constrained a bit. That intense passion for the union and the people comes out in the performance and we see some of that in the interactions between Hoffa and De Niro's character who become good friends. There's control and fight in this performance as we see Hoffa deal with the union and other leaders and the mob and their people as well as the government. This determination and control from Pacino lends a nice earnest quality to Hoffa. He's a man with a plan who wants to get things done but also loves the power of it all. Which is part of his downfall and how it all comes about is a bit heartbreaking and that's due to Pacino and De Niro having such great working chemistry. I was wary going into this film that the nominations would be well earned or just given because of who they are but Pacino earns this one easily. This is his best work in years and I wish we'd get more of this on the big screen from him.

Joe Pesci - The Irishman

It's so weird to be around for films getting made. By that I mean this had been a rumored film for Scorsese for awhile and it was just a matter of when he'd make it. And then when it started to be a reality it came out that Pesci kept turning down a role in the film before finally taking it. I remember seeing still shots from the set of Pesci and De Niro and then it finally comes out. So there's this whole expectation of waiting for something and thinking how performances might end up based on previous work. What I love a ton about Pesci's performance in this film is that it subverts all of those expectations. We think of Pesci as this explosive little man who will intimidate you by getting in your face and yelling or by just blowing your face off. He's always played these powerful roles in Scorsese flicks and this is no different. The actual difference is that he comes out of retirement and plays a guy who quietly gets things done behind the scenes. He might just suggest something happen or even give just a look, but people know what he wants and expects from them. There are no outbursts from Pesci in this film. He stays pretty even keeled all the way through and gets things done my merely talking with people and asking. That's where Pesci excels with the character. It's not that he just demands people do this or gives them an ultimatum. He talks with them and makes it seem like it's something they want to do, like it's their idea and he's just offering a suggestion. In the scene where he tells De Niro he's going to have to be the one to off Hoffa, it's as if he understands how tough the ask is but it's going to happen so why not have De Niro be the one instead of someone else. I just like how quiet and understated the performance is and that we are getting to see a different side of Pesci in a Scorsese film. I hope this isn't the last we see from Pesci but I fear it probably is and if that's true, then he left us with some truly great performances.



I am very satisfied with this group of incredible actors. You look at this group and see all the iconic names and know they are some of the best to ever do it. You might think the Academy is playing it same and nominating guys it already knows and is comfortable with, but everyone gave a great performance here. Would I like to see more variety and diversity? Hell yeah - if it's earned. But these guys are all here for a reason. When Hopkins is at the bottom, you know it's a strong group. He's terrific as the Pope who is losing faith and it's great to see him back here. Hanks is wonderful as Mr. Rodgers, which is definitely a tough task to undertake. No one else could probably do it and Hanks does a great job. Pesci comes out of retirement and knocks it out of the park again. I wish we had more Pesci to review! Pacino gives one of his better performances in a long time and that was nice to see. He's been doing a lot of good work lately in film and TV, so it's great to see him challenging himself even at this stage. Brad wins it easily and it's a quintessentially Brad performance. So glad he won in a very strong year. Hopefully 2020 brings us some equally good work!

Oscar Winner: Brad Pitt - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
My Winner:  Brad Pitt - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Al Pacino
Joe Pesci
Tom Hanks
Anthony Hopkins

Supporting Actress 2019

The whole awards season belonged to Laura Dern. She swept everything as it was for every acting award this year. It was more of a coronation than anything else and this is more of a does she really deserve it? Let's find out! kind of thing.

2019 Best Supporting Actress

Laura Dern - Marriage Story

This was Dern's Oscar all the way so I was eager to see if it lived up to the hype it built up through the awards season. I've become more of a Dern fan recently. I for some reason didn't like her even though she gave great performances throughout her career and even ran for Academy President. I think it was a bit of entitlement or she's just getting awards love because of her parents. I mean her nomination for Wild was a joke. But I think she is fantastic in this film. She is a smarmy, slimy divorce lawyer in LA who will one minute praise Adam Driver's character for being a brilliant theater director and then tell him how bad of a husband and father he is the next minute. It's those moments that stick out to me like when she is representing Scarlett Johansson and being ruthless but then all the sudden raves about some local diner and their food or greets Ray Liotta with well wishes for his wife and all that. She is cold blooded and merciless and that is quite evident in the court room scenes which is probably where Dern wins her Oscar. It's a polished performance that quickly flips between normal good natured person to a nasty divorce lawyer using every bit of scandalous information to make her client look better. I do think it's a perfect role for Dern as she looks the part of an LA attorney as well as is literally a super nice person in real life. So yeah, this is an earned Oscar that just didn't have much competition this year, sadly.

Kathy Bates - Richard Jewell

This is a frustrating nomination. I like Kathy Bates and think she's a great actress, but there is nothing here that is really worth a vote. This smells like the older Academy members loving Clint Eastwood and going to see his film and noticing that Bates is in it and she's a previous winner so why not vote for her? She's the safe vote. She's an afterthought because members couldn't be burdened to actually watch anything out of their comfort zone. So instead of actresses from The Farewell or Parasite or any of the indie films, the old guys go to the same well they go to over and over and vote for Kathy. Nothing against her but watch this film and ask yourself if it's award worthy. She plays Richard Jewell's mother and is very loving and concerned for him during the events. And that's honestly about it. You can't say she really has an Oscar moment other than her little press conference and even that wasn't all that amazing. Bates could do this role in her sleep and any other actress could have done just as good, if not better. So this isn't a slight against Bates, but the Academy for never branching out and watching all different kinds of films. And yeah, I say that knowing Parasite just won Best Picture, but it had no acting nominations. There were a lot of other very deserving women that could have been here instead of throwing Bates another nomination. It's one of those things about the Academy that I loathe. I'm hoping that this will change in the future but it will probably take a lot longer than it should.

