 Hello, everyone, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! 2021 was certainly a year, and with that passage of time came the passage of advertisements by all manner of studios attempting to get us to watch their movies, whether in theaters or on streaming services. Trailers are an art form all their own; a bad one can kill a good film’s box office before it even opens, and a good one can lend a financial/hype-wound hand to even the most dismal of features. We all remember watching trailers that excited us as we sat in the dark waiting for our feature presentation to begin, so without further delay, let’s go ahead and talk about the best ones we got to see in 2021. These are our picks for the Top 10 Movie Trailers of 2021! 10. The Matrix Resurrections – Official Trailer 1 The fourth installment in the live-action Matrix franchise was a big swing from the get-go, but Warner Bros really did put a good deal of marketing power into promoting it, hence its two very successful trailers. Whilst the latter may have largely sold the film as a new Wachowski action vehicle, Resurrections’ first trailer let us in on the event of it all. The grandiose visuals, the music selection, and some pretty sweet action teasing let us all know that the Matrix franchise was back in a big way; what a shame the film itself only about half lived up to it. 9. The Batman – The Bat and the Cat Trailer Both iterations of the caped crusader’s advertised return to the silver screen deserve their own levels of acclaim, both providing new angles and grime through which to look at everyone’s favorite non-superpowered superhero as Robert Pattinson dons the cape and cowl to fight crime in the earliest days of The Batman. It’s the latter of the two, however, that works best, giving us more of an idea of the story, showing off some really cool new footage, and teasing Paul Dano’s Riddler as a genuinely antagonistic force. The trailer also gives us a lot more of Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman, her rapport with Bruce informing some of the sexier elements of both the film and the character. Whatever secrets the movie holds only the movie itself will tell, but I do wonder if Matt Reeves has something more ponderous up his sleeve than anyone expects, as he did with his two Planet of the Apes prequel films. 8. West Side Story | Official Teaser Its second trailer may have been more thematically appropriate, what with us actually getting to hear some of the stars sing, being re-introduced to the characters, and that gorgeous orchestral version of “Tonight” blasting over beautiful imagery, but it’s the first trailer for Steven Spielberg’s take on West Side Story that generated a hype machine amongst film and theater fans like no other (at least it did for me). Our first glimpses of the new Jets, the new Sharks, the film’s protagonists, and the design of the whole shebang premiered during the 2021 Oscars ceremony, and right up to the moment of release, the idea of whether Steven Spielberg could pull this off hung on a knife’s edge. Thankfully, the film is indeed amazing, but if one paid attention to this trailer and all it promised in just under 2 minutes, there need not have been any doubt of that. 7. Spencer – Official Teaser Trailer Many trailers released in 2021 sold their films purely on star performances paired with tragic horror vibes, but none fit that bill quite so well as Spencer. The teaser for Pablo Larraín’s Princes Diana semi-biopic is near-wordless, right up to the point where we first hear Kristen Stewart’s voice as Diana at its tail end. There’s really not much to say about this one; it’s just a great teaser for a great movie. See for yourself! 6. Dune | Official Main Trailer While the initial trailer teaser released alongside Tenet in September of 2020 may still be the best trailer this film has, it actually released 3 more – one on September 9, 2020, and the other two earlier in 2021. The first of those is the winner here, as it gave us a better understanding of what the story was meant to be, teased stellar visuals with an epic sci-fi scope, and let us hear our first notes of Hans Zimmer’s pretty much guaranteed-to-win-the-Oscar original score. The final trailer released for Dune also has merit, but even it can’t quite cope with this behemoth of advertising released beforehand. 5. The Green Knight | Official Trailer The initial teaser trailer for David Lowery’s Arthurian adaptation of the Arthurian legend was interesting but not especially engaging outside of promising us an A24 fantasy tale; it’s the second trailer for The Green Knight that truly teased the epic journey the film would take us on. Visions of giants, talking foxes, trippy visuals, Ralph Ineson in a lot of makeup as the titular character with that booming voice, and a whole lot of Dev Patel wearing a yellow scarf made us all look twice at what was coming, and the film delivered on almost every promise it made, eventually cementing itself as one of the very best of 2021. There aren’t many non-MCU films that could use “Lapse” as well as this one did. 4. House of Gucci | Official Trailer You’d be forgiven for assuming that because House of Gucci was largely a disappointment in execution, that must have meant the marketing team didn’t quite get it right, but both trailers for Ridley Scott’s second 2021 film are amongst some of the best 2021 had to offer. While the latter certainly excited Scott fans with “Sweet Dreams” driving the whole thing forward, it’s the first trailer set to Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” that announced the film was coming in a big way. Lavish costuming, weird accents, Jard Leto looking…like that, and a stacked cast all ensured that no one looking forward to awards season would miss this one. And it worked so well, they basically just did the exact same thing again the next time. 3. The Hand of God | Official Teaser Paolo Sorrentino’s The Hand of God is a good movie, but if the entire film was nearly as stunning as its initial teaser trailer, it may well have been a masterpiece. The cinematography for the teaser alone is some of the most gorgeous one will ever see in a 2021 trailer, the music is appropriately epic yet melancholy, and it goes on for just long enough in its final clip to actually make a lasting impact. The film itself is still good, but it’s not nearly as in-tune with the best parts of itself as this trailer is. 2. Eternals | Final Trailer Chloé Zhao taking on an MCU project seemed like a dream come true for Oscar lovers and MCU fans like myself, and from how well this trailer is cut together, one might have expected it to be the best MCU film ever made. The lighting, the epic visuals, the incredible score, and the whole edit made it feel like an epic destined to take over the cultural zeitgeist for generations; unfortunately, even though I still find it interesting and mostly good, the film falls way short of those expectations. Lucky for all of us, this trailer still exists as a vast improvement over the film’s first teaser, and even if the film is one of the MCU’s weaker entries, this trailer is one of its very strongest. 1. Last Night in Soho – Official Teaser Trailer I’ve gone on record as not really being a huge fan of Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver follow-up, Last Night in Soho, but I was a huge fan of both trailers that were put out, and no trailer made more of an impression on me personally than this official teaser trailer. Sold purely on its design, and Anya Taylor-Joy’s deeply enticing singing voice, this one moves right along for nearly two and a half minutes without a single word but for the line Thomasin McKenzie speaks at the end to tease what might be going on. Stellar, almost Argento-esque visuals sold every shot, and by the time it was all over, everyone who knew who Edgar Wright, Thomasin McKenzie, or Anya Taylor-Joy was new that they had something to get ridiculously excited about. And those are The Friendly Film Fan’s picks for the Top 10 Movie Trailers of 2021! What were some of your favorite trailers from the previous year? Did they advertise movies from 2022 or from 2021? Let us know in the comments section below, and thanks for reading! - The Friendly Film Fan Honorable Mentions:
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 Hello, everyone, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! We are now two weekends into October, which means festivals have occurred/are occurring, movies have been seen, some anticipated releases have now entered their theatrical runs, and a ton of new trailers dropped for awards season material since the last time I posted one of these. The layout of the 2022 Oscar race is much clearer now than it was two months ago, so it’s time to re-evaluate, re-assess, and re-predict the outcome of such a heated competition. A few minor notes before we begin. Firstly, some movies on this predictions list do not yet have footage or a release date set, but according to chatter around Hollywood, they are still coming out this year. Most notably, this applies to Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos, starring Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem (Kidman stars are Lucile Ball). Hence, the film remains where it is on the list because, well, no one should bet against an Aaron Sorkin script landing with the Academy, no matter how much the endings to his films simply don’t land at all. As well, some studios’ FYC (For Your Consideration) campaigns have not yet begun their launch, so it can be tricky to know whether to place performers in certain categories. Most notably, Focus Features’ Belfast is the primary example here, since I’m still not sure whether they will campaign Caitríona Balfe or Jamie Dornan as leads or as supporting parts, though the chatter seems to be leaning in the latter direction, and they certainly would have a better shot in the supporting categories. Other changes include finally having learned the title of Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film, Licorice Pizza (which sported one hell of a trailer), France having no less than three possible submissions to the International Feature category (though I’ve only listed two here), and a bunch of the Best Original Song contenders finally revealing their titles. And now, a drop-off/add-on update: CODA is out in Picture unless AppleTV+ can really manage to campaign hard beyond Marlee Matlin in Supporting Actress, Nine Days is all but entirely lost in basically everything unless it can pull through in Original Screenplay or Score (though again, that’s unlikely), In the Heights has also exited the Sound and Design races, and if NEON plays their cards right, Nicolas Cage could end up crashing the wildcards in Best Actor for his amazing performance in Pig. As well, the Best Documentary Feature category sports some new faces, with the Rita Moreno and Sesame Street docs bowing out to make way for NatGeo’s The Rescue and COVID docs The First Wave and In the Same Breath. Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel has dropped out of the Adapted Screenplay race, but seems to be making headway in other below-the-line categories such as Costume Design and Sound, as Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, an adaptation of the Elena Ferrante novel The Lost Daughter, picks up steam. Finally, Spain has opted not to submit Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers in International Feature, pivoting instead to the Javier Bardem-led comedy The Good Boss, so they have all but left that race entirely as more official submissions continue to come in. Things that have not changed include no predictions for the short film categories yet, the presence of three “Wildcard” selections per category, and the lead acting categories being almost impossible to predict since they are still so crowded. It could be that this all flips on its head tomorrow, but I can only predict using the now. All that being said, let’s get right down to it. Here are my updated predictions for the Oscar nominations of 2022! Best Picture:
And those are my updated predictions for the 2022 Oscar Nominations! What do you think of these predictions? Any drop-offs you’re sad to see go? Add-ons you’re excited about? How do you think the races will ultimately shake out? Let me know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading! - The Friendly Film Fan sIn This Piece:
Annette Reviews CODA Review Cruella Reviews Dear Evan Hansen Reviews The Eyes of Tammy Faye Reviews Flee Review Free Guy Reviews Godzilla vs. Kong Reviews Luca Reviews Mass Reviews The Mitchells vs. the Machines Reviews Raya and the Last Dragon Reviews Respect Reviews The Sparks Brothers Review The Suicide Squad Reviews Summer of Soul Reviews  Hello, everyone, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! It’s been a little while since I made an update for this blog, but boy, am I glad to be back writing again. Hopefully I’ll be able to push out more reviews very soon, mostly of things I haven’t yet covered for Bitesize Breakdown, the other outlet that I write for (most of my reviews go up there first). Until that time, however, we’re going in a bit of a different direction. Awards season is upon us. Normally, I just make a casual post on my social media pages detailing the non-tentpole/blockbuster films I’m most looking forward to for the rest of the year in movies; that is not what is happening today. Due to the overwhelming amount of films due to release between this weekend and early-to-mid January, some delayed due to *gestures vaguely at everything*, some simply pushed back to alternative release dates for marketing purposes, the end-of-year schedule is packed to the gills with movies to get excited about. So, this year, I thought I would make a little bit of a guide for those who may not already know what films might be worth seeing outside of the flagship Marvel or other franchise properties. There are some exceptions to those parameters due to the fact that some tentpoles will likely compete for at least one or more Oscar nominations by my estimation, but for the most part, I try to stay as close as I can to non-tentpole material. (Not on this list, but I am looking forward to: Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Halloween Kills, The King’s Man, Lamb, The Matrix: Resurrections, Spider-Man: No Way Home). All that said, let’s jump right into it with…  Belfast Cast: Jude Hill, Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Judi Dench Director: Kenneth Branagh Release Date: November 12 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Kenneth Branagh’s most personal work to date is fresh off its Audience Award win at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), plus boasts a very solid trailer full of spirit and excellently-framed black-and-white cinematography. Many have described this as Branagh’s Roma, and while I personally think they’re wildly different films based on the marketing alone, I can see why people would compare the two. As of this moment, Belfast looks like the Best Picture front-runner for the Oscars; if it wins, it could be seen as a retroactive symbolic win for stories like this, and if anyone’s the absolute best at rewarding something far too late, it’s the Academy. (Yes, I’m still mad Roma lost to Green Book, sue me.)  C’mon C’mon Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Woody Norman, Gaby Hoffman, Scoot McNairy Director: Mike Mills Release Date: November 19 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Mike Mills is no stranger to the awards conversation; in fact, his last film (20th Century Women) was Oscar-nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category, and now he’s teamed up with A24 once again for this black-and-white (there’s a lot of those this year) story of a radio journalist – played by none other than recent Best Actor winner Joaquin Phoenix – cross-country traveling with his young nephew. Those that have seen it describe it as Mike Mills’ signature light, sweet piece with just the right touch of sentimentality, and that sounds like a very nice time.  