2020 Best Picture Nominee Round-Up

It took me longer this year than in the past to see the Best Picture Oscar nominees. I saw all of them in the theater except “Marriage Story” and “The Irishman.” Both of them are Netflix films, and neither of them really appealed to me. However, after they were nominated, I felt obligated to watch them.  As I’ve done before, here are short overviews of all nine nominees in alphabetical order. I do not try to predict any winners and opinions are my own and do not represent Media Geeks. In a somewhat rare occurrence, one of these nominees is ALSO one of my personal favorites for the year, so it’s very clear who I’ll be rooting for!

1917:

I saw this after it went into wide release in 2020. 2019 was looking like another year where none of the Academy favorites stood out to me, until this excellent film surpassed the other candidates. The movie is a technical marvel, as it looks like it’s shot in a single long take. There are 2 hidden cuts (I think) in the film, and one obvious one, but they don’t take away from the fascination of watching this engrossing World War I story play out nearly in real time. Beyond the amazing scenery and photography, it’s surprisingly emotional as well. I’d love to see a Behind the Scenes feature on the location where this was shot, to see if it’s really as massive as it looked. 9/10

Ford v Ferrari:

Cars aren’t really my thing, but the characters in this movie based on a true story really made it engaging. The historical aspects were enlightening, although the plot seemed to skip over some key sections. Christian Bale’s Ken Miles made me (very slightly) appreciate car racing more, and the un-Hollywood ending had a pretty strong impact, certainly more for me than someone who already knew the story.  8/10

The Irishman:

There’s always one film whose Academy nomination I can’t fathom. This year it’s Martin Scorsese’s rambling, confusing, and redundant mob saga. At 3 1/2 hours, I found it impossible to watch in one sitting, which does the film no favors. Neither does the plot, which seems to only appeal to gangster movie fans or history buffs, since most of the film deals with a mid-level mob enforcer’s relationship to Jimmy Hoffa. You’d think I’d at least learn about Hoffa during this slog, but I barely know more than before I watched it. Scorsese’s two previous films were also over 2 1/2 hours, and he’s now gone back to his well-trod mafia genre. Maybe he has become too set in his ways, with nobody to tell him “no.” At least seeing the digitally de-aged Robert DeNiro was cool, and Joe Pesci gives a great performance. 4/10

Jojo Rabbit:

A World War II satire about an aspiring Nazi Youth whose imaginary friend is a comically overly-dramatic Hitler doesn’t sound like it should work…but it does. From the director of “Thor: Ragnarok,” this is effectively a comedy. Yet also manages to be sad, while offering a sharp look at politics, youth, and how different points of view can make the same situation seem radically different..or how one person can be enough to change your perception.  8/10

Joker:

This should have been right up my alley, but I didn’t care for it much. The acting and early 1980’s setting are spectacular, but it’s so grim, dark, and dour that it’s one of the worst times I had in a theater in 2019. It doesn’t advocate violence, as pundits were worried about. But it does present a plausible case for how a societal outcast could lash out. And it’s so realistic that I left the theater bummed out about all the people that are probably in situations similar to Arthur Fleck’s, while simultaneously not wanting them to find catharsis in the way he did.  5/10

Little Women:

Almost TOO earnest in its portrayal of sisterly love and family bonds, but the atmosphere of the 1800’s soaks in until you just go with it. Sarcasm is more prevalent now, but sincerity was the right choice for this story. The curiosity of daily life from 150 years ago gives way to being wrapped up in the emotions of the characters. I especially liked the modern/meta tweak to the book’s ending that echoed the movie “Adaptation” as the story commented on its own telling to deliver a satisfying conclusion.  8/10

Marriage Story:

I was reluctant see this because 90% of what I heard about it revolved around the big argument scene. People yelling hateful words at each other is not something I was clamoring for, especially having gone through a divorce myself. There is more to the movie, thank goodness. It’s not just the long slow destruction of a relationship that I was afraid of. There are even several funny parts, and one that I thought veered too far into straight-up SNL territory. Sometimes relationships don’t work out but life can still go on. 7/10

Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood:

Like most Tarantino movies, the characters and dialogue are the best part. The plot was a little meandering. As a resident of LA and fan of the movie business, I appreciated the historical aspects and LA locations. It takes place in a time I know very little about. Someone recommended I read up on the Manson murders before watching the film, and I’m really glad I did. It enhanced a good chunk of the movie and I’d recommend a brief Wikipedia summary to anyone similarly uninformed.  8/10

Parasite:

Wow do the critics like this. I love the director’s 2013 film “Snowpiercer,” so I was excited. It certainly held my interest and had plenty of surprises, yet I feel dumb for not seeing whatever magic those critics saw. I think it’s good, but not great. Certainly not a masterpiece or one of the best of the year. It deals with the topical, and important, subject of economic class conflict, but I thought the message was muddled and I wasn’t sure what the movie was trying to say. The (deliberately) unlikable protagonists don’t help either.  6/10

My average score for the nominees is a 7, which is a big jump up after 3 down years hovering around a 6. I have a clear favorite that has at least a moderate chance to win, and 4 others that I liked quite a bit and would be fine if they won. A “Parasite” win would be great for diversity, and a win by “Joker” would be good for variety in future comic book movies, so I wouldn’t mind those either. I’d be ok with just about anything but “The Irishman.” Even Best Animated Feature lines up with my ratings this year: I loved “Toy Story 4,” and I have to think it’s the favorite, but “Missing Link” and “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” were both solid too.

Some of my 2019 favorites didn’t make the cut: “Avengers: Endgame” wasn’t for critics, but it was a ton of fun. Although it didn’t top last year’s “Infinity War,” it had plenty of its own iconic moments. It was a very fitting look back at the previous Marvel movies (somewhat literally), and set the stage for wherever the company wants to go next. For the second year in a row, a documentary was in my top tier of films AND wasn’t nominated for Best Documentary. “Apollo 11” used newly found and restored footage from the actual mission in 1969 to make an absorbing telling of our first trip to the moon. Like car racing, I don’t have much interest in NASA, so this documentary being in my top 5 of the year is a testament to how good it is.

Many of these nominees were commercial hits. Is the Academy deliberately nominating more mainstream titles…or was studio moviemaking just that much better than in past years? Which ones did you see? What were your favorites, or what did you think got snubbed?