Oscar Snubs and Contender Loves
Jojo Rabbit, Parasite, 1917, A Marriage Story… this year’s Oscars are stacked with incredible films and deserving filmmakers. So much so, in fact, that searching for snubs proved to be a difficult task. For the last few weeks, I have attempted to stream, borrow, or rent the best movies of 2019 in a search for cinematic gold. And boy, was it a fun ride. Without further ado, here are the films that stood out the most, and the awards for which they should have been nominated.
Uncut Gems
Snub: Best Sound Mixing
Streaming: Netflix (Summer 2020)
I walked in to see this film completely blind, having only heard that Adam Sandler plays a scumbag. Frankly, I was expecting to hate it. But what followed completely changed my perspective on filmmaking, specifically with regards to sound. The first 20 minutes is an unending symphony of chaos, with layers of simultaneous conversation crashing against the synth-wave score and city soundscape. It’s impossible to absorb every word of dialogue. This is intentional. The cacophony, while jarring, forces us to focus on Howard, whose expressions and decisions always seem bafflingly at odds with his environment. We experience the sounds of mania and adrenaline, dopamine and peace. If you can’t bring yourself to watch Uncut Gems, at least consider listening to the first 20 minutes. The film as a whole is masterful, but its use of sound is uniquely sublime.
Honey Boy
Snub: Best Actor, Noah Jupe
Streaming: Amazon Prime (February 7th)
Shia Lebouf’s semi-autobiographical Honey Boy is a heartbreaking tale of a former child actor grappling with trauma. Noah Jupe plays young Otis, the son of an unstable failed rodeo clown. The film explores the tricky push-and-pull of father-son relationships and the treacherous, lonely adolescence of rising young stars. Otis, like all children, is desperate for comfort and a semblance of control. He loves his father and believes that in managing him financially, he can also manage his abuse. Not so. Still, he clings to moments of tenderness. Jupe performs with the skill and range of a seasoned actor, though this is one of his first roles on the big screen. In one particularly harrowing scene, he relays a conversation between divorced parents with aching realism and emotion. Ironically, this film charts the rise of Jupe as a child star, while simultaneously reminding us that life in the industry is often brutally unkind to children.
Us
Snub: Best Actress, Lupita Nyong’o
Streaming: HBO
While mainstream horror films rarely get recognition at the Oscars, Jordan Peele’s Get Out broke the mold, earning 4 nominations and a win for Best Original Screenplay. Us unfortunately didn’t receive the same level of acclaim. Still, it delivered a meaty punch, thanks in large part to Lupita Nyong’o’s bone-chilling dual performances as Red and Adelaide. Her transformation into a hoarse, unblinking killer was nightmare-inducing, but it was the subtleties in her expression and movement that sold me. Both characters have a sense of rhythm, though they are askew from one another in ways that demand a second viewing. Few (if any) successful horror films hinge this completely on a powerful actress without falling to one of the familiar tropes: sexy blonde, damsel in distress, femme fatale, or scorned witch. Instead, Lupita Nyong’o becomes a mother, a fighter, a savior, and a demon. In every moment, her eyes alone speak volumes. Her characters’ motivations are never lost as they claw one another for the light, and their climactic dance sequence is one of the most powerful scenes of 2019.
Little Women
Snub: Best Director, Greta Gerwig
Streaming: TBA (still in theatres)
Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is so well-loved and highly praised, it’s practically impossible to add to the conversation. But one thing is absolutely clear: Greta Gerwig has solidified her place as one of the greats. Twisting a traditional tale into a non-linear narrative, Gerwig draws on the spirit of Louisa May Alcott to both honor and revitalize her classic story. This is raw feminism, with an incredible cast of women who are dynamic, flawed, and powerful to their cores. Every element of the film adds to its magic: resonant dialogue, breathtaking costuming & cinematography, careful coloring, and winning performances. No doubt, this is why Little Women is up for so many Oscars already: Best Picture, Best Actress (Saoirse Ronan), Best Supporting Actress (Florence Pugh), Costume Design, Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay. When the elements of a film sing so universally, it’s typically the sign of a stellar director. To that end, it feels like a tragic miscalculation that Gerwig wasn’t nominated for Best Director--a category entirely dominated by men for the last ten years. The one exception? Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird in 2017.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
These Reel Contender favorites didn’t make it to the Oscars, but they did make a home in our hearts. Here are a handful of films that the whole RC crew enjoyed, along with the awards they deserve.
Best Found Family Film: The Peanut Butter Falcon
Best Coming-of-Age Film: Book Smart
Best Horror Comedy: Ready or Not
Best in Sport: Fighting With My Family
Most Improved: Shazam