Cyrano Cast: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Ben Mendelsohn, Kelvin Harrison Jr. Director: Joe Wright Release Date: December 25 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: The last musical to be released in 2021, this adaptation of the 1987 play Cyrano de Bergerac stars Peter Dinklage, and from what’s been said of his performance in the film, he may well fill that 5th Best Actor spot that seems to be shifting around. While little else is known about the film (there’s not been any trailers or major marketing pushes yet), it did have its world premiere at Telluride earlier this month, and Joe Wright films – while they have a tendency to go either way – are usually pretty special when he’s really on his game.  Don’t Look Up Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Timothée Chalamet, Cate Blanchett, Melanie Lynskey, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, Ron Perlman, Matthew Perry, Ariana Grande, Tyler Perry, Mark Rylance, Himesh Patel, Kid Cudi, Rob Morgan Director: Adam McKay Release Date: December 24 Where to Watch It: Netflix Why You Should Watch For It: I personally wasn’t a fan of McKay’s previous work, Vice, despite the great performances in it, but The Big Short helmer is a movie star magnet whose scripts range from painfully condescending to unexpectedly brilliant, often within the same few pages of dialogue. If for nothing else, see this one just to see which direction it goes, and if DiCaprio and J-Law can pull off performances on a McKay script that are impressive enough to actually boost their Oscar nomination chances.  Dune (2021) Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, Dave Baustista, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, David Dastmalchian Director: Denis Villeneuve Release Date: October 22 Where to Watch It: In Theaters and on HBO Max Why You Should Watch For It: The first true tentpole on this list, Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the iconic sci-fi novel Dune is already off to an extremely strong start at the international box office. Combine those odds with a director whose filmography boasts at least one of the signature films of the 21st century in Arrival (and includes other beloved features like Prisoners, Sicario, and Blade Runner 2049), who has a knack for getting fantastic performances out of great actors, and whose films often are absolutely stunning to look out, beautifully scored, and thrillingly faithful to the worlds they inhabit, this first part of the Dune story is sure to be a must-watch on the biggest screen you can find. (Oh, and it is actually Dune: Part One. Whether they even shoot the second half is based on this film’s box office, so make sure to go to the theater for this one!)  Encanto Cast: Stephanie Beatriz, Diane Guerrero, Wilmer Valderrama, Angie Cepeda, Rhenzy Feliz, Carolina Gaitan, Jessica Darrow, Adassa, María Cecilia Botero, Mauro Castillo Directors: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith (co-director) Release Date: November 24 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Disney animation has stepped up their game in tremendous ways recently outside of their Pixar properties, and this is yet another in the chain of 2021 films with songs written by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda (he also wrote the music for Netflix’s Vivo and Tick, Tick…Boom!, directing the latter himself). Whatever you may think of Hamilton as a show (or apparently an Emmy-winning variety special?), Miranda is one hell of a writer and creative personality, so combining him with Disney is almost always a sure bet for success. The last time Disney released two non-Pixar animated films in the same year was 2016 with Zootopia in March and then Moana in November, and the last time Miranda wrote the songs for a DA musical, it was for the latter. Who knows which way this could actually go once the film releases, but for now, all signs point way upward.  Eternals Cast: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Barry Keoghan, Kit Harrington, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie Director: Chloé Zhao Release Date: November 5 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: The second tentpole feature on this list (and the only MCU entry), Eternals may not get much closer to Oscar gold than a visual effects nomination, but it is helmed by none other than reigning Best Director and Best Picture champion Chloé Zhao, who won both awards for the aching and sincere Nomadland last year. In addition, Zhao directed Academy Award-Winner Frances McDormand to yet her third Oscar, bringing her one step closer to outpacing the late Kathrine Hepburn’s all-time record. All this to say, Kevin Feige – the producer and shepherd of the MCU – has been raving about how Zhao has made a Marvel Studios project unlike anything we’ve seen before, which he has not done for Shang-Chi or Spider-Man, so it’s safe to say Eternals is something genuinely special. Combined with a stunning second trailer for the film that shows off fantastic visual effects, breathtaking cinematography, beautiful lighting, the director’s name in the trailer itself (which an MCU film has never done) and a credit for composer Ramin Djwadi, this film – even in small ways – could be a bigger awards contender than anybody is currently anticipating.  Flee Cast: Daniel Karimyar, Fardin Mijdzadeh, Milad Eskandari, Belal Faiz, Zahra Mehrwarz, Sadia Faiz, Director: Jonas Poher Rasmussen Release Date: December 3 Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Having seen the film myself out of TIFF, and having a published review available for reading on Bitesize Breakdown’s Instagram page, I can say with complete confidence that Flee truly is unlike anything I’ve seen before in filmmaking. An animated documentary told partly in English, partly in Danish, Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s tale of Afghan refugees fleeing their home country is a harrowing tale filled with some of the most moving moments the year has seen in cinema, and perhaps that cinema has ever seen at all. It truly is a triple threat in the International, Documentary, and Animated Feature categories, and if I had my way, I would implore the Academy to put it in Best Picture as well. It is the film of 2021 that I would genuinely recommend as essential viewing, so if it’s playing in a theater near you once it releases, go and see it. I could not be more serious.  The French Dispatch Cast: Bill Murray, Timothée Chalamet, Léa Seydoux, Adrien Brody, Toheeb Jimoh, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Elisabeth Moss, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Jeffrey Wright, Owen Wilson, Christoph Waltz, Benicio Del Toro, Frances McDormand, Liev Schreiber, Rupert Friend, Angelica Huston (voice – narrator), Jason Schwartzman, Henry Winkler, Tony Revolori Director: Wes Anderson Release Date: October 22 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Read the cast list again. Read the director’s name again. That is all.  The Hand of God Cast: Filippo Scott, Toni Servillo, Teresa Saponangelo, Marlon Joubert, Luisa Ranieri, Renato Carpentieri, Massimiliano Gallo Director: Paolo Sorrentino Release Date: December 15 Where to Watch It: Netflix Why You Should Watch For It: A stunning first trailer for this film from the director behind The Great Beauty is most of what recommends it to this list; that’s not to say that’s the only reason one should watch for it, just the only reason I know enough about to approve its entry. Lush cinematography and what looks like a coming-of-age story of sorts could land this amongst the stronger of Best International Feature contenders this year, and the music sounds beautiful as well. There’s no much else to say, except that you should definitely keep it on your radar.  A Hero Cast: Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh, Fereshteh Sadrorafaii, Sarina Farhadi, Sahar Goldust, Ehsan Goodzari, Alireza Jahandideh, Maryam Shahdaei Director: Asghar Farhadi Release Date: January 7 Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Farhadi’s last film, The Salesman, actually won the Best International Feature Oscar in 2016, and those that saw his latest out of Cannes earlier this year had high praise for the director’s latest feature. Given his history with the Academy, this could be a major player in the International Feature race, which often ends up being one of the most exciting races at the Oscars if one has seen the films in contention. The submissions have been coming in from different countries for some time, and while Iran has yet to officially submit a film to the race, it’s safe to say this will be their most likely choice.  House of Gucci Cast: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek, Al Pacino Director: Ridley Scott Release Date: November 24 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Ridley Scott has not just one but two movies coming out within two months of each other this year – this is the latter, and by far the more anticipated amongst critics and pundits familiar with the director’s work. The ensemble cast is stacked with talent, the costume and makeup work looks absolutely stunning (Jared Leto is quite literally unrecognizable), it’s got a really great first trailer, and will likely be a major Oscar contender in several categories. For all intents and purposes, this is arguably the #1 most anticipated awards contender of the fall movie season that doesn’t have Paul Thomas Anderson at the helm, and it’s not difficult to determine why that might be.  The Humans Cast: Steven Yeun, Beanie Feldstein, Amy Schumer, Richard Jenkins, June Squibb, Jayne Houdyshell Director: Stephen Karam Release Date: November 24 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: The trailer itself doesn’t have much to brag about at an aesthetic level, but after premiering at TIFF, many critics have claimed Richard Jenkins to be the rival to Bradley Cooper in the Best Supporting Actor race (Cooper for Licorice Pizza, more on that later). Add to that an A24 studio label and a shot at the Adapted Screenplay category, and you’ve got something that will definitely be interesting – no matter which direction that interest ultimately goes.  King Richard Cast: Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, Jon Bernthal, Dylan McDermott, Tony Goldwyn, Erin Cummings Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green Release Date: November 15 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: This film has been percolating in Hollywood for a few years, and it’s not hard to see why. Touted as perhaps the “feel-good” movie of the year by critics, King Richard is poised to win Will Smith his first Oscar for playing Richard Williams (father of tennis stars Venus and Serena) after decades of stellar work and two other nominations. It’s high time we got another inspirational sports drama in theaters as well, especially after the supremely underrated Ben Affleck vehicle The Way Back was one of the last to bow out before the pandemic shut movie theaters down across the country in early 2020. This one seems like it could set things on the right path again, and with a trailer like that, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this sneak into that #10 spot in the Best Picture nominations, especially since the Academy has committed to a full 10-movie slate (as opposed to only having 7-9 nominees in an optional field of 10, as they have for the past few years).  The Last Duel Cast: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck, Claire Dunne, Marton Csokas, Harriet Walter, Zeljko Ivanek Director: Ridley Scott Release Date: October 15 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: This is the first of the two films Ridley Scott has opening this fall season, and according to those critics that have screened it, the man is Ridley Scott for a reason. While I’m sure the overall film may not be as tight or magnificent as some other Scott productions have been in the past, Jodie Comer is boasting some serious Oscar nomination chances off the back of this tale, and screeners have stated that the titular final duel is every bit as gripping as the best of Scott-directed action sequences. Plus, this is the first script that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have co-written (alongside Nicole Holofcener) since first collaborating on Good Will Hunting, which won them their Original Screenplay Oscar. Perhaps this won’t be quite the awards contender that that film was, but things look pretty good going in.  Last Night in Soho Cast: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Dianna Rigg, Terence Stamp, Jessie Mei Li, Elizabeth Berrington, Synnove Karlsen, James Phelps Director: Edgar Wright Release Date: October 29 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Stylish, slick, watchable, and boasting a damn good soundtrack. Those four things are true of virtually every movie Edgar Wright has ever made, and certainly true of his last two features. For this, Wright is diving deeper into the horror sphere, and a stunning, nearly dialogue-less first trailer (along with a very fun second) clearly inspired by the films of Dario Argento is all one needs to get on board with what he’s doing here. Thomasin McKenzie is sure to get a lot more deserved attention after this is released, and now that the whole world knows the name of Anya Taylor-Joy thanks to The Queen’s Gambit, it’s sure to receive a lot more notice than Wright’s films have previously had, even pre-Covid. This won’t make up for the crime that was the world letting Scott Pilgrim flop, but a time travel murder mystery set in 1960s London with this cast? Sign me up.  Licorice Pizza Cast: Cooper Hoffman, Alana Haim, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, Benny Safdie, Skyler Gisondo, Maya Rudolph, John C. Reilly Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Release Date: November 26 Where to Watch: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Paul Thomas Anderson is as much a staple of American cinema as Steven Spielberg’s filmography or Meryl Streep’s countless Oscar nominations. The director is such a force of creative and artistic energy that many of his films are considered some of the all-time greats, including Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, The Master, and Phantom Thread. That first one seems to be the vibe that Anderson is attempting to capture again in what was recently revealed by a great poster and fantastic trailer to be Licorice Pizza, a tale of a successful child actor and high school student set in the 1970s in the San Fernando Valley (“Licorice Pizza” is also the name of a record store there.) The film’s A-list cast includes star Cooper Hoffman, son of the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and all signs point to Bradley Cooper winning Best Supporting Actor, ironically for playing Jon Peters, producer of the 1976 version of A Star Is Born (Cooper directed and starred in the 2018 version, and was nominated for Best Actor but snubbed of a Best Director spot). PTA films vacillate on whether they appeal to their viewers from time to time, but he is always, undeniably, PTA, and this should be no exception.  The Lost Daughter Cast: Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Jack Farthing, Ed Harris Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal Release Date: December 31 Where to Watch It: Netflix Why You Should Watch For It: Maggie Gyllenhaal makes her directorial debut here, and if one can believe it, it looks like star Olivia Colman will be in contention for yet another Best Actress Oscar. The film is based on the titular novel by Elena Ferrante, with Gyllenhaal herself adapting the screenplay. It also stars Dakota Johnson in a supporting part, plus Jessie Buckley and Normal People breakout star Paul Mescal. Little else is widely known about the film – which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and has gone on to play Telluride and will play at several others, including NYFF (New York Film Festival) – but even without a trailer to speak of, this is one Netflix awards release you can get excited about.  