Oscar Preview - Part 1

Some things to look for before the Academy Awards on Sunday

The Front Page - Oscar Preview

Morning Update

Saturday, March 26, 2022

By Ken Tingley

For the second straight year I attempted to watch every Oscar-nominated movie in every category.

Not just the Best Picture nominees.

Not just the acting categories, but all of them.

I’ve see all but two Oscar-nominated movies this year - one was a documentary short that is not being streamed until March 30 and the other the latest Spider-Man movie that I refused to watch. I really detest super hero movies.

Last year I discovered a weak group of Best Picture nominees - including an awful winner in Nomadland - that was salvaged by some great movies in the documentary and animated categories.

The best movie from 2020 was “My Octopus Teacher,” which won for best documentary and you can still see it on Netflix.

I’ll address the best movies in Sunday’s newsletter, but the reality is I thought only three of the 10 nominated films deserved to be there. How “Tick, Tick … Boom!” And “Being the Ricardos” didn’t get nominated, considering some that were, is shocking.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find much more inspiration elsewhere except in the animation feature category where any adult would enjoy “The Mitchells vs. The Machines.” “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Flee.”

Here are some highlights from this year’s nominations that I hope will be rewarded:

BEST PERFORMANCE

Troy Kotsur’s story as a deaf actor is almost as inspiring as the movie CODA (Children of deaf adults). HIs nomination in the supporting actor category may be the only sure thing Sunday night.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

Yeah, I know you never watch shorts, but “Robin, Robin” on Netflix is a fun romp with an orphaned bird bunking with a family of mice. Gillian Anderson does the voice of the villainous cat. It’s only about 25 minutes, so check it out.

BEST ACTRESS - ROBBED

The performance are good for best actress this year, but nothing stands out. Lady Gaga’s performance in the “House of Gucci” is one of those mesmerizing performances that should have been rewarded. Shocking that it was overlooked.

BEST ACTOR CREDIT

I love Will Smith in “King Richard” and it is probably his turn to win a statue, but honestly you have to give Denzel Washington a lot of credit for his performance in “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” It ain’t going to play at the multiplex, but not many commercial actors can pull off Shakespeare the way he did.

THE FUTURE IN `SHORT’

“Please Hold” has a Twilight Zone quality to it in the Best Live Action Short category. It shows what happens when the entire criminal justice system from arrest, to incarceration, to court is handled via computer automation. I’m not sure if it is all ridiculous or an ominous look into the future. It is on HBO Max now.

THE WRITERS

I used to watch the Academy Awards with my mom. My wildest dream was to someday write a screenplay and find myself giving an acceptance speech on Oscar night. I pay attention to the writing in movies. I don’t think anything is better this year than Kenneth Branagh’s original screenplay for Belfast. I still have relatives in Northern Ireland  and everything about the story rings true. I also can’t believe that Aaron Sorkin was not nominated for “Being the Ricardos.”

THE REAL WORLD

In recent years, I have made it a priority to watch the nominated documentaries. Last year was an especially amazing year, but this year wasn’t bad either. “Attica” breaks new ground. It’s creators used freedom of information requests to secure never before seen footage from inside the prison during the assault to retake the western New York facility. Twenty guards died at the hands of the police and National Guard during the assault.  You may have thought you knew the story of Attica, but it is clear we did not.

As a life-long journalist, “Writing With Fire” was especially inspirational for me, chronicling the story of India’s only all female newspaper. I imagine it is the only all female newspaper in the world. More importantly, the film shows how these women overcame a caste system, lack of education and relentless social pressures to become professional journalists who make a difference in their rural region.

Finally, there is “Flee.” It  became the first film ever to be nominated for best documentary feature, best international feature and best animated feature. Using animation to illustrate the perilous journey a family of refugees takes as it tries to escape from Afghanistan and find a new home in Europe. It might resonate even more considering what is happening in Ukraine. It might give us all a different perspective for those that can no longer live safely in the world in which they grew up.

IF YOU LIKE TO READ

You have to be willing to put in the effort when it comes to international films - reading subtitles. The Italian film “The Hand of God” is a coming of age film that follows a raucous family from Naples whose religion is soccer. It is a throwback to the big boisterous multigenerational families of the past. It is a wild and wonderful ride.

EASY ON THE EYES

The trouble with the Spanish film “Parallel Mothers” is that the subtitles divert your attention from Penelope Cruz who is nominated for best actress. This totally original screenplay follows two first-time mother sharing a hospital room in the maternity ward. You don’t see the twists and turns in this story and Cruz is deserving of best actress consideration.