It is that time of your again. The Academy Awards are upon us and with it the discussions, debates and controversies that consistently dog the historic award show are back. This year I have decided to throw my two cents into the ring. I debated whether I should due to me having not watched all the best picture nominations (despite a genuine effort to do so.) But after a moments thinking I thought, fuck it, I have watched more of the films than the academy voters will have done so my opinion is of equal value. In making this list I went through some of the major categories, as going through all of them would make this piece about as long as my dissertation, and opick what I think should win at of the nominees as well as a person or film I believe was snubbed from that category. So, without further a do, here are my picks for the 2020 Academy Awards.
Best Cinematography
My Pick: Jarin Blaschke, "The Lighthouse"
I could have easily picked Roger Deakins for his cinematography in "1917" for this category and I thought very hard about doing so. But I couldn't go against Jari Blaschke for his work in "The Lighthouse". This film is a visual masterpiece. Every frame is like a painting, beautifully framed and lit, while managing to get across an intense feeling of claustrophobia and insanity. The choice to shoot in black and white also adds so much to the tapestry this film creates and adds a dimension that I feel would be lost in colour. This is a film where imagery is king and there were several shots and visuals that have lingered in my mid long after seeing the film and they will most likely continue to linger. "The Lighthouse" is worth the price of admission for its cinematography alone, and for me should definitely win in this category.
Who Was Snubbed: Pawel Pogorzelski, "Midsommar"
Here is a film that has been massively snubbed in all categories, not just cinematography. But I think Pawel Pogorzelski's snub in the cinematography category is one of the biggest missed tricks at this years Academy Awards. This film is full of stunning visuals and, in direct opposition to the the black and white of "The Lighthouse" superb use of colour. The visuals within the film add to the uncomfortable nature of the film, but also are hard to take your eyes off due to their beauty. At once nightmarish and stunning, "Midsommar" is my choice for biggest snub in the cinematography category.
Best Director
My Choice: Bong Joon Ho, "Parasite"
This is one was pretty much a no brainer for me. Despite the category being pretty stacked with talent, Bong Joon Ho stands tall above the rest. The film has a clear artistic vision and all the actors and production crew clearly bought into this vision and this shines through on screen. Beautifully shot, brilliantly acted with an engrossing narrative, Bong Joon Ho has created a masterpiece with this film and he should be recognised for that.
Who Was Snubbed: Greta Gerwig, "Little Women"
This snub is basically criminal. Greta Gerwig does a superb job directing "Little Women". This film is, usually, one I would not care about in the slightest. A period drama with everything that comes with that does not appeal to me. However, Greta Gerwig being attached had me intrigued, due to "Ladybrid" (2017) being one of my favourite films of recent years, and she manages to create an engrossing and fantastically entertaining film that went against my expectations. This snub is probably the biggest of all the snubs for this years Oscars.
Best Supporting Actress
My Choice: Florence Pugh, "Little Women"
This choice was made a little easier in that I hadn't seen two of the five performances that have been nominated. Even so, I think it would have been a hard job for anyone to stop me picking Florence Pugh for her performance as Amy March in "Little Women". She is the star of this film in my opinion. She has the most engrossing performance out of all the actors in the film, as well as having the biggest range within her performance. This pick my be bias as I love Florence Pugh and think she is one of the best actors working today, but it is also very much a warranted nomination. She had my attention whenever she was on screen. In a film full of great performances she stood tall above the rest.
Who Was Snubbed: Yeo-jeong Jo, "Parasite"
I could have picked any of the actors from "Parasite" here as all of them have inexplicably been excluded from all the acting categories this year. But in regards to the supporting actress category I think Yeo-jeong Jo's snub is ridiculous. Her performance as Park Yeon-kyo is brilliant. In a film which is full of laughs she manages to give the funniest performance, whilst also delivering when it comes to the more dramatic moments. She is totally engrossing and entertaining throughout and her snub is ridiculous.