Mass Cast: Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton Director: Fran Kranz Release Date: October 8 Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: One of the other films I saw at TIFF which has yet to be released, Mass is every bit as worthy of acclaim as the largest of films on this list, even with how small it is. I can’t say much more about it until the review is released, other than that I hope Jason Isaacs and Ann Dowd are Oscar-nominated, and the film itself deserves to be recognized in at least the Original Screenplay category. Picture might be a difficult road to travel for the Bleecker Street release, and Director is out of the question simply due to the sheer number of other contenders, but if anyone works as hard on this film’s FYC campaign as Next Best Picture’s Matt Neglia, it could have a decent shot at the big prize as well.  Nightmare Alley (2021) Cast: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, Toni Collette, Mary Steenburgen, Ron Perlman, Holt McCallany, David Strathairn, Tim Blake Nelson, Clifton Collins Jr., Richard Jenkins Director: Guillermo Del Toro Release Date: December Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: A remake of the 1947 film by Edmund Goulding, this is director Guillermo Del Toro’s first feature since 2017’s The Shape of Water, which won 4 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Del Toro. Although the first trailer isn’t the most mind-blowing thing to see, the all-star cast looks spectacularly dressed, and the production design is sure to nab some awards attention. Del Toro has become quite a beloved figure amongst the Academy, and his films are always singularly visionary, so expect this to be a major Oscars player in several categories, likely including Picture and Director for Del Toro once again.  No Time to Die Cast: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz, Ana de Armas, Ben Wishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga Release Date: October 8 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: The third and final tentpole film on this list is, of course, the final bow for Daniel Craig’s James Bond in No Time to Die, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. Fukunaga’s previous work includes Netflix’s very first original film, Beasts of No Nation, which astounded critics in 2015 and was widely held as worthy of Oscar consideration, especially for supporting actor Idris Elba, even if original streaming films were still far too new of a format for anyone to believe the Academy would take it seriously at the time. Fukunaga also went on to direct the award-winning first season of HBO’s True Detective, and the 2018 miniseries Maniac. His work beyond recommends him, and with a cast that adds the brilliant Ana de Armas and Lashana Lynch to the mix, plus a script co-written by none other than Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag, this will be one Bond film audiences likely won’t soon forget. Plus, it was shot by none other than La La Land DP Linus Sandgren, who won an Oscar for his previous work, and scored by the iconic Hans Zimmer. Who can’t look forward to this?  Parallel Mothers Cast: Penélope Cruz, Rossy de Palma, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Daniela Santiago, Milena Smit, Julieta Serrano, Israel Elejalde Director: Pedro Almodóvar Release Date: December 24 Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Pedro Almodóvar may not be a household name to American audiences, but Spanish filmgoers know the directors work very well. His films are often sensuous bursts of color and life, and his last film – Pain and Glory – earned star Antonio Banderas a Best Actor nomination at the 2019 Oscars (plus a Best International Feature nomination for itself). Almodóvar always gets great performances out of his leading actors, and with Penélope Cruz on a resurgence of late (she’ll be starring in the Jessica Chastain action flick The 355 in January), there could be yet another shakeup in this year’s Best Actress race.  Petite Maman Cast: Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse, Stéphane Varupenne, Margot Abascal, Florès Cardo, Josée Schuller, Guylène Péan Director: Céline Sciamma Release Date: October 15 Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: The director of Portrait of a Lady on Fire had her latest film premiere at TIFF (I wasn’t able to get to this one), and while viewers have claimed it’s not quite as iconic as the 2019 masterpiece, they have been overwhelmingly fond of the film, praising Sciamma’s ability to inject warmth and heart into a narrative about maternal love and genuine friendship. Sciamma’s filmography can sometimes be a bit hit or miss, but none of it is disinteresting or in any way lacking depth. There really is not much else to say of this one without having seen it, but clocking in at just 72 minutes, it is absolutely one you should see if you can find a time and place to do so.  The Power of the Dog Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie Director: Jane Campion Release Date: December 1 Where to Watch It: Netflix Why You Should Watch For It: Jane Campion’s first directorial effort in 12 years emerged as the first of the Oscar front-runners for Best Picture fairly early on, and after premiering at Venice to rapturous acclaim (plus screening at TIFF and Telluride), it seems people were right to expect great things of the Netflix-produced film. Campion won the Silver Lion at Venice for Best Direction, and has remained a staple of Best Director prediction since before this film even premiered, so it’s safe to say she – and the film – aren’t going anywhere once awards season begins. The film is primed for a December 1 release date on Netflix, and if early word is any indication, both star Benedict Cumberbatch and supporting actress Kirsten Dunst are going to be nominated for acting Oscars, with the film itself scoring several other nominations, likely leading the pack once those are released. After an unsettling and deeply captivating first trailer featuring stunning cinematography by Ari Wegner, this one has nowhere to go but up.  The Rescue Cast: Thanet Natisri, Jim Warny, Mikko Paasi, John Volanthen, Rick Stanton, Vern Unsworth, Mitch Torrel Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Release Date: October 8 Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: A NatGeo doc from the helmers of Best Documentary Feature winner Free Solo, The Rescue covers the iconic 2018 retrieval of the Wild Boars youth soccer team from a cave in which they were trapped. Having premiered at the Telluride Film Festival earlier this month, it has since received great acclaim, and will likely compete for Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars this year. According to those that have seen the film, it is a harrowing examination of genuine heroism, and the re-creation sequences are virtually indistinguishable from actual camera-capture documentary footage, lending to the film’s uncanny realism. Even if you’re not particularly interested in documentaries as a form of filmmaking, this is going to be one to watch for, if only to experience the story up close.  Spencer Cast: Kirsten Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Nielen, Freddie Spry, Jack Farthing, Sean Harris, Stella Gonet, Richard Sammel, Elizabeth Berrington, Lore Stefanek, Amy Manson, Sally Hawkins Director: Pablo Larraín Release Date: November 5 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: Pablo Larraín’s Jackie landed star Natalie Portman a Best Lead Actress nomination in 2016 – an award the star almost won – so it stands to reason that Spencer, a film that chronicles a tumultuous time in the life of one Princess Diana, the star would also receive a nomination. What was not expected was that that star would be Kirsten Stewart, and that not only would she be expected to receive a nomination, but to win Best Actress. Stewart is undeniably the front-runner for the award right now, with every critic that has screened the film raving over her performance. Many of them also believe Spencer is one of Larraín’s greatest works, and with a Jonny Greenwood score and cinematography by Portrait of a Lady on Fire DP Claire Mathon, it’s not surprising to learn so. Both trailers for the film have been excellent, and when it hits theaters on November 5, it’s sure to make quite an impression.  Titane Cast: Vincent Lindon, Agathe Rousselle, Garance Marillier, Laïs Salameh, Mara Cissé, Marin Judas, Diong-Kéba Tacu Director: Julia Ducournau Release Date: October 1 Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: After winning the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Julia Ducournau’s Titane has taken the movie world by storm, with many stating that the director deserved to be in consideration for Best Director by the Academy this year, regardless of how good of a chance the film has at appealing to the body’s interest in terms of other awards recognition. The Raw director certainly has blazed a trail through each festival the film has shown at, and with an unforgettably impactful first trailer, the film is set to premiere in North American theaters on October 1st. I’ll personally be seeing it that day, so you’ll know what I think quite quickly afterwards, but this is one I’ve been looking forward to ever since it traveled all the way through Cannes.  The Tragedy of Macbeth Cast: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Corey Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, Harry Melling, Bertie Carvel, Kathryn Hunter, Moses Ingram, Ralph Ineson Director: Joel Coen Release Date: January 14 Where to Watch: Apple TV+ Why You Should Watch For It: Yes, there have been remakes of Shakespeare’s Macbeth ad nauseum, and in fact, the most recent was only released in 2015 by Justin Kurzel (that film starred Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard). However, an absolutely magnificent first teaser trailer showing off crisp 4:3 cinematography, and a truly gripping descent into madness by star Denzel Washington put this higher on the map than I think anyone expected. Those that have seen it rave about Joel Coen’s immaculate direction and the performances involved, as well as the apparently demonic take on the three witches by Kathryn Hunter. Pair that with a Frances McDormand fresh off her third Oscar win, and a prime awards season release spot, and you’re sure to get a truly special experience.  West Side Story (2021) Cast: Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Josh Andrés Rivera, Ana Isabelle, Corey Stoll, Brian d’Arcy James, Rita Moreno Director: Steven Spielberg Release Date: December 10 Where to Watch It: In Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: While the abuse allegations against Ansel Elgort could damage the film’s reputation and awards chances a bit, I have a distinct feeling that Steven Spielberg’s remake of the iconic West Side Story will manage to have so much more to love that it can rise above that. First-time star Rachel Zegler, who already has an enormous fan following online (of which I am a part), has since been cast in Shazam: Fury of the Gods (which just wrapped principal photography last month) and made the star of Disney’s live-action adaptation of Snow White. She has quickly climbed the ranks of movie stardom and is about to shoot to the top of the ladder in a major way after this film premieres. On top of that, the film’s two trailers showcase a gorgeously-shot look with bright, colorful costumes and very dynamic performers. Ariana DeBose, who will be playing Anita, is also expected to be competing for the Supporting Actress Oscar. Whether this remake will live up to or even surpass the original film is anyone’s guess, but Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner often do great things together, so I remain optimistic about its chances.  The Worst Person in the World Cast: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Maria Grazia Di Meo, Herbert Nordrum, Hans Olav Brenner, Vidar Sandem, Helene Bjørnebye, Anna Dworak Director: Joachim Trier Release Date: TBA Where to Watch It: In Select Theaters Why You Should Watch For It: While it has no official U.S. release date yet, Joachim Trier’s final film in his “Oslo” trilogy (which also includes Reprise and Oslo, August 31) has been met with such a level of critical acclaim, it would be difficult to imagine it not competing for Best International Feature this year, especially since star Renate Reinsve took home the award for Best Actress after the film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival over the summer. Many have speculated it could also compete in the Academy’s Original Screenplay category as well, and I would not be surprised at all to see this happen (as much as I would love for Edson Oda’s Nine Days to get more love there). It’s anybody’s guess, but the film has taken on a charm across critical circles, so whenever it does release in the U.S., you can bet I’ll be there to see it, and you probably should be too. And that is every single awards season film that I could think of that YOU should be watching for. Are you anticipating any of the films on this list? What on here do you most want to see that’s a relatively small release? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks for reading! - The Friendly Film Fan Other Awards Contenders You Can Watch Now:
 Hello, everyone, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! To start, I am terribly sorry that I’m way less active on here than I used to be; between helping manage a movie theater and keeping up with my writing for Bitesize Breakdown, I haven’t had a lot of time to write full reviews or even mini ones for this blog, and a recent life event (which I won’t delve into just yet) forced me to take some time away from both. But fear not! I have some new material I’m announcing soon that hopefully will be exciting for you all to read about…or not read about (wink wink). Hopefully that all starts coming together more quickly, but until then, it’s time to begin with the yearly tradition Oscar Nomination Predictions! As most of you know (although some may not, somehow), Oscar season is my favorite time of year. Typically taking place between mid-September and mid-January, studios release their big awards contenders – for Disney, it’s huge IP usually – and we all get to see high quality movies from exciting new artists as well as still-on-their-game returning ones. This year’s lineup is quite stacked, but despite the myriad of releases still to come, it can be hard to tell which ones will go for the gold and which ones won’t this early on. To that end, most of the “wildcard” picks in this lineup are either films which have no promotional material or footage out so far, or are possibilities of which I only have a rudimentary knowledge. Several of them are likely to change over the next two months or so, and some may seem blatantly outlandish by the time mid-December rolls around. Such is the nature of this sort of task. (Also, I do not predict the short films in the first round of predictions due to lack of knowledge regarding which ones will be good or not, as well as lack of access to those films so early in the year.) My predictions are based on a variety of usual factors (directors, trailers, casts, categorical definition) as well as the opinions of great critics who study this sort of thing like The Oscar Expert or Next Best Picture. It’s always healthy to consult the experts (and their Brother Bros), but I always like to stick with a lot of my own feelings towards the season as well. With all that being said, let’s dive right in to my first installment of Ridiculously Early Oscar Nomination Predictions! Best Picture:
And those are my first predictions so far for the 2022 Oscar Nominations! What do you think of these predictions? Do you agree with them? Any you disagree with? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for some exciting announcements coming soon!
