The 94th Academy Awards: Best Picture Nominees

Based upon a 1967 novel of the same name, The Power of the Dog is a Western drama written and directed by Jane Campion. The film explores themes of love, jealousy, and sexuality in 1920s Montana, following the ranch brothers Phil and George Burbank, widow Rose Gordon, and her teenage son Peter. The Power of the Dog leads the group with 12 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor – Benedict Cumberbatch, Best Supporting Actor – Jesse Plemmons, Best Supporting Actor – Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Best Support Actress – Kirsten Dunst.

Nolan’s Thoughts

This film stood out to me the most this year. It was a refreshingly different take on the Western drama. I loved the subtlety of every piece of the story and characters that slowly unfurled. It gave such a deep understanding of each character while really only hinting at their past, and current motives. This film had an eerie almost unsettling quality to it that drew me in and didn’t let me go until the very end. This combined with some stellar performances (especially from Kirsten Dunst and Benedict Cumberbatch) beautifully shot  landscape and wilderness scenery, and hauntingly simple music pieces put Power of the Dog at the top of my list.

I’d give it an 8/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

There’s a subtlety and slowness to Power of the Dog that might not be to everyone’s liking. But amidst the beautiful cinematography of breathtaking landscapes and paired with Jonny Greenwood’s score, Jane Campion allows her cast to shine. Westerns have been done hundreds of times, but this stands out as unique. It’s both plot- and atmospheric-driven, proving equally captivating and unnerving. You don’t quite know what’s going to happen at the end and it’s all about the journey. Power of the Dog is a finely crafted film. 

I rate this 8/10.

Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, and starring Alana Haim (of pop rock band Haim) and Cooper Hoffman (son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) in their film debuts, Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age film set in California’s San Fernando Valley in the 1970s. Licorice Pizza is nominated for 3 Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

Nolan’s Thoughts

Maybe I wasn’t the audience for this one, or maybe I just missed something that warranted all the praise this movie was getting. It seemed like a disjointed awkward collection of scenes, most of which didn’t amount to anything in the end.

Everything about its pace and tone seemed uneven. It devoted enormous amounts of time to scenes and characters that served no purpose other than being 70s references and nostalgia. Normally I could look past all that if the plot was well done, but here there barely even was a plot to string everything together. I also found the main romance bizarre and awkward, but in all the wrong ways. The age gap alone is unsettling and inappropriate to say the least. Even putting that aside, I didn’t care enough about the characters to root for their relationship by the end. Like the film’s title the main characters just felt like two things that really shouldn’t be put together.

I give it a 3/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

After completely loving PTA’s last film Phantom Thread, I had high hopes for Licorice Pizza. Sadly, this didn’t inspire the same adoration. Licorice Pizza is two hours comprised of four vignettes in the lives of Gary (Hoffman) and Alana (Haim) that barely come together to form a plot. Steeped in 1970s nostalgia and references, I admit that I am perhaps not the target audience, but everything is so loosely connected, sometimes hinted at, and sometimes stated outright that it’s hard to know who really is the prime audience. Not to mention the inclusion of two wildly racist scenes included under the guise of verisimilitude that do nothing to serve the plot or flesh out its main characters. Frankly, in a current social climate rife with anti-Asian violence and rhetoric, keeping these two pointless scenes seems negligent and insensitive. To find some positivity, albeit minor, I did enjoy the acting of these two newcomers (though their characters are almost unbearable) and the soundtrack. The film does a good job of creating the 1970s atmosphere, but never really utilizes it.

I rate this 4/10. 

Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Nightmare Alley is a neo-noir thriller based upon the 1946 novel of the same name (and is the second feature film adaption, following a 1947 version). The film stars Bradley Cooper as an ambitious carnival worker who takes big risks to boost his career. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara also star, among others. Nightmare Alley is nominated for 4 awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design.

Nolan’s Thoughts

I am a fan of older noir style movies so I was excited to check this one out. I was a little surprised that Bradley Cooper wasn’t nominated for his performance. He really went hard especially in the later half of the film. Guillermo Del Toro movies are usually hit and miss with me, but I will say he really did craft a creepy world with some shady and monstrous characters. I did enjoy watching the bizarre story come full circle in some thrilling ways. My biggest complaint from me is that it was less of a film noir movie done in a modern style and more of a standard noir movie of old done today.