Best Supporting Actor
My Choice: Joe Pesci, "The Irishman"
This choice was an absolute no brainer. Joe Pesci's performance as Russell Bufalino in "The Irishman" is superb. It is the very opposite of what you imagine when you think of a Joe Pesci performance. It is understated, quiet and somewhat restrained. And yet, it is massively engaging and he manages to get across a great sense of power and intensity without flying into the over the top Pesci antics. His performance stood out amongst the rest in the film and I think he fully deserves to win, even if Brad Pitt is nailed on to.
Who Was Snubbed: Willem Dafoe, "The Lighthouse"
Here is another ridiculous snub. Willem Dafoe's performance as Thomas Wake is insane and brilliant all in one. You cannot take your eyes off him throughout the entire film. He manages to create a character who is completely mad and you believe it. It is a hugely entertaining performance and is one of the best of the year. Now, whether or not this performance should be considered as a supporting or lead one is a debate for another time. Whether it should have been nominated or not is not. This was a big snub.
Best Actress
My Choice: Scarlett Johansson, "Marriage Story"
This year saw Scarlett Johansson become the first actor nominated for two awards at the same ceremony since Cate Blanchett in 2007. Now, whether or not I think she deserves her best supporting actress nomination for her performance in "Jojo Rabbit" is neither here nor there, but she absolutely deserved it for her performance in "Marriage Story" and further more she deserves to win. She runs the gamut of emotion in a superb performance that is equally charming, funny, infuriating and devastating. It is a film filled with brilliant performances, and Scarlett Johansson is no exception.
Who Was Snubbed: Florence Pugh, "Midsommar"
So yeah, I told you I might be a little biased. But my bias is not based outside of truths. Florence Pugh is absolutely superb in "Midsommar" as Dani. Her portrayal of a person suffering from mental health issues is superb and believable, while being engrossing. Her ability to go from extreme to extreme and make you believe in every single emotion is not to be sniffed it. The role is not an easy one to play and she absolutely knocks it out of the park. My personal bias be damned, this was definitely a snub.
Best Actor
My Choice: Adam Driver, "Marriage Story"
For this choice i could recycle what I said about Scarlett Johansson's performance and it would be equally viable. Adam Driver's performance in "Marriage Story" is equally superb. It is an emotional rollercoaster of performance, making you want to laugh, cry and everything in between. The chemistry between Johansson and Driver definitely adds to both performances and they compliment each other brilliantly. Driver is possibly my favourite actor working today and while he keeps putting in performances like this he will remain in the upper echelons of my favourite actors.
Who Was Snubbed: Adam Sandler, "Uncut Gems"
I'm not exactly pushing the boat out with this one. Everyone and their mums have said how Sandler and this film in general have been unfairly overlooked by the Academy and I completely jump on the band wagon. Adam Sandleris superb, not something I say very often. He is brilliant at portraying the slimy, weasley and infuriating Howard Ratner. He is a character tha is completely unlikeable, and yet I found myself rooting for, mainly so that I could stop watching him just make poor decision after poor decision, each one making me feel more and more uncomfortable. It is a very hard to watch film, and Sandler adds to the sense of discomfort brilliantly.
Best Picture
My Choice: "Parasite"
On to the main prize and one of the easiest picks I have had to make. I actually think this years category is pretty well stacked, with "Once Upon in Time... in Hollywood", "The Irishman", "Little Women" and "1917" all being great films. I also absolutely loved "Marriage Story", but my choice for best picture is hands down "Parasite". I absolutely adored this film. I was ridiculously excited to see it and this meant that my expectations were high going in. They were met and exceeded throughout. It is a film that is almost perfect on all accounts. As soon as I had left the cinema I messaged several people telling them they had to see it. Not only is the best film of the last year, but it is the best film I have seen in a very long time and is no doubt my pick for the best picture prize at this years Oscars.
Who Was Snubbed: "The Lighthouse", "Bait" and "Uncut Gems"
When it comes to films that have been snubbed I decided to pick three. This is to make up for the two nominated films I haven't seen ("Joker" and "Ford v Ferrari") and "Jojo Rabbit" which I don't think deserves to be nominated despite the fact that I enjoyed it. The three I have picked are all superb films in their own right and are well deserving of at least a nomination. They are all very different films, but all have are engrossing, entertaining and extremely well made. I'd recommend giving all three a watch.