- The Friendly Film Fan  Hello all, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! You may have noticed a lack of new content (even more than usual) lately, and that is because I recently accepted a full-time Assistant Manager position at the theater I work at, so a lot more of my time is taken up by that and doing review work for Bitesize Breakdown, which you can keep up with and follow here. It’s been a whirlwind in the world of movies over the past year or so, what with Covid-19 and the response to it going in every possible direction, and many movies that were postponed to 2021 starting to open up. To that end, it might be nice to look back on the year in movies thus far and reflect on how it’s gone. Thus far, there haven’t really been any masterpieces in my view, and the stinkers aren’t offensively bad either (just poor quality in the expected ways). That being said, there are both films to celebrate and films to avoid, so let’s get right into it. Here are my picks for the Top 5 Best and Worst Movies of 2021 So Far! WORST  5. Here Today Billy Crystal returning to the director’s chair for the first time in over 20 years should feel like something of a renaissance for the comic icon. Unfortunately, it mostly just feels like someone trying to stay relevant past their time. Perhaps this movie would have been a bigger hit in the 80’s or 90’s, but the comic styles of Tiffany Haddish (who’s allowed way too much room to improv here and is wanting in the dramatic scenes) and Crystal just don’t match up, leaving the film feeling like an awkward hodge-podge of ideas that never congeal into something focused. Here Today has some things to like, but nonetheless feels like a DOA dud in a year full of films just above that.  4. Tom & Jerry This movie is bad, no question about it. However, I don’t know if it’s the worst child-centric cartoon adaptation I’ve ever seen. It finds itself more in line with movies like War With Grandpa (maybe a little worse) than Songbird; kids might enjoy it as entertainment, but anyone with half a sense of story mechanics or character will see right through this cash-grab style-hybrid to its nonsensical plot underneath. The amount of things in this movie that come out of nowhere and go nowhere would make anyone’s head spin, but it’s not like the little girl from The Exorcist is showing up anytime soon or anything.  3. The Unholy It’s tricky to find a spot in this list for a horror film that doesn’t work at all but isn’t as noticeably bad as some of the other entries, so it lands at #3 – not noticeable enough to be higher, not good enough to be lower. Even Jeffrey Dean Morgan can’t make a script this uninterested in its own characters work as he stumbles from scene to scene without so much as a follow-up on anything outside of the central conceit (his character is a journalist, by the way). The film isn’t scary, barely follows its own rules, and ends with one of the most anticlimactic resolutions a film can for its main character. I’m actually having trouble remembering it; that’s how forgettably bad it is.  2. False Positive The one A24 movie thus far that I genuinely didn’t like almost any part of comes in the form of a quasi-Rosemary’s Baby Hulu film starring Pierce Brosnan, Justin Theroux, and Ilana Glazer in which Brosnan is the only one who even seems like he’s in the right movie. One can see what the writers were trying to do with this one, but it keeps hitting the same beat over and over, so many times in fact that one wonders if “mommy brain” was just their only shorthand for “we need something scary and confusing to happen here but we have no ideas.” Like most movies on this list, it’s not one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen or anything, but it is certainly the lowest quality I’ve seen from A24 thus far, and the one movie on this list that I can’t imagine improvements for; it’s just a bad script, and sometimes that’s all it takes to sink a decent concept.  1. Infinite False Positive might be the most disappointing movie on this list relative to the context under which is falls, but Paramount+’s Infinite takes the cake for what’s actually worse. It’s not like this movie doesn’t have decent ideas, but it never follows through on them, and one can see pretty much every plot point coming from right after the opening prologue. None of the performances match up to each other or are able to overcome a script that doesn’t really seem to know what it wants to be or the ugliest color palette of any movie released so far in 2021. The idea of constant re-incarnation has its upsides, but the film doesn’t do all that much with it, and what it does do, we’re only ever told about, never shown. If this is the kind of original programming Paramount+ is frontloading, they have a long way to go. Dishonorable Mentions
BEST  5. The Sparks Brothers Those of you who read my review for Bitesize Breakdown already know most of what I’m about to say here (which isn’t much, but still); nonetheless, it must be said that Edgar Wright’s epic journey through all 25 Sparks albums is way. too. long. There is absolutely no reason that any documentary needs to be 2 hours and 20 minutes long, no matter what the subject. That said, it is still an excellent film and chronology of Sparks, told with a great amount of craft, a few jokes that genuinely land, and an energy you can only capture by studying them with as much reverence and insight as Wright does here. For anyone interested in seeing just how much influence Sparks had over all their favorite bands, definitely check this one out (but beware the length).  4. The Mitchells vs the Machines Certainly the most imaginative and creatively infused movie of 2021 thus far (and certainly in animation), The Mitchells vs the Machines certifies Phil Lord and Chris Miller not just as comic geniuses but as producing gods. After the Jump Street movies announced them to the world and Lego Movie and Into the Spider-Verse blew us all out of the water, the pair decided to take on technology and moviemaking as their next story, and manage to hit just the right notes at just the right times to make it work. I don’t think this is quite as groundbreaking or energetic as Into the Spider-Verse was, but the Lord & Miller trademarks are all over it, and if you’re familiar with their work, you know how high a compliment that is. Check out my Bitesize Breakdown review for more of what I have to say on it.  3. The Disciple I first saw The Disciple at the New York Film Festival when it was virtually held last year over the summer (more virtual festivals so more people can participate please). At the time, it didn’t have a distributor, but soon Netflix picked it up for a 2021 release, and given how impressed I was by it on that initial viewing, I figured it would be on this list barring an enormous wave of better films. All that being said, I don’t remember much about the film itself since it’s been so long, but I do remember being enamored with both the cinematography and the lead performance of Aditya Modak. I also remember really loving the exploration of Indian classical music, how precise it is, and how respectfully the movie handles its place in the story. This isn’t exactly Whiplash, music-wise, but it’s well worth your time if you’ve been wondering about it, and I plan to re-watch it again soon.  2. Shiva Baby A short and sweet panic attack of a movie, Shiva Baby is better seen than explained, but since the explaining part is what I’m here to do, you’ll just have to go with it for now. This movie is so incredibly stressful from start to finish, with a tight, razor-sharp Emma Seligman script elevated by the lead performance from Rachel Sennott. It never goes in the direction you expect, and when it’s all over, you’ll think of Uncut Gems as a light and fun time. Molly Gordon is in this movie playing the ex-girlfriend of Rachel Sennott. What more could anyone want?  1. In the Heights Yes, it’s too long even with all the songs that were left out. Yes, the structure leaves something to be desired. No, not every number in here really works as well as the others, especially since the first half is so front-loaded with hits. And yet, seeing In the Heights for the second time in a giant movie theater has to be count as my best moviegoing experience of 2021 so far. This is the kind of movie giant theaters were made for, and despite all its problems, I haven’t been able to stop myself from returning to my favorite scenes in it on HBO Max just so I can watch a giant group of (sometimes comically large) people dancing in the streets, singing about how Latin people are resilient and powerful. Colorism controversy aside, and despite not having much in terms of directorial style, this portrait of a disappearing neighborhood seeps into your skin the more you think about it, and is packed with technical and non-technical talent across the board. All the actors kill it (including a newly-minted movie star in Anthony Ramos), they’re all game to make it work, the costume and production design are absolutely stunning, and if the Academy can find it within themselves to remember a box office disappointment from the summer once Oscar voting begins, one can assume this has a great shot at Best Picture. It would certainly have my vote. Honorable Mentions
And those are My Top 5 Best and Worst Movies of 2021 so far! What’s the best movie you’ve seen so far this year? Worst? What do you think of this list? Let me know in the comments section below! Thanks for reading!
