Oscars 2020 - For Your Consideration

Every year this whole awards season thing sets a lot of people off because of how many great films (or great aspects from films, good or bad) end up getting completely ignored by awards bodies, mainly the Academy. So, with Oscar nomination voting only a couple days away from beginning, I've decided to take this issue into my own hands and create my own FYC page for films from various different companies so I can get the attention they deserve! Let's begin!

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

• Best Adapted Screenplay

Starting off is a safer but not a lock for a nomination hope of mine. Easily some of the most creative written of the year, Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue abandoned the typical biopic formula and wrote an episode of Mister Rogers Neighborhood instead. A move that made the story of Mr. Rogers so much easier to tell by not focusing as much on him and rather what he did. It makes the film so much more admirable, offering for some of the most memorable and moving moments of 2019.

The Farewell

• Best Lead Actress - Awkwafina
• Best Supporting Actress - Zhao Shuzhen

An Original Screenplay nomination still seems pretty safe for Lulu Wang's emotional dramedy, but its chances for acting awards have gone down as of late, so that's where I step in! Awkwafina offered a moving turn as a young Chinese-American woman trying not only to bond with her grandmother in her final days but also to reconnect with her Chinese culture that effortlessly carried the film. Then Shuzhen gave a heartwarming performance as the grandmother unaware of her approaching demise, one that really reminds us of why we love our grandmothers so much.

The Irishman

• Best Lead Actor - Robert De Niro

A film with Oscar chances that are soaring, but a nomination for its lead has me a little concerned after missing out on Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations. It's still likely, but if he misses it will be a massive shame, as De Niro gives a masterful performance that his career has needed. He effortlessly demonstrates toxic masculinity through a man who works to hide his emotions throughout the film with his vulnerability regarding his age and those around him becoming increasingly more apparent as it progresses.

Knives Out

• Best Picture
• Best Lead Actress - Ana de Armas
• Best Film Editing
• Best Production Design

Another film where an Original Screenplay nomination is more than likely, but has little momentum outside of that. It's unfortunate, because so much of it is brilliantly made, especially with its cast; particularly Ana de Armas who leads the murder-mystery with a nuanced and kind-hearted performance that makes her easy to root for. And the editing is so sublime, with transitions from the past and present being executed brilliantly, and some of the best use of slow-motion all year. The production design is what really ties it all together; the Thrombrey mansion is filled with so many details that are so admirable and true to the mystery genre.

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

• Best Supporting Actor - Jonathan Majors
• Best Cinematography

A beautiful film with amazing cinematography and music (that sadly wasn't shortlisted) that captures the feeling of comradeship between the two main characters in such a unique way. And Jonathan Major's performance is perhaps the strongest breakthrough one of the year, as he carries his character with so much creativity and splendor that truly makes the film.

The Lighthouse

• Best Supporting Actor - Willem Dafoe
• Best Cinematography
• Best Sound Mixing
• Best Sound Editing

Do I think Willem Dafoe is supporting in The Lighthouse? No, I don't. But if that's the path he's taking, then I'll follow suit if it leads him to a nomination. His work is utter magnificence, with some of the best line readings I've ever heard that offer both humor and thought-provoking moments for the viewer to bring in. Then the cinematography is the icing on the cake; shot in a black and white, 35mm aspect ratio entirely different from what's seen today that creates the feeling of isolation and mystery that makes the whole film. And the sound design doesn't get enough credit. It sets the mood for The Lighthouse so well, creating a sense of insanity that possibly could've consumed the viewer as well because of how unnerving it is.

Little Women

• Best Picture
• Best Director - Greta Gerwig
• Best Lead Actress - Saoirse Ronan
• Best Supporting Actress - Florence Pugh
• Best Adapted Screenplay
• Best Cinematography

I already claimed that I don't think Little Women will fare particularly well come January 13th, and now that I've actually seen the film, I'm now very worried by that possibility. Greta Gerwig has crafted an incredibly warm movie which she filmed while pregnant! She brought to live some of the most well-rounded characters in any film this decade. The performances do more than enough to help bring these characters to life, with Saoirse Ronan carrying the film and Florence Pugh giving far and away the best Supporting Actress performance in a film this year. And the 35mm camera work is beautiful, capturing the comfort of the film wonderfully.

There are other films worth mentioning, but here I was more focused on what was up for Oscars and could still bet the odds if the love is there, so sadly some were omitted for either not making the Academy's official eligibility reminder list or having basically no chance at all. So, don't just watch whats up for Oscars, watch all kinds of films regardless of whether it gets accolades or not, I'm sure that way you'll find something special.