-
-
I saw News of the World last night, and I absolutely loved it. It was masterfully directed and had brilliant, rich, sometimes breathtaking cinematography. It was very reminiscent of True Grit and The Searchers. In fact, Hanks’ performance was very Wayne-ian in itself. It was his best leading role since Captain Phillips, but I don’t think the Academy will consider it strong enough to garner a nomination. With that said, Helena Zegel was by far the standout for me. She portrayed so much depth, heart and emotion, and I’d actually be quite surprised if she doesn’t receive a nomination for Best Actress.
I expect News of the World will be nominated in almost all below-the-line categories, especially Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Score (James Newton Howard’s score was a real treat to listen to), and Editing (the gunfight scene alone makes it worthy of this). I’m certain it’ll be nominated for Picture and possibly Director, but I just don’t feel it has enough “buzz” to win either of those, although who knows with the preferential ballot for Picture?
Contrary to what others have said — and who I’m not sure have even seen the film yet — I did not find it to be boring. I could name many other films from this year or the last where I was checking my watch all the way through, but this was not one of them. I did feel the script could have used a little tightening here and there, but it had enough intrigue, suspense and heart to hold my interest.
Overall, News of the World is a very solid outing from Greengrass and Hanks. I enjoyed it immensely, and would caution not to underestimate its chances come nominations morning.
My username is an acronym of “Quiet On Set! Lights, Camera, Action.”
“Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight.” —Truman Burbank, The Truman Show
1. Nomadland (Searchlight)
2. The Father (SPC)
3. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
4. Minari (A24)
5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
6. Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
7. Soul (Disney)
8. Mank (Netflix)
9. Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)
10. Sound of Metal (Amazon)11. One Night in Miami (Amazon)
12. The United States vs Billie Holliday (Hulu)
13. News of the World (Universal)
14. Malcolm and Marie (Netflix)
15. Emma (Focus Features)1. Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
2. Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
3. Florian Zeller, The Father
4. David Fincher, Mank
5. Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman6. Spike Lee, Da 5 Bloods
7. Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7
8. George Clooney, The Midnight Sky
9. Paul Greengrass, News of the World
10. Darius Marder, Sound of MetalOscars FYC:
"THE POWER OF THE DOG" – IN ALL CATEGORIES
"SPENCER" – In all categories especially Director (Pablo Larrain) and Actress (Kristen Stewart)
"SHIVA BABY" – in all categories especially Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Score
"TOGETHER" – Actress (Sharon Horgan), Actor (James McAvoy), Original Screenplay
"FLEE" – IN ALL CATEGORIES
"LAST NIGHT IN SOHO" – Director (Edgar Wright), S. Actress (Anya Taylor-Joy/Diana Rigg), Cinematography, Costume Design and Production DesignPEOPLE!!!!!
https://twitter.com/KittyCointreau/status/1343609101725691905?s=20
“We saw #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah last night & was floored by it. Fantastic #film – might be the best film i’ve seen this year. Dan Kaluuya & #lakeithstanfield are superb. Great storytelling. And great online Q&A after. Hope it wins big at the #baftas & #Oscars #Awards #movies”
PEOPLE!!!!! https://twitter.com/KittyCointreau/status/1343609101725691905?s=20 “We saw #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah last night & was floored by it. Fantastic #film – might be the best film i’ve seen this year. Dan Kaluuya & #lakeithstanfield are superb. Great storytelling. And great online Q&A after. Hope it wins big at the #baftas & #Oscars #Awards #movies”
lets goooooo
PEOPLE!!!!! https://twitter.com/KittyCointreau/status/1343609101725691905?s=20 “We saw #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah last night & was floored by it. Fantastic #film – might be the best film i’ve seen this year. Dan Kaluuya & #lakeithstanfield are superb. Great storytelling. And great online Q&A after. Hope it wins big at the #baftas & #Oscars #Awards #movies”
Thank god I have the movie getting in everywhere. I’m not sold on Lakeith yet due to the competition but anything is possible. Quite excited for this one.
PEOPLE!!!!! https://twitter.com/KittyCointreau/status/1343609101725691905?s=20 “We saw #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah last night & was floored by it. Fantastic #film – might be the best film i’ve seen this year. Dan Kaluuya & #lakeithstanfield are superb. Great storytelling. And great online Q&A after. Hope it wins big at the #baftas & #Oscars #Awards #movies”
Now this is how to campaign a February release film!
Oscars FYC:
"THE POWER OF THE DOG" – IN ALL CATEGORIES
"SPENCER" – In all categories especially Director (Pablo Larrain) and Actress (Kristen Stewart)
"SHIVA BABY" – in all categories especially Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Score
"TOGETHER" – Actress (Sharon Horgan), Actor (James McAvoy), Original Screenplay
"FLEE" – IN ALL CATEGORIES
"LAST NIGHT IN SOHO" – Director (Edgar Wright), S. Actress (Anya Taylor-Joy/Diana Rigg), Cinematography, Costume Design and Production DesignPEOPLE!!!!!