- The Friendly Film Fan  Well, here it is at last. The Oscars are finally upon us, and I could not be more excited (well, okay, unless Dune were in the mix and didn’t get delayed, but still). By now, readers of this blog and followers of mine on pretty much any social media site know that I’m a tad obsessed with movies’ biggest night of celebration, and consistently track the awards conversation starting months before it even begins, especially in regards to the Oscars. To that end, you may have seen one or more of my Nomination Predictions lists floating around at various points in this extended awards season, which pushed the submissions deadline for Oscar consideration from its usual date of December 31 to February 26 in order to allow more films to open in wider markets (whichever ones were open by then, anyway). It’s been an extremely long and often slow road getting to this point, but now the Oscars are finally here, and that means final predictions are also here. It’s been a long time coming, but finally, finally, we have arrived at the day. Here are my final predictions for the winners of the 93rd Annual Academy Awards!  Best Documentary Short The Nominees:
Will Win: A Love Song for Latasha Could Steal: A Concerto Is a Conversation Dark Horse: Do Not Split Should Have Been Nominated: N/A Once again, this category really mostly comes down to accessibility, and the Netflix short, A Love Song for Latasha, is by far the most accessible of the five nominated here. Given what’s been happening in the U.S. as well, with the systemic oppression and needless executions of Black people, Latasha’s half-animated/half-doc memorial of sorts strikes a fairly poignant chord, so a win here seems most likely for this particular nominee. If anything could steal it, A Concerto Is a Conversation’s celebration of Academy member and composer Kris Bowers might (Bowers composed the score for 2019 Best Picture-winner Green Book), as it’s a rare, joyful portrait of Black success that’s devoid of cynicism, rather than some glorified Black trauma porn meant to assuage white people of their guilt by watching it. Hunger Ward’s portrait of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen makes for a devastating watch but, being by far the longest of these, likely will lose any shot at winning due to being about twice as long as it needs to be, and for calling out the U.S. in its complicity in the crisis (the U.S. provides aid to Saudi Arabia, the largest cause and perpetrators of the crisis). The dark horse in this race is Do Not Split, and on-the-ground documentation of the Hong Kong protests and police brutality that arose as a reaction to them. Documentary (both Feature and Short) tend to be the most politically-charged categories, so a win here would certainly send a message to those who know what it would be meant to say. I wouldn’t count on it though.  Best Animated Short The Nominees:
Will Win: If Anything Happens I Love You Could Steal: Burrow Dark Horse: Opera Should Have Been Nominated: Kapaemahu or The Snail and the Whale This category tends to have a pretty clear front-runner early on in most years, and this year, that’s the beautifully devastating If Anything Happens I Love You, the subject matter of which is tragically well-timed to the current circumstances of gun violence in the U.S. Given that the film is on Netflix (so it’s widely accessible), and is produced by Academy Award-Winner Laura Dern’s production company, it’s safe to say it doesn’t really have any real competition here, even if Disney’s Burrow does offer an adorable counterpart. (But really, Opera is weirdly transfixing and impressive, so if anything’s a dark horse in this race, it’s that.)  Best Live-Action Short The Nominees:
Will Win: Two Distant Strangers Could Steal: The Letter Room Dark Horse: White Eye Should Have Been Nominated: The Human Voice “Should Have Been Nominated” will largely fall on what was expected to appear in the short film categories, rather than personal preference (I don’t often get to see many of these ahead of time), and to that end, Pedro Almodóvar’s The Human Voice, starring Tilda Swinton, feels like the biggest absence here, especially considering what a splash it made when it released. (I haven’t personally seen it, but given that it was on every list, not being nominated seems curiously snub-ish.) Two Distant Strangers is by far the weakest of these to me, so a win for it would be pretty disappointing, but odds being what they are, it looks like that is the most likely scenario. Accessibility is the name of the game with short films, and it’s the only one on Netflix. However, Oscar Isaac brings enough star power to The Letter Room that I’m still hoping it will take home the gold, as it currently occupies second place for the win. More people should see Feeling Through, though, as it’s definitely my favorite of the bunch, and White Eye’s one-shot work could make it an unexpected winner for the category.  Best Sound The Nominees:
Will Win: Sound of Metal Could Steal: None Dark Horse: Soul Should Have Been Nominated: None Wanna win some money? Place your bets on Sound of Metal in this category. There’s virtually no competition to speak of.  Best Visual Effects The Nominees:
Will Win: Tenet Could Steal: The Midnight Sky Dark Horse: Love and Monsters Should Have Been Nominated: Welcome to Chechnya The Midnight Sky winning the Visual Effects Society’s big award was a big surprise, but the Oscars doesn’t really do surprises in this category too often, opting usually for the more subtle implementation of VFX in films. Hell, last year they gave it to 1917 over The Lion King, and the latter of the two was entirely made up of VFX. Tenet will likely take the win here, although the absence of Welcome to Chechnya in this category is disappointing, considering its employment of VFX has a far greater purpose than any other nominee here in protecting the identities of LGBTQ Chechens fleeing extermination.  Best Original Screenplay The Nominees:
Will Win: Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman Could Steal: Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7 Dark Horse: Derek Cianfrance, Darius Marder, and Abraham Marder, Sound of Metal Should Have Been Nominated: Pete Doctor, Mike Jones, and Kemp Powers, Soul It is insane to me that Soul, of all things, missed out on original screenplay nomination, even if Mank is the more surprising absence here. I am very happy for Judas and the Black Messiah’s nomination, though. Moving onto the potential winners, Sorkin is an Academy darling who regularly appears in this category due to his very wordy scripts, but hasn’t won any major pre-cursors that really matter here, losing instead of Emerald Fennell’s bold and pronounced debut in Promising Young Woman, which is my prediction to win here as well. For my money, Minari actually has the best screenplay of the bunch by a slim margin, but it doesn’t really have a shot at winning here, which I’m okay with anyway.  Best Adapted Screenplay The Nominees:
Will Win: Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller, The Father Could Steal: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland Dark Horse: Kemp Powers, One Night in Miami… Should Have Been Nominated: Charlie Kaufman, i’m thinking of ending things The Academy shafted the incredible work on i’m thinking of ending things in every category, none more egregious than this, but Kaufman tends to be pretty absent at these things anyway, so I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. I’m pulling for The Father here, and it could very well take the win, especially after its WGA and BAFTA wins, but at every other major ceremony where Nomadland has also been present, that latter has taken the win, so it really comes down to where the momentum feels strongest (Nomadland also was not eligible for a WGA nomination, so that factors into The Father’s win there). Zhao’s threading of a narrative thread through a non-fiction book that doesn’t really follow a central story has been greatly remarked upon, but something is telling me that because it’s not expected that Hopkins will win his own statuette, the Academy may feel that rewarding The Father in this category will act as recognition enough – not a consolation prize, but something to say “we noticed.”  Best Original Song The Nominees:
Will Win: “Io Sì (Seen),” The Life Ahead Could Steal: “Speak Now,” One Night in Miami… Dark Horse: “Husavik,” Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga Should Have Been Nominated: “Rain Song,” Minari This category really shouldn’t even be part of the nominations unless the songs are included in the actual movies, such as surprise contender “Husavik,” but rather than debate the ridiculousness of tacking on a song to the end credits of something to score a nomination, let’s just celebrate that the musical performances this year are being moved to a pre-show so they don’t needlessly take up 25 minutes of the show in order to put on a concert. In terms of winners, this could go to any one of three winners between “Io Sì,” “Speak Now,” and “Husavik.” If I were less worrisome about this category, my money would be on the one that Best Supporting Actor nominee and Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. sings. However, don’t count out “Io Sì;” Diane Warren hasn’t won an Oscar yet for all the iconic original songs she’s written, and this could well be a legacy award category where she could pull off a steal pretty easily, so I’m pushing that as a hope vote.  Best Original Score The Nominees:
Will Win: Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Soul Could Steal: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Mank Dark Horse: Emile Mosseri, Minari Should Have Been Nominated: Ludwig Göransson, Tenet Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy enough for Terence Blanchard (who is a wonderful composer) being nominated here, but Ludwig Göransson’s hall-of-fame work in Tenet is one of the best action scores in recent memory, and yet another huge hit for the guy behind Creed and Black Panther. Göransson absolutely should have been recognized here for crafting a score with such visceral energy that matches the pacing of the action sequences in which it’s most heavily utilized, and it’s a real shame that Tenet’s only nomination outside of Visual Effects was for one of its weaker elements, rather than by far its strongest. That being said, this is Soul’s award to lose. If it loses to anything, it will still end up in the same hands, just for a different score, but this category is pretty well tied up.  Best Makeup & Hairstyling The Nominees:
Will Win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Could Steal: Hillbilly Elegy Dark Horse: Pinocchio Should Have Been Nominated: Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn The Oscars love prosthetics in makeup, but Hillbilly Elegy doesn’t feature a ton of them outside of Glenn Close, and the makeup in Ma Rainey is employed as an essential part of the characters, whereas Elegy just uses it to make Close look older. Once again, not much to say here, except that I really hope there’s not a surprise win in this category. Please don’t give Hillbilly Elegy any Oscars.  Best Costume Design The Nominees:
Will Win: Ann Roth, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Could Steal: Trish Summerville, Mank Dark Horse: Alexander Byrne, Emma Should Have Been Nominated: Suzie Harman and Robert Worley, The Personal History of David Copperfield On “Should Have Been Nominated,” see below. On everything else, Ma Rainey pretty much has these next two categories lined up. There’s not much to say outside of that.  Best Production Design The Nominees:
Will Win: Donald Graham Burt, Mank Could Steal: Mark Ricker, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Dark Horse: Peter Francis, The Father Should Have Been Nominated: Cristina Casali, The Personal History of David Copperfield It is absolutely absurd that every awards body with a design category basically forgot The Personal History of David Copperfield even existed; the design work in that movie is exquisite and deserves to be recognized, especially over Tenet, a film where the production design is smothered in so much silver and grey, it all blends together by the end. (That’s not a slight to the rest of the film, which I still quite enjoyed.) That being said, this is likely Mank’s only win for the night, but not an underserving one. The design of Mank is stunning, from the costumes to the makeup to the recreation of any number of locations and sets, particularly the famous Hurst Castle. Creating those environments with so much detail is remarkable, and Mank deserves the nod here, though Ma Rainey’s attention to period detail could win as well.  Best Film Editing The Nominees:
Will Win: Alan Baumgarten, The Trial of the Chicago 7 Could Steal: Mikkel E.G. Nielsen, Sound of Metal Dark Horse: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland Should Have Been Nominated: N/A The Oscars do love showy editing (Whiplash, Ford v Ferrari), but Sound of Metal has picked up a lot of momentum in this category. Taking on Trial is a tall order, but if any movie can do it, it’s Sound of Metal. That being said, there have been plenty of two-horse races in this category, and the showier pick usually comes out the victor (think Ford v Ferrari vs. Parasite last year). Plus, this could be Trial’s only award of the night, and after winning the ACE Eddie award for Best Editing in a Feature Film, I’d say its odds for winning here are pretty solid. It should be going to Yorgos Lamprinos though, for his brilliant editing in The Father, which is used not only to confuse in the big moments, but in all the tiny details as well. Those who have seen the film will know exactly what I’m referring to by the “big moments,” but alas, it remains the 4th place finisher for this category.  Best Cinematography The Nominees:
Will Win: Joshua James Richards, Nomadland Could Steal: Erik Messerschmidt, Mank Dark Horse: Darius Wolski, News of the World Should Have Been Nominated: Andrey Naydenov, Dear Comrades! or Christopher Blauvelt, First Cow Mank did pull of a surprise win at the ASC awards (American Society of Cinematographers), ending Nomadland’s huge streak of wins in a row, but I don’t think that means it’ll take the Oscar as well. So often, the Academy rewards the framing of the camera, rather than what’s contained within the image, so a movie that looks really beautiful with every shot has a better chance at winning than one with more colorization or advanced lighting techniques. It could happen for Mank, but Nomadland’s patient, gentle-moving camera sweeping across the vast American heartland remains the front-runner in this category, all but a lock for a win here. In fact, the only movie that doesn’t belong here is The Trial of the Chicago 7, which looks pretty ugly in all honesty. One can tell the Academy didn’t care much for Da 5 Bloods, but apparently they didn’t see Dear Comrades! or First Cow either, both of which are more worthy than Trial. Phedon Papamichael deserved to be nominated, yes, but for Ford v Ferrari last year (in place of The Irishman), not for this.  Best Documentary Feature The Nominees:
Will Win: My Octopus Teacher Could Steal: Time Dark Horse: Crip Camp Should Have Been Nominated: Boys State Somehow, the small Netflix doc about a man falling in love with a sea creature has become the front-runner to win Documentary Feature and I will never understand why. It’s a perfectly fine documentary, but truth be told, it was fairly low on my shortlist rankings when I watched all of the shortlisted films in this category (except The Truffle Hunters, which I still haven’t been able to see). I would rather see Collective or Time win here, both fantastic documentaries about broken systems within governmental bodies, the former being the result of a shocking find during a separate investigation, the latter a reflection on the relationship between time and broken institutions. Both of those films are fantastic, and I would gladly see either of them take the win here, especially since even better docs like Boys State and The Dissident weren’t even nominated (and the latter wasn’t even shortlisted).  Best Animated Feature The Nominees:
Will Win: Soul Could Steal: Wolfwalkers Dark Horse: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon Should Have Been Nominated: N/A Last year, I predicted that Klaus, which won the Annie, the BAFTA, and several other major animation awards, could take down Toy Story 4 in this category, and I was roundly shut down on Oscar night, so I’ve learned never to bet against Pixar here. That being said, Soul was genuinely the best animated movie of the year, so I can’t be too cynical about Pixar taking home yet another one of these, even if Wolfwalkers does pose some significant competition for the studio. The surprise nominee here is Farmageddon, which I found delightful, stealing a spot from Croods, but I’m totally okay with that. Clearly a lot of the Academy saw it and enjoyed it a great deal, so if anything’s a dark horse candidate, it’s that. But the award is still going to Soul.  Best International Feature Film The Nominees:
Will Win: Another Round Could Steal: Quo Vadis, Aida? Dark Horse: Collective Should Have Been Nominated: Dear Comrades! or La Llorona or I’m No Longer Here Pretty much anything here, apart from The Man Who Sold His Skin, is worthy of a win for me, but nothing is stopping Mads Mikkelsen’s drunken dancing from winning an award for Another Round. It’s not just the best international film this year, but one of Mikkelsen and director Thomas Vinterberg’s best collaborations (even earning Vinterberg a surprise Best Director nomination). There’s no denying its win here, though Quo Vadis, Aida? has picked up significant support recently. Collective is the second film in a row to pick up nominations for both International and Documentary Feature, after Honeyland was the first at last year’s ceremony, so while its shot is miniscule, it’s not nonexistent. Strangely though, neither La Llorona (Guatemala) nor Two of Us (France) made an appearance. The former is more understandable, given the Academy’s aversion to horror, but France typically shows up in this category, so their absence here is curious. Still, it’s not like they would have won anyway, so there’s no need to fight for its inclusion here, though I would have like to see the masterful Dear Comrades! snag a spot.  Best Supporting Actress The Nominees:
Will Win: Yuh-Jung Youn, Minari Could Steal: Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Dark Horse: Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy Should Have Been Nominated: Dominique Fishback, Judas and the Black Messiah For a long time, this one seemed like Bakalova was the heavy front-runner, and she still has a shot for sure, but the Academy has a weird allergy to comedies that don’t end up as dramas by the end, and Borat is about as irreverent and silly as one of those can get. Bakalova is a breakout star in it, and the thing that makes the whole movie work, but after two major wins for Yuh-Jung Youn, it looks like she has it in the bag for Minari, which is she is genuinely great in, so it’s a good win. Glenn Close is nominated for Hillbilly Elegy, so they could give her a legacy Oscar here, but I doubt it happens.  Best Supporting Actor The Nominees:
Will Win: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah Could Steal: Paul Raci, Sound of Metal Dark Horse: Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami Should Have Been Nominated: N/A This is one of the much easier predictions to make in the acting categories. I don’t even have to say it for everyone to know, but there’s absolute no chance in hell Lakeith Stanfield has a shot at winning this category, especially since no one really considers him to be supporting in a movie where his character is literally the first word of the title. The movie is told from his perspective, and he is very much a lead. Kaluuya could also be considered lead, given his screen-time is about equal with Stanfield, but the story’s not centered on his perspective, so Supporting Actor for him feels more appropriate, and you can take it to the bank that he’s winning it all. Ever since awards voters had the chance to see Judas and the Black Messiah, Daniel Kaluuya has won just about every single award for which he’s been nominated, and his is by far the showiest performance of the five, which the Academy loves. Kaluuya commands the screen as Fred Hampton, and it is genuinely another level of performance from him that’s far above anything he’s done before. If there is a surprise here, it’ll be for Paul Raci’s stellar work as an ASL instructor in Sound of Metal, but given that his performance is far more subdued and internal, don’t expect a surprise to take place.  Best Actress The Nominees:
Will Win: Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman Could Steal: Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom or Frances McDormand, Nomadland Dark Horse: Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday Should Have Been Nominated: Yeri Han, Minari This is by far the most difficult category to predict, and by the time this is published, I may have changed my answer yet again. It’s terribly unfortunate that Yeri Han, the best performance in Minari, wasn’t even one of the top 8 candidates in the running for a nomination, but the conversation now has shifted to just who the hell the winner is actually going to be. Pretty much everyone but Vanessa Kirby (who’s great in Pieces of a Woman but hasn’t won a single major Oscars pre-cursor award) has a path to winning this category. Andra Day is the least likely of the other 4, in my opinion, since The United States vs. Billie Holiday was fairly ill-received (even Zellweger’s Judy had mostly positive reviews), but then again, the Oscars do love a transformation – especially a singing one – and Day is genuinely the best thing in that movie, plus she did win the Golden Globe in the biggest upset win of that night. Frances McDormand is terrific in Nomadland, and won the BAFTA, but she also already has an Oscar from the same category for Three Billboards, and hasn’t one many other major awards, though she’s stayed a consistent presence. The real race here, it seems, is Carey Mulligan vs. Viola Davis. Mulligan is fresh off an Independent Spirit Award win as of this writing (though those don’t tend to have much of an effect on the Oscars), and has been extremely popular with Critics groups, but hasn’t won that many pre-cursors, despite having the most wins of the group overall. Davis, on the other hand, took home the SAG award for Best Actress, and could easily win here for her electrifying performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, given (as we’ve noted) the size of the actors branch. Although, she too already has an Oscar for Supporting Actress in Fences…and I’ve just talked myself into putting Mulligan back on the “will win” train. Which I might change again about eight more times. You see what I’m dealing with here?  Best Actor The Nominees:
Will Win: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Could Steal: Anthony Hopkins, The Father Dark Horse: Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal Should Have Been Nominated: Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods This category is…complicated to say the least. The passion votes are there for Hopkins, but I don’t know that there are enough of them to turn the tide in his favor. The passing of Chadwick Boseman was something that shook the world and affected us all in deeply personal ways that are hard to communicate due to how different those ways are. I do think Hopkins overall gave the better performance, so if he wins I won’t be one bit upset, but awarding Boseman a posthumous Oscar not only for this role (a career-best in my opinion) but to honor his incredible legacy of work also seems perfectly appropriate. As far as who should win, I’m torn between the two, but I think Boseman just barely edges out the win on account of his passing and his legacy. In terms of other nominees, it is insane that they gave a spot to Gary Oldman (who I liked in Mank, though it’s certainly not a career-best by any stretch) that should have gone to Delroy Lindo’s incredible work in Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. Just insane.  Best Director The Nominees:
Will Win: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland Could Steal: David Fincher, Mank Dark Horse: Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman Should Have Been Nominated: N/A More than Best Picture, even, this category is locked up pretty tight for Nomadland. Chloé Zhao has already broken records as the single most-awarded filmmaker during an awards season (by a huge margin), so it’s safe to say that come Oscar night, that record will be added to. Really the only person who could steal the award out from under her here is David Fincher for his work on Mank, which garnered the most nominations due to its technical prowess. It’s not unusual for the Academy to do a Best Director/Best Picture split when the Director selection is attached to the more technically impressive film, and it’s happened 4 out of the last 8 times, so there’s plenty of precedent. This is Zhao’s award to lose, however, and she’s on the biggest winning streak ever right now, showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.  Best Picture The Nominees:
Will Win: Nomadland Could Steal: The Trial of the Chicago 7 Dark Horse: Sound of Metal Should Have Been Nominated: Soul Nomadland was my #1 movie of 2020, so naturally, I’m perfectly happy with it being the front-runner here, having bested all other candidates at pretty much every other awards show (even the ones where its win was not expected). That said, I would also be totally fine with a Minari win here, or an out-of-nowhere surprise for Judas and the Black Messiah. Unfortunately, the most likely upset would be a win for perfectly fine but not nearly deserving enough The Trial of the Chicago 7 since it did win the SAG Ensemble award (the equivalent of Best Picture for that voting body), and actors make up the largest branch of the Academy overall. Plus, with the preferential ballot system, a shakeup isn’t entirely out of the question. Still, Nomadland seems to have this one locked up pretty tight, which again, I’m more than okay with. And, at long last, those are my final predictions for the 93rd Annual Academy Awards! What do you think of these predictions? Any we disagree on? What are you hoping to see win? Let me know in the comments section below, and thanks for reading!
- The Friendly Film Fan  Hello, all, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! The nominations announcement for the 93rd Oscars is mere hours away, and I am so excited! The Oscars are my favorite day of the year every single year, so when awards season really gets going, I get pumped to talk about all the great movies from the previous year. It sure has been one hell of a strange awards season, from the BAFTAs using 10-12 person juries to nominate several high-profile categories (excluding Best Film) to Delroy Lindo and Da 5 Bloods slipping almost completely out of orbit where once they were projected to be locks. Jared Leto has a SAG nomination for The Little Things, Amanda Seyfried does not have a SAG nomination for Mank, Andra Day actually won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama despite being most people’s last place guess, and the whole awards race – while still retaining some sort of shape – could go just about anywhere in below the line competitions. There’s a lot to talk about in terms of the Oscar races, and if you’ve followed me for any significant period of time, you know I’ve been keeping up with every guild, group, and nominating committee trying to make sure all of my predictions for the eventual Oscar nominations are as accurate as they can possibly be. So, just before those are due to be announced (tomorrow morning at 5:19 PT/8:19 EST), here are my FINAL predictions for the Oscar nominees of 2021 (plus, some wildcard picks that could surprise)! Best Picture*:
Best Director:
Best Actor:
Best Actress:
Best Supporting Actor:
Best Supporting Actress:
Best Animated Feature:
Best International Feature Film:
Best Documentary Feature:
Best Cinematography:
Best Film Editing:
Best Production Design:
Best Costume Design:
Best Makeup & Hairstyling:
Best Original Score:
Best Original Song:
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Best Original Screenplay:
Best Visual Effects:
Best Sound:
Best Live-Action Short:
Best Animated Short:
Best Documentary Short:
So, what do you think of these guesses? Any you disagree with? Let me know in the comments section below, and be sure to join me on my Instagram page to watch my LIVE REACTION to the Oscar nominations tomorrow morning! Thanks for reading! - The Friendly Film Fan *Although there are 10 slots in the Best Picture category, it is highly unlikely all 10 spots will be filled. The inclusion of 10 films in the nomination predictions for this category is only to fill out that final spot so as to make a complete list. For accuracy purposes, Sound of Metal is the most likely film to not make the final 9.
