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94rd Academy Awards (2022)Gold StandardBy Jeffrey M. Anderson
Here is the full list of 2022 Oscar nominations, with links to the films I've reviewed during this bizarre year, as well as notes, my picks and predictions. Films released between March 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 were eligible. (I make no promises with my predictions. I usually don't score much better than 66%, and with this year as off-the-rails as it is, there could be quite a few left turns and surprises.) The ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Update: Dune won six awards, while CODA won three and The Eyes of Tammy Faye won two. The Power of the Dog, King Richard, West Side Story, Belfast, Encanto, No Time to Die, Cruella, Summer of Soul, and Drive My Car each won one, in addition to short film winners The Queen of Basketball, The Windshield Wiper, and The Long Goodbye. Some awards were groundbreakers, and I did pretty good with my predictions (I got 20 out of 23, or 87%), and yet everyone will be talking about Will Smith's appalling behavior, rather than history-making moments. Best Picture Notes: The list is missing many of my favorites, such as The Tragedy of Macbeth, Passing, and Spencer, but it's a decent batch. I recently caught up with King Richard, which is the most Oscar-baitey of the bunch (I will post my review forthwith), and I can see it squeaking by with a win, similar to Green Book. I could get behind wins for CODA, which took the SAG ensemble award, or The Power of the Dog, which is possibly the front-runner. But Drive My Car is easily the best of these ten. Update: with CODA winning both the PGA and the SAG awards, I think that puts it in 1st place, though there's no telling for sure...
If I Had a Vote: Drive My Car Best Director Notes: I respect and admire all five of these folks. It's a really good list. Spielberg and Campion are here together for the first time since 1993 (Schindler's List and The Piano). Branagh is here for the first time since 1989 (Henry V, his debut). I think this is Campion's award. She's a brilliant director, and her win would make the Academy look good.
If I Had a Vote: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog Best Actor in a Leading Role Notes: For my money, the year's most daring and powerful performance was Nicolas Cage's in Pig, but the Academy went with no less than three biopics. Cumberbatch is great, but his character is so vile. It would be easy to see voters preferring Will Smith's inspirational performance instead. All that aside, Denzel Washington is my favorite Macbeth of all time. Update: Will Smith's behavior at the ceremony will continue to be debated...
If I Had a Vote: Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth Best Actress in a Leading Role Notes: Three biopics here, too, except Spencer isn't really one; it's much more powerful and subversive than the others. But Stewart really has no chance of winning, sadly. Even more sadly, Jessica Chastain, who is a great actor and who is more than astonishing in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, is probably going to win for what is little more than trash... and, like Judy, utterly disposable and not worth watching ever again. (I have not reviewed the film because I couldn't take watching it and only skimmed through it.)
If I Had a Vote: Kristen Stewart, Spencer Best Actor in a Supporting Role Notes: This is a good batch in a category that is usually one of the keys to what was best about the year. And only one biopic! No complaints, but, for me, Hinds was the most touching.
If I Had a Vote: Ciarán Hinds, Belfast Best Actress in a Supporting Role Notes: One biopic. This is a pretty good batch, although for somewhat depressing roles. I'd lean toward Dench or DeBose myself. I loved Buckley last year in another Netflix film, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, but she wasn't nominated. I'm not sure I get the fuss over The Lost Daughter...
If I Had a Vote: Judi Dench, Belfast Best Animated Feature Film Notes: I liked all five of these; I really liked Mitchells, and I loved Encanto. And it seems like others are on board with me.
If I Had a Vote: Encanto Best Adapted Screenplay Notes: There's no question for me here: it's Drive My Car, based on a great story (and parts of two others) by Haruki Murakami. But it's not going to win. Campion seems to be the front-runner (she won for writing The Piano), and I could see the much-loved CODA upsetting, too. Some seem to think that Gyllenhaal could win, which would make for a good speech.