I give it a 5/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

This film was creepy from the beginning, and I honestly thought it was going to be more horrific than it was (as per del Toro’s usual style). But this noir was more slowburn and unsettling than a monster horror. I think it’s main sticking point for me is its run time (at 2 hours 30 minutes, it mostly takes place in two chunks, but a lot of moments felt like deadweight). The cast is pretty stellar and particularly Blanchett (a true champion of playing sultry and scary women) and Cooper (who in the last scene acted more than I have ever seen him act). It’s a well-written and an interesting watch, but not really my cup of tea.

I rate this 6/10.

Belfast, a coming-of-age drama written and directed by Kenneth Branagh, follows a young boy’s childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland at the beginning of The Troubles in 1969. The film is semi-autobiographical of Branagh’s own childhood and stars Jude Hill as Buddy, with his parents played by Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan. Belfast is nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Supporting Actor – Ciaran Hinds, Best Supporting Actress – Judi Dench, and Best Original Screenplay.

Nolan’s Thoughts

I enjoyed watching Belfast quite a bit. It was one of the few original films on the list this year. I thought it had a very interesting perspective and style being told from the child’s point of view as well as taking place almost entirely in their small street in the heart of the city. The black and white look definitely added to the raw and emotional story of the family struggling to survive in their small corner of Belfast. It was a very personal story of hardship and uncertainty that was excellently acted by the small but powerful cast. I love when films do such a good job of welcoming you into an intimate but powerful story you may not have the chance to know otherwise. 

I give it a 7/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

I’m a big fan of Branagh as an actor, but I’m not quite convinced yet as a director. Overall, this film is a good watch. The acting is all-around solid (an Irish accent never hurts!) and the based-on-real-life experiences are important and meaningful. I’m not quite sure why exactly this movie was in black and white, but the movie theater scene and the introductory establishing shots in color (though the transition to black and white here is a cool one). I liked the use of Van Morrison songs as the soundtrack, though sometimes his jazzy style didn’t always feel like the right fit for the moment. But there are touches of interesting cinematography and I do really like Van Morrison. 

I rate this 7/10.

Directed and co-written by Denis Villeneuve, Dune is a science fiction epic and the first of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. This is its second theatrical adaptation, following David Lynch’s 1984 cult-classic. The story is set in an otherworldly future, following Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) as he is thrust towards his destiny while a war breaks out on the hostile desert planet of Arrakis. The film also stars an ensemble cast including Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgard, and Zendaya, to name a few. Dune is nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Score.

Nolan’s Thoughts

I went into Dune, without huge expectations, mostly groaning over yet another remake, but I ended up being very impressed with the results. Denis Villeneuve did an amazing job creating an eerily beautiful world with exceptional attention to detail. The scale of the production, along with the somewhat haunting cinematography created a unique feeling I hadn’t really seen in a sci fi epic before. Clearly the Dune story is bigger than just this movie, but I really enjoyed watching the world slowly unfold and the whole scope come into focus. This film was oozing with style. Everything from costume design and make up, to the atmospheric cinematography really melted into an intriguing film. Can’t wait to see how Paul Atreides’ story ends in Part 2. 

I give it an 8/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

I have long wanted to read Dune, and when I heard Villeneuve was set to create this film with Chalamet as lead, it was the final push for me to delve in. While the prose itself was not my favorite, I devoured the book, needing to know what would happen next. The world-building and cinematography are top notch. The cast is stellar and I’m so glad how Villeneuve brought more of Chani into this first half. It might be on the slower side for some, but I think this deep-dive in environment and plot building will pay off big in Part Two when even more action hits. The sole, and biggest complaint (which the second movie could help with): more diversity. Particularly with Middle Eastern casting, considering the source material is heavily influenced by Islam and many of names and language used in-film are derived from Arabic.

I rate this 9/10.

Don’t Look Up is a black comedy film written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay, starring an ensemble cast including Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. As an allegory for climate change and satire of government, political, celebrity, and media indifference, the story follows two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will destroy Earth and human civilization. The film is nominated for 4 Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing.