 Hello, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! The Fisher Awards (named for the late Carrie Fisher) are a staple of my awards season coverage, dating all the way back to 2016. By now, if you joined me on my Instagram live this morning, you already know who the nominees for the 5th Annual Fisher Awards are; this list is both to keep a record of those nominees and to inform those who do not know who they are…well, who they are. A bit about how The Fishers work: each category reflects the same categories as the Oscars, with some combined (such as Sound Design as a mix of Sound Editing and Sound Mixing, which now is how the Oscars are awarding it as well) due to a lack of knowledge about different forms of said category and how they work or the lack of necessity for separation (see: Character Design), and some left off entirely (such as the short film categories), as I do not have the requisite knowledge to nominate what might actually have been the best over the course of a given year. The nominees are chosen based on what I believe were the best five (or in Best Picture’s case, ten) examples in their respective categories, and the winners are announced later in their own post with added sections explaining why said film or nominee was crowned the winner of that category. Now, without further ado, here are your 5th Annual Fisher Award nominees in all 14 categories! Best Picture:
The winners of the 5th Annual Fisher Awards will be announced on Saturday, April 17! Stay tuned!
- The Friendly Film Fan Well, ladies and gentlemen, here we are, at the end of it all (pre-awards coverage at least). Yesterday, I revealed that not only had I finalized my list of the best movies of 2020, but that I would actually be doing a Top 20 this year in place of my usual Top 10, both as a means for celebrating the great art that was released last year, and as a way to give my readers a better sense of what the best movies of the year actually were. This list, today, is the more traditional, final part of that. Welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan, and let’s get into Part 2 of my Top 20 Best Movies of 2020!  10. The Painter and the Thief During the summer of 2020, when theaters had shut down, I was out of a job, and movies were just starting to release for early home viewing, a little documentary called The Painter and the Thief came across my radar. The film was distributed by Neon, who also distributed my two favorite movies of the previous year, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and the eventual record-breaking Best Picture winner Parasite. I had faith that the studio would deliver again, and boy, did they do that and then some. This saga of a painter befriending the thief that stole her art hit me harder than any other documentary did this year. The tale of forgiveness, of self-forgiveness, self-actualization, and what it’s like when someone sees the innate humanity in those most people would write off as inhumane is a brilliantly told story with more than a few moments at which I was so genuinely moved that I began to cry. The thief’s reaction when he sees the artist’s painting of him for the first time is a moment in 2020 movies that I will remember forever. The Painter and the Thief Review  9. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Borat Subsequent Moviefilm may not have been “objectively” the best comedy of the year, but it is without a doubt the one that should not have worked. And yet, somehow it does, both as a (slightly inferior in some ways) sequel to the original film and a proto-feminist expose on American culture and what people are willing to do and say when they think no one is watching or that their words won’t be heard by everyone with a Prime Video account. The story Sacha Baron Cohen tell here is noticeably satire (and Cohen is once again phenomenal in the role), but underneath its crude, roughshod exterior, the movie carries something much more meaningful about growth, unlearning biases, and female independence. Maria Bakalova as Borat’s daughter, Tutar, is an absolute revelation, the things she does and the people she interacts with increasingly unpredictable and genuinely hilarious. She’s 100% the front-runner for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar this year, and although the field is becoming more difficult to predict by the day, she’s still my bid to win the whole race. Bitesize Breakdown Review Letterboxd Review  8. Promising Young Woman Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman, though at first it may seem wrong-headed or a little bit difficult to parse out the nuances of, is nonetheless a stunning rebuke of the “nice guy” type of person men often claim to be when women offer up their stories of being harassed, stalked, assaulted, etc. It’s no coincidence that career “nice guys” like Adam Brody, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Max Greenfield are cast here as the ostensible friendly hand, only for them to turn into predators when no one’s around to stop them. The performances are phenomenal, particularly from Laverne Cox (who, admittedly, doesn’t get a lot to do) and the increasingly versatile Bo Burnham, but it’s Carey Mulligan as the lead character, Cassie, who holds the entire narrative together. There’s not one false note in Mulligan’s performance, and as the heavy favorite to win Best Actress at the Oscars this year, it is a real treat to watch her work many of these scenes as the physical embodiment of a reckoning coming for all those who wronged her friend when they were in school. I won’t spoil too much of the plot or details, as the film is available for VOD purchase right now (rental soon), and I would encourage everyone to see the film at least once without knowing much about it, but suffice it to say, the ending is one that will stick with you for a long time after your first viewing. Bitesize Breakdown Review Letterboxd Review  7. Dear Comrades! This is the first year that I’ve been able to watch many of the International Feature contenders for the first time, but none have made quite an impact on me the first time I saw them quite like Dear Comrades! The Russian submission to this year’s Academy Awards, Andrey Konchalovsky’s film about a revolution against the communist party in power at that time is perhaps the most impressively-crafted film I saw all year, including in the extended awards season. The direction, sound, script, and performances are immaculate, with Yuliya Vyotskaya giving maybe the most perfect lead performance a movie like this could ever have, bolstered by absolutely stunning black-and-white cinematography by Andrey Naydenov. Many may be put off by the film’s “anti-communist” messaging, but to me, the film itself isn’t so much anti-communist as it is anti-total-party-loyalty, and it’s not afraid to dive into what that loyalty might ultimately cost someone in the long run, especially where it concerns their children or the youth of a particular nation-state. I’m not entirely sure if the ending of the film totally works or doesn’t, but it’s certainly not a bad ending either, and the sheer level of craft that precedes it could have landed the film in the top 10 all by itself. Luckily, there’s quite a lot to recommend here. Letterboxd Review  6. Judas and the Black Messiah The only reason this one didn’t quite make the Top 5 is because its middle section is just the slightest bit too long. However, that doesn’t stop how powerful, furious, and phenomenal Shaka King’s sophomore feature truly is. Bursting with an energy reminiscent of earlier, angrier Spike Lee, Judas and the Black Messiah is a fantastic film recounting both the efforts and government-sponsored assassination of Black Panther Chicago party leader Fred Hampton via the perspective of traitor and FBI informant William O’Neal. Lakeith Stanfield is great as O’Neal in the film, marking yet another awesome turn in a career chock full of them. Jesse Plemons and Dominique Fishback also continue their reigns over the movie world as some of the most engaging performers of their generations, career-bests for both. It’s Daniel Kaluuya’s Fred Hampton, however, who immediately steals the spotlight the second he walks on screen. Kaluuya, no doubt in my mind, will win Best Supporting Actor this year (barring a huge upset), and anyone who’s seen Judas’ speech scene knows exactly why. Kaluuya also turns in a career-best performance, and if you’ve been watching him for a long time, you know that high praise does not come lightly. Kaluuya proves here that he’s not just one of the best actors of his generation – he might well be the best – and under Shaka King, he rises to a whole other level. Plus, the cinematography by Sean Bobbitt is some of the year’s best and most criminally under-recognized. Bitesize Breakdown Review Letterboxd Review  5. Another Round Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen sure are a fine pair, aren’t they? Having previously teamed up on The Hunt, one of the most uncomfortably difficult-to-watch movies in the entire Mikkelsen catalogue (and that’s saying something), the director and actor re-teamed for the absolutely brilliant Another Round, which tells the story of four high school teachers who decide to test a hypothesis that human beings are born with a .03% alcohol deficiency by drinking just enough to raise their blood-alcohol levels before work in order to improve their job performance. As can be expected, some things go wrong later on down the line, but the journey to that later is well worth taking, and the film also doesn’t shy away from the things that go right while the experiment is happening either. Thomas Bo Larson stands out as the best supporting performance in the film, but this is Mikkelsen’s movie, and he owns every second he’s on screen. Mikkelsen is one of the world’s greatest living and working actors, so to see him hit career-best work in this is a sight to behold. One scene that stands out is a drunken dance towards the end where one can feel the energy just pulsating off of him as he dances along to “What a Night.” This movie will win Best International Feature this year, and I will be right there to cheer it on, all the way to the finish line. Bitesize Breakdown Review  4. i’m thinking of ending things Released all the way back in September, Charlie Kaufman’s directorial follow-up to Synecdoche, New York and Anomalisa is just as trippy, if not more so, than those films (though, to be fair, I’m really only speaking for Anomalisa here, since I haven’t seen the other one). There’s always something unsettled or not-quite-right around the margins of the film, from the way it’s shot, to the narration, to the fourth-wall breaks, to the way characters talk to and interact with each other. It’s an absurdly confusing movie if you’re not already aware of what’s going on or can figure it out eventually, but unlike most other confusing films, it’s no less compelling because of its confusion. In fact, the confusion itself is what lends the film a lot of its quality in the first viewing – the clarity comes in the second. Jessie Buckley is fantastic here, and I know I keep saying everyone did career-best work in these films, but I’ll have to keep saying it as long as it remains applicable, and Buckley’s stellar performance in i’m thinking of ending things is no exception to that. Jesse Plemons, once again in one of the year’s best films, also turns in great work, as Toni Collette and David Thewlis stand out in their supporting parts. Kaufman taps into something here about both the loneliness and the wandering that one experiences towards the end of a life, and even if what he’s trying to say isn’t immediately clear, it’s a film and an experience that is nearly impossible to shake. Bitesize Breakdown Review  3. The Father To be quite honest, I don’t know if The Father or Soul is the better movie, and I may end up coming back to change their placements later once I’ve seen both of them back-to-back, but for now, this is where they stand (this statement will be erased, too, after I’ve determined whether or not they switch). The Father was a movie I was looking forward to from the very first moment I saw the trailer, though it did look a bit plain, even if Anthony Hopkins seemed to be doing great work in it. I was not, however, prepared for the level of depth and care a film like this would give its subject, nor in any way was I expecting what the film would eventually turn out to be. THIS SERVES AS A MILD SPOILER WARNING. SKIP THIS ENTRY IF YOU WISH TO KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE FATHER. When the viewer eventually figures out that the entire film is told not from the perspective of those who interact with Hopkins, but from his, the strange and idiosyncratic editing and set design choices come into sharp focus as having far more purpose than previously thought. We are not watching a man slowly lose his mind to dementia; we are that man losing our minds as well. Conversations are had in loops, certain characters’ faces and names change on a whim, and often we don’t know why or what’s meant to be going on, even if we think we do. It’s a brilliant concept through which debut director Florian Zeller tells this incredible story, leading not just to an absorbing narrative and brilliant filmmaking, but the best performance Anthony Hopkins has given since The Silence of the Lambs. There’s not a single moment where I questioned whether he was actually dealing with dementia or not – in fact, part of me wondered if Hopkins was genuinely okay afterwards – and yet another solid supporting turn from Olivia Colman manages step by step to aide the audience’s perception of that character. Letterboxd Review  2. Soul The largest criticism I keep hearing in regards to Soul is that it’s not as good as Inside Out, and while I’ll agree it’s not as funny or zippy as that previous Pixar effort, I’m not sure that criticism – on its own – understands what Soul is actually trying to be. Inside Out, primarily, is a comedy, but while there are certainly a number of funny moments in Soul, it takes a much more somber, spiritual approach to its subject matter than Inside Out does. Its story is not informed by psychology but by humanity, not by mental health but by spiritual wellness, by hope rather than happiness. It’s a difficult line to walk, and although Soul doesn’t always walk it without some wobbles here and there, the level of ambition it has, as well as the things it does manage to pull off, are uniquely esoteric more than they are accessible. Soul is going for something adjacent to Inside Out, but not parallel, and that’s where I think that criticism fails to account for how – although they share a director – they’re not really similar in most respects, except for their studio and their exploration of things most animated films don’t dare to touch. And I haven’t even gotten to the actual content of the movie