If I Had a Vote: Drive My Car Best Original Screenplay Notes: None of these were my favorites. Belfast is really good, but I do wish it had been meatier, or darker. As I wrote in my review, Licorice Pizza is barely a screenplay, but it has a lot of good stuff in it. PTA is now widely considered a master, and he has racked up 11 nominations (for Best Picture, Director, and Screenplay), but has never won. I'd say he has a lock on this. Update: Kenneth Branagh won, and I think he deserved it.
If I Had a Vote: Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza Best Original Song Notes: We all wish "We Don't Talk About Bruno" could have been here. And I wish I liked Beyoncé's song a little more. No, the best one by far here is "No Time to Die." Billie Eilish's take on it makes it one of the five best James Bond songs of all time. Some seem to think she could win... could she?
If I Had a Vote: "No Time to Die" Best Original Score Notes: Jonny Greenwood owned this year with music for The Power of the Dog, Spencer, and Licorice Pizza. Spencer was my favorite, and yet, as good as The Power of the Dog is, I'd have to rank Zimmer's Dune score even higher. It's just... really, really good.
If I Had a Vote: Hans Zimmer, Dune Best Sound Notes: I would doubt that I, or most moviegoers, really know what to listen to when it comes to great sound design in a movie, especially given the concept of streaming on flat-screen TVs with tiny, thin little speakers. That said, Spielberg's West Side Story endlessly impressed me with its technical aspects, top-to-bottom. So, for a stab in the dark, it'll be my pick. My prediction is Dune.
If I Had a Vote: West Side Story Best Costume Design Notes: I don't really have a horse in this race. The costumes I myself would most like to wear would belong to Nightmare Alley. But the rule for this category, as well as several others, is to not look for the "best," but rather for the "most." Hence, my prediction.
If I Had a Vote: Nightmare Alley Best Animated Short Film Notes: I hope to catch up with the two I haven't seen. Netflix's Robin Robin could have the advantage here.
If I Had a Vote: ? Best Live-Action Short Film Notes: The Long Goodbye, which stars last year's Best Actor nominee Riz Ahmed, has a good shot. And it's available to watch on YouTube.
If I Had a Vote: ? Best Cinematography Notes: To put a point to it, both The Tragedy of Macbeth and West Side Story contain some of the very best cinematography I have ever seen in films. And neither of them are going to win. The front-runners now are The Power of the Dog and Dune. I'm not yet sure which one I'll predict... Update: With Dune winning the Cinematographer's Guild award, it's a front-runner now.
If I Had a Vote: The Tragedy of Macbeth Best Documentary Feature Notes: Flee has been nominated in three different categories, and some people think it should or will win one of them, but I'm thinking it might not. Summer of Soul is so good, and it's also that documentary rarity; it's worth seeing again.
If I Had a Vote: Summer of Soul Best Documentary Short Subject Notes: For my own pick, it's Bullies, mainly because it's by a legendary indie filmmaker, Jay Rosenblatt, who has never been nominated, and it's a very personal film for him. The wonderful The Queen of Basketball looks to have perhaps the best shot at winning.
If I Had a Vote: When We Were Bullies Best Film Editing Notes: My joke here is that Dune is way too long, and it's only half a movie, so why is it nominated for Best Editing? Yet, sadly, it's the front-runner to win. My personal pick is the shortest one on the list, and the one that has the most snap and crackle.
If I Had a Vote: Tick, Tick... Boom! Best International Feature Film Notes: No question here. It's Drive My Car, both the best and the front-runner.
If I Had a Vote: Drive My Car Best Makeup and Hairstyling Notes: If this were just "hair," I might be inclined to go with Cruella but "makeup" surpasses it and makes the likely winner The Eyes of Tammy Faye, for the most makeup in a movie. Like... SO much makeup. Bleh.
If I Had a Vote: Dune Best Production Design Notes: Three of these films, Nightmare Alley, The Tragedy of Macbeth, and West Side Story, are master classes in production design. And yet, Dune is probably going to win... again.
If I Had a Vote: Nightmare Alley Best Visual Effects Notes: And Dune is projected to win again here, making it probably the movie with the most awards. But people really love Spider-Man: No Way Home, probably more than anyone loves Dune. Could it swing in here and steal the award?
If I Had a Vote: Spider-Man: No Way Home |