Scarlett Johansson - Jojo Rabbit

Scarlett Johansson with the rare double nomination and the equally rare double nomination with no win to show for it. The 12th time that has happened in Oscar history and 6th time going home empty handed. Clearly the Academy loved her this year and it's very easy to see why. She is way more than just a Marvel superhero and has been delivering some wonderful and varied performances for a while now. In this one, she plays the mother of Jojo who is constantly away, presumably helping Jews or doing something along those lines. When she is home she looks after her son even though he is a staunch Nazi and she hates the war and everything it sands for. She is also hiding a Jewish girl in the walls of the home, so we see she is a very strong person defying her country for what she believes to be right. The performance is a tender, loving, funny one. She plays the motherly role very well but also gives it some much needed familial humor. I enjoyed the scene where she enters the home late and kinda does the robot upon seeing Jojo and then turning and miming opening a door. It's almost blink and you miss it, but that shows her dedication to the humor and the role and it's a sweet, touching, humorous moment. Her standout scene is probably the dinner scene where she dresses up as her husband who is away (we don't know if dead or captured or coward) and scolds Jojo but then quickly talks to herself as both the mom and the dad and then starts dancing. It seems like an on the fly moment we happened to be privy to and it shows her love for her son. Johansson is easily the soul of the film and director Taika Waititi said that he modeled the character after his own single mother and that's why she's so strong and brave and idealistic. It's a good performance that really grounds the film to the real world and keeps it from going off the rails as some kind of ridiculous funny Nazi film.

Florence Pugh - Little Women

I will admit right off the bat that I've never read the book but I have seen parts of the other couple of Little Women films. So I'm no expert on this beloved tale by any means. And I honestly thought that Pugh's character, Amy, was the third youngest daughter for the entirety of the film and didn't learn this until way later. Which is due in part to my biggest gripe of this performance/casting: Pugh looks way older than supposedly being like 12 years old and then a little older in the non-flashback scenes. It really confused me when I learned it after the fact, but the spirit of a child performance is their for Pugh. When she is supposed to be playing the youngest daughter, she acts emotionally and irrationally at times and we see that child like behavior. The good thing is that it's not done in any sort of babyish way or trying to draw attention to a look at me I'm 12 years old type of performance. Pugh just plays it naturally with the emotions and feelings of a child. She acts like a younger sister who wants to come along with the older ones and act impulsively and without thinking of any consequences. I do feel that Pugh shines better when she's playing the older version of her character because it is inherently more believable and we see that growth from when she was a child. She seems wise beyond her years and like a fully grown woman. I did like how Pugh would dominate her scenes, both in the flashback and the present, by just being the character. Young Amy is bratty and immature, but has a strong personality to go along with that. Older Amy is more in control of who she wants to be, aspiring for greatness and not wanting to be merely good. Also not wanting to be a trophy wife. By all accounts, this was a fresh reinterpretation by Greta Gerwig and Pugh of just who Amy was as a character. I think Pugh brought that modern sensibility to the role while still maintaining the classic feel of the young character. She was an enthralling part of this film, more so than the other actresses - including my favorite, Saoirse Ronan. She steals the film and it's because she gives us an honest portrayal of Amy. I would almost rather the film focus strictly on Amy and her trip to Europe and everything after but that's the mark of a good performance. I'm excited to see what else Pugh does as her future is very bright.

Margot Robbie - Bombshell

There's a number of reasons Robbie was nominated here. She had this film and her work in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood that caught the eye of the Academy. She's been an up and coming actress who has now established herself as a woman who seeks out interesting roles and goes all out for them. She has her own production company that gave us I, Tonya so she is in tune with many of the Academy members. She also quite obviously is gunning for an Oscar. You can tell she wants one badly and is going out of her way to try and win one. There's also the factor of the older men of the Academy (and probably everyone else, honestly) that just want to fuck her, so they vote for her. In a way, it's just like this film. Actors doing whatever it takes to get an Oscar and members that like them doing so for ulterior motives. Robbie plays a composite character of what a typical Fox News woman would be. She's blonde and thin and hot and bubbly and conservative. But really Robbie is just a plot device in this film used to humanize and personalize the story for us as we go through it with her in a truncated version of events. I don't feel like the performance is exceptional at all. I think her strongest scene is when she's in the office with Roger Ailes and he asks her to lift her dress up higher and higher. Her disgust and confusion and terror and complacency are all swirling around her face and it makes us just as uncomfortable as she is. But I didn't buy this perfect Republican princess would go and sleep with another female coworker. It felt inauthentic to me and it's like her character gets in the way of the film too much. She's supposed to be our conduit to care about what's happening, but I wanted more of Nicole Kidman or the investigation, not Robbie. She's a talented actress but I just wasn't all that into this performance.


Yeah, easy win for Dern who I imagine did have some Academy love because her parents are Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd and she tried to become Academy President two years ago and she's been a huge supporter of film history and all that, so yeah, Dern was winning in a weak year. I say weak year because who else was gonna win? Bates is a distant 5th who should probably never have been nominated. Robbie gets in because the old men want to fuck her. Johansson actually does give us something interesting but she's gone quickly. Pugh is so energizing to her film and the story that in any other year, I'd vote for her. I think if she continues down that path, she'll be nominated again and probably soon. But Dern does smash this one out of the park with little competition. It's no contest and the Academy gets it right no matter the reason they voted. An alright year but at least we got a new winner.

Oscar Winner: Laura Dern - Marriage Story
My Winner:  Laura Dern - Marriage Story
Florence Pugh
Scarlett Johansson
Margot Robbie
Kathy Bates