“We saw #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah last night & was floored by it. Fantastic #film – might be the best film i’ve seen this year. Dan Kaluuya & #lakeithstanfield are superb. Great storytelling. And great online Q&A after. Hope it wins big at the #baftas & #Oscars #Awards #movies”I knew it when I saw that trailer! Thank God!
We need more “fresh” contenders now.Coen-Lynch-Fellini
Since the preferential ballot started, there’s at least one film nominated for Picture/Director and at least four technical categories:
2009 – The Hurt Locker, Avatar
2010 – The King’s Speech, True Grit
2011 – The Artist, Hugo
2012 – Life of Pi, Lincoln
2013 – Gravity
2014 – The Grand Budapest Hotel
2015 – The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road
2016 – La La Land, Arrival
2017 – The Shape of Water, Dunkirk
2018 – Roma, The Favourite
2019 – Joker, 1917, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The IrishmanAnd even before the prefential ballot, that was also the case almost every year.
So if you’re not predicting Mank, News of the World or Ma Rainey in Directing, you should reconsider that.
PEOPLE!!!!!
https://twitter.com/KittyCointreau/status/1343609101725691905?s=20
“We saw #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah last night & was floored by it. Fantastic #film – might be the best film i’ve seen this year. Dan Kaluuya & #lakeithstanfield are superb. Great storytelling. And great online Q&A after. Hope it wins big at the #baftas & #Oscars #Awards #movies”
I’m so excited for this film!
Why these films in particular? Maybe it’s Nomadland this year with Picture/Director and then cinematography/editing/sound/production design. And of course screenplay and actress.
Nomadland in Sound and Production Design? I don’t think so. I think it’s only getting Editing and Cinematography.
Since the preferential ballot started, there’s at least one film nominated for Picture/Director and at least four technical categories:
2009 – The Hurt Locker, Avatar
2010 – The King’s Speech, True Grit
2011 – The Artist, Hugo
2012 – Life of Pi, Lincoln
2013 – Gravity
2014 – The Grand Budapest Hotel
2015 – The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road
2016 – La La Land, Arrival
2017 – The Shape of Water, Dunkirk
2018 – Roma, The Favourite
2019 – Joker, 1917, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The IrishmanAnd even before the prefential ballot, that was also the case almost every year.
So if you’re not predicting Mank, News of the World or Ma Rainey in Directing, you should reconsider that.
The direction was the worst part of that painfully, insufferably mediocre film Ma Rainey. Wolfe isn’t coming anywhere near a nomination.
FYC:
Picture: Nomadland
Director: Chloe Zhao
Leading Actress: Frances McDormand
Leading Actor: Anthony Hopkins
Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-jung
Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya
Adapted Screenplay: The Father
Original Screenplay: Promising Young WomanPEOPLE!!!!! https://twitter.com/KittyCointreau/status/1343609101725691905?s=20 “We saw #JudasAndTheBlackMessiah last night & was floored by it. Fantastic #film – might be the best film i’ve seen this year. Dan Kaluuya & #lakeithstanfield are superb. Great storytelling. And great online Q&A after. Hope it wins big at the #baftas & #Oscars #Awards #movies”
Lakeith Stanfield is coming for that Best Actor nomination and we love to see it!
John's Best of 2020
Best Picture: Soul
Best Direction: The Midnight Sky
Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman
Best Actress: Viola Davis
Best Supporting Actor: Delroy Lindo
Best Supporting Actress: Amanda Seyfried
Best Screenplay: SoulJohn's Best of 2021
Best Picture: Nomadland
Best Direction: Nomadland
Best Actor: Lakeith Stanfield
Best Actress: Frances McDormand
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya
Best Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-Jung
Best Screenplay: Judas and the Black MessiahMaybe this is just me, but it feels like News of the World has absolutely zero buzz. It seems to have just come and gone without any fanfare.
I too think it will do well below-the-line (Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Sound all seem very likely), but I don’t see it getting anything above-the-line.
John's Best of 2020
Best Picture: Soul
Best Direction: The Midnight Sky
Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman
Best Actress: Viola Davis
Best Supporting Actor: Delroy Lindo
Best Supporting Actress: Amanda Seyfried
Best Screenplay: SoulJohn's Best of 2021
Best Picture: Nomadland
Best Direction: Nomadland
Best Actor: Lakeith Stanfield
Best Actress: Frances McDormand
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya
Best Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-Jung
Best Screenplay: Judas and the Black MessiahWB is a messy studio, but they really know how to campaign. They have a BP nominee almost every year.
The HBO Max fiasco will probably hurt Judas chances at winning, but I have no doubt it’ll have multiple nominations if it is as good as it looks.
The topic ‘Oscars 2021 Predictions: Best Picture and Director (Part 5)’ is closed to new replies.