Nolan’s Thoughts

I was scratching my head a bit at how Don’t Look Up made it on the list. The ensemble casts witty dialogue and the pacing of the editing made it pretty entertaining, but I couldn’t help feeling like it didn’t take itself seriously enough to be best picture worthy. It started as a satirical look at the almost comical way people deny climate change, but ultimately felt like a standard disaster movie that was more entertainment than making a statement. It was certainly unique in its style, but overall I really wouldn’t think a movie like this is worthy of a best picture nomination.

I give it a 5/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

I come to this film with a bias of not really being a fan of Adam McKay’s more “serious” work. While the film itself was funny, absurd, and entertaining, it’s not the kind of film I would ever expect to be nominated for Best Picture. Sure, the cast is top-notch—but squeezing in so many familiar faces begins to feel tedious, with Timothée Chalamet’s character feeling particularly unnecessary? And that’s coming from a Timmy lover! At times it feels so unbearably heavy-handed it makes you roll your eyes. It’s worthy of a watch; it’s one of the better “end-of-the-world” type films. It will make you frustrated with how flippant people react to an incoming crisis. But Best Picture? No thanks. 

I rate this 5/10.

West Side Story is a musical drama about star-crossed lovers, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg. As the second feature-length adaptation of the 1957 stage musical, it stars Rachel Zegler as Maria (in her film debut) and Ansel Elgort as Tony. It also features Rita Moreno in a new role, who starred in the 1961 adaptation as Anita. West Side Story is nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Supporting Actress – Ariana DeBose, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Sound. (It is also the second film to be adapted from the same source material and also nominated as a previous Best Picture winner—the other was 1962’s Mutiny on the Bounty.)

Nolan’s Thoughts

When I see a play that I am very familiar with done by a new cast, everything is pretty much the same, with a few tweaks and subtle differences. That’s how I felt watching this version of West Side Story. Definitely a step above the original, but not outstandingly so. Don’t get me wrong, the production design and cinematography were very well done. Especially the sweeping camera moves through the dancers and the large scale sets. Also the performances by Ariana Debose and Rachel Zegler were terrific and definitely added some new energy to the story. I just couldn’t help feeling like this version didn’t separate itself enough from the 60s movie to warrant all the praise and acclaim it has received. 

I give it a 5/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

This was always going to be a hard sell for me. As a remake of a film that was already so well-regarded, I honestly had no interest in seeing this until it was nominated. The casting of Elgort didn’t really help either (he is the weakest of these actors). For the most part, I was not impressed: it feels the same. Nothing was really changed. But I will credit the production design and cinematography as benefits of how far filmmaking has come in 60 years. And Zegler’s voice is knock-out beautiful. 

I rate this 6/10.

A biographical film about Richard Williams, father and coach of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, King Richard stars Will Smith in the titular role. The story follows the family as Richard strives for professional coaching and support of the future stars, leading up to Venus’ professional debut in 1994. The film is nominated for 5 Academy Awards, including Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress – Aunjanue Ellis, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Song (by Beyonce).

Nolan’s Thoughts

It was very cool to see the origin story of Venus and Serena and all the hard work and sacrifice they went through to achieve tennis glory. The film seemed quite similar to a lot of other sports biopics in recent memory so the style, editing, and tone didn’t stand out to me all that much.. Not at all surprised to see him nominated again. Being told through Richards’ view added a unique perspective on the life of athletes, but I felt like seeing through the sisters’ eyes, and getting to see more intimate or personal moments that way may have had more of an impact for me. However, Will Smith’s performance really pushed it forward. Hes just so good at motivational speeches and hold his eyes in the moment before the first tear falls

I give it a 6/10.

Krissen’s Thoughts

I’ll start by saying this is a perfectly good movie. It’s entertaining, emotional, and a true story. Smith is always a fantastic actor and I really enjoyed the girls that played Venus and Serena as well. But besides the incredible story and solid acting, the rest of the movie doesn’t stand out to me in any artistic way. I will say that focusing the film on the Williams patriarch, rather than the two legendary sports stars, is an interesting choice. I understand that they want to honor his legacy in their lives and to acknowledge and appreciate all of his hard work, support, and sacrifices—but at times, it felt as if we weren’t honing in enough of the girls’ own drive and talent.

I rate this 7/10.