yet, which is easily some of the best that Pixar has ever produced. As Joe Gardener looks back on his life, we can see that what makes it worth living isn’t quite the same thing as what he’s been living for; his purpose and his spark are not the same thing, and that sort of confusion between purpose and presence is perhaps the most relevant thing about it (apart from the disgruntled accountant, perhaps). The animation is also peak Pixar, flowing in and out of different shapes, dimensions, concepts, and images in order to demonstrate how all different shades of life work before a soul is even ready to get to Earth. Plus, whatever lighting engine Pixar used for the Earth-bound material might be the greatest lighting engine ever made. It’s a stunning movie to experience as a narrative, but an even more stunning one to look at, and in future rankings, is sure to be counted among the best and most ambitious projects Pixar has ever tackled. The score by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross is also the best of the entire year. I had more to say in my SPOILER-FILLED list of the Best Scenes and Movie Moments from 2020 list, so if you’ve seen the film, go ahead and check that out too. Bitesize Breakdown Review Letterboxd Review  1. Nomadland I paid a guy for awards screeners to watch Nomadland twice before it even hit theaters or Hulu during its wide-release expansion (all legally vetted, don’t worry), and I sincerely considered watching it yet a third time purely based on how incredible I found it to be. Chloé Zhao’s Best Picture front-runner is a stunning film about what it’s like to never quite be home, but never quite be homeless either, bolstered by immaculate cinematography from Joshua James Richards, as well as stellar editing, writing, and directing. Zhao’s technique of incorporating real-life individuals into her films alongside veteran actors like Frances McDormand and David Strathairn has never worked better than in this film, and as one continues on in the narrative, you do become genuinely attached to a few, which is heartbreaking when some of them inevitably don’t return. This is still about McDormand’s character, though, and the film never forgets that it’s her journey we’re ultimately following. She, in particular, in a phenomenal performance as Fern, is adrift among drifters for much of the film, and her van becoming her home is something that happens not because she just chooses to live as a Nomad, but because she continues again and again to return to that life despite every introduction of a different one she could live. In fact, it’s not so much that her van becomes her home as the Nomadic lifestyle does, and as she returns to it, one can see that no matter how difficult it gets for her, it is the home she’s most at peace in. The film itself isn’t necessarily quick-moving, preferring instead to take a more patient, humanist, naturalistic approach to how its story unfolds, but if you give it a chance, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll have all year, and for me, it was the film in 2020 I continued to return to again and again. Since the very first time I saw it, I’ve thought of and pondered it every single day. Bitesize Breakdown Review Letterboxd Review And that’s the final tally on my picks for the Top 20 Best Movies of 2020! What was your #1 movie of the last year? Did you see any of the movies on this list? Let me know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
- The Friendly Film Fan Hello, all, and welcome back to The Friendly Film Fan! Well, it is finally that time. Time to take off the veil, peel back the curtains, remove the covering, and reveal my picks for the Top 20 Best Movies of 2020. Many of you may be thinking, “why a Top 20? Doesn’t he usually just do a Top 10?” And, indeed, I can understand the question completely. Why switch up the format now? I have a couple of notes in that regard. Firstly, movies in 2020 went through the ringer, to put it lightly. So many things we were all looking forward to got bumped to this year, and even next year if they happened to get particularly unlucky. As it is, we still haven’t seen No Time to Die, F9, Dune, Black Widow, The French Dispatch, or many other high-profile releases we were meant to have seen by now. However, if one knew where to look, there was still a ton of other great material from 2020, and a lot of films that may not have otherwise gotten a shot at the spotlight now are being included amongst “Best Of” lists the world over. Doing a Top 20 instead of a Top 10 is both borne of a desire to spotlight and celebrate these other films, and in an attempt to recognize their respective quality and importance alongside the other films one might expect to be in a “Best Of” list, especially one of mine. I saw a lot of movies this past year (179, to be exact, almost 20 more than my previous record), and although the ones in this list did not ultimately make the Top 10, there were so many great ones that I could not pass up an opportunity to write about them and give them some sort of “official” moniker as being some of the best movies of the past year. (Plus, my Honorable Mentions list was already pretty long.) Secondly, it’s unlikely that I’ll be doing a full Top 20 again after this year, so I figured that 2020, of all years, would be the appropriate time to try something new and expand the context of “Best Of” a little bit. With all of that covered, let’s get right into it. Here are my picks for numbers 20-11 of the Top 20 Best Movies of 2020!  20. Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution This Netflix documentary premiered at the Sundance film festival at the very beginning of the year, and picked up a lot of steam from there, though it seemed to peter out as the year went on due to the more pressing nature of *vaguely gestures at everything*. That doesn’t mean, though, that it wouldn’t have been full-steam-ahead under normal circumstances, and with its inclusion on the Oscars’ “Best Documentary Feature” shortlist, a little bit of that momentum has been restored. Its story concerns a summer camp both run and attended by disabled individuals – be they physical or mental disabilities – and soon morphs into one of the most powerful dramas of 2020. The first act of it is mostly about the camp itself, compiled from old archival footage and a series of interviews by attendees and staff, but once the summer camp has been well and truly documented, the viewer is let in on the ground floor of the movement for exactly what the subtitle implies: a disability revolution. This camp was ground zero for the start of the Americans With Disabilities act, one aim of which to increase access and ease by which disabled persons could access federal and state buildings, as well as any public institution and even sidewalks, and this all began when a bunch of the people from this camp staged sit ins in federal offices. It’s a fascinating story I very much doubt many people know about, and learning about it as the film went along was a real treat to behold. Letterboxd Review  19. I’m No Longer Here Mexico’s entry for the International Feature competition at the Oscars this year, I’m No Longer Here may not be a masterpiece, but it is undoubtedly one of the boldest, most unique, and captivating films of 2020. Led by a stellar performance from Juan Daniel Garcia, the film uses a misunderstanding between the main character and a gang that’s after him in order to explore the socio-economic inequalities between Mexico and the United States, the isolation one can feel when fleeing to a new place where you don’t know anyone, and just how attached one can become to a sense of identity that it colors their entire perception of the life they wish to lead. The final shot of this film is one of the best of the entire year, and though it is difficult to articulate the exact way the film captures one’s senses (especially through its music), it is irrefutable that the intended effect is accomplished by film’s end. Letterboxd Review  18. The Dissident There were a number of documentaries up for the Oscars shortlist this year, but no absence from that list was more surprising or disappointing than Bryan Fogel’s brilliant The Dissident, which chronicles the rise and subsequent government-sponsored assassination of prominent U.S. citizen and Saudi-born Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi, a widely outspoken critic of the Saudi government, was killed just recently, with the blame largely falling on the Saudi government’s leader in particular, Mohammad bin Salman (who President Biden essentially gave a pass to recently). One can find this story in essentially every news outlet all over the world if one wishes to, but it’s in crafting something like a spy thriller than Bryan Fogel’s documentary elevates itself to become not just one of the best documentaries of 2020, but one of 2020’s best films, full stop. The score, the editing, and the reveal of information all work at a pace designed with the precision of a Swiss watch, and even in its documentary format, the film is more riveting than most other thrillers throughout the past year. Please check this one out if you get the chance – it is absorbing stuff. Letterboxd Review  17. Welcome to Chechnya The Chechen government is systematically torturing and killing LGBTQ+ individuals, and somehow, no one seems to be talking about it in any important way – no one, that is, except David France, who follows a team of extractors that supply these people with new identities and escape plans in order to get them out of Chechnya and into safer territory. Landing on both the Documentary Feature and Visual Effects shortlists, the film plays out like an elevated heist film, with danger around every corner, and severe consequences for failure or abandonment of the plans this team crafts in order to get these individuals to safety. Many moments of the film are incredibly difficult to watch, and much of it is frustrating, but it never feels particularly manipulative or as if the filmmakers are hiding another side to things; the issue is plain and simple, and the way that Welcome to Chechnya employs deepfake technology in order to hide the identities of both the extraction team and the individuals they attempt to rescue is among the best and most effective use of visual effects I’ve seen in decades (decades, I say, as a 25-year-old man). For reasons I don’t want to get into here, this film hit me pretty hard on a personal level, and I would implore everyone I know to watch it at least once, provided you can handle its more triggering moments. Letterboxd Review  16. Saint Maud Saint Maud may not have fulfilled its full potential as an A24 horror film (they have a pretty high bar to get over), but as an exploration of spiritual possession, it’s an immaculate work of art. Morfydd Clark very quickly establishes herself as a firebrand of a young actress as she struggles with her sexuality, spirituality, and lust for martyrdom all at once. It certainly won’t be for everyone, and its relatively abrupt ending may prove divisive once it picks up a bit more of a following, but the cinematography and score are top notch, and one scene in particular is so idiosyncratic in how it’s crafted that it hasn’t left my mind since I saw the film for the first time. Rose Glass has really made something particularly special here with her directorial debut, and I have a feeling that as Glass’ reputation grows, this will be the film people point to as the one to demonstrate how great she’s always been. Bitesize Breakdown Review Letterboxd Review  15. Mank One of the most anticipated films of the 2020 awards season, David Fincher’s Mank (adapted from a script by his late father, Jack Fincher) is a staggering technical achievement, even if its story elements may not resonate with all types of movie lovers (many considered it a disappointing film). If you’re not as familiar with the history and making of the film Citizen Kane, and the circumstances under which it was born, I can understand how it might seem underwhelming, but for my part, I absolutely loved it. Its technical affects (especially the cinematography, editing, and sound) are marvelous to witness as it emulates films of the Kane era, and are its strongest parts, but it cannot be understated just how incredible Amanda Seyfried is in this film as Hollywood starlet Marion Davies. Gary Oldman is great in the lead as Herman Mankiewicz, no doubt, but it’s really Seyfried who shows off career-best work here and could very well land an Oscar nomination if the Academy is willing to consider her for the prize. This is yet another one of those films that won’t be for everyone, but it’s a remarkable departure from Fincher into something very much outside of the norm for him, and personally, I think it worked brilliantly. Bitesize Breakdown Review Letterboxd Review  14. Better Days Hong Kong’s entry to the International Feature race was technically released both abroad and in the U.S. in 2019, but it wasn’t submitted for International Feature until this year, so I am counting it on a technicality here. This is high melodrama for sure, especially for what essentially amounts to a feature-length anti-bullying PSA, but you’d be shocked at the things they manage to make work here, even when they really shouldn’t go together upon reflection. The performances of Zhou Dongyu and Jackson Yee are remarkable, the script flies in a lot of different directions without ever losing altitude, and though one can really feel the film pushing the length of its ending quite a bit, and some of its editing feels as though it could be switched around a bit, that doesn’t make all the previous filmmaking any less effective. It’s difficult to describe this movie without getting into spoilers, but suffice it to say, it’s absolutely one of my favorites of the past year, and a great achievement for director Derek Tsang. Letterboxd Review  13. First Cow One of the early great movies of 2020, Kelly Reichardt’s absorbing tale of two men starting a business by stealing milk from a local landowner’s prized cow is indeed subtle and extremely quiet with both its narrative and themes, but I found myself entirely unable to stop thinking about it or its immaculate cinematography by DP Christopher Blauvelt. The performances of co-leads John Magaro and Orion Lee are fantastic, their chemistry palpable from the minute they meet, and as the narrative unfolds, you really do become attached to the idea of these men as partners. There’s a subtlety to the film that may come off as the movie being slow, but for me, it was all about being able to let oneself bask in the peace the story provides, as well as the small moments of tension that stand out because of that very subtlety. Between the two major A24 dramas that came out this year, this is the inferior, but it remains one of the best (and certainly best-looking) movies of 2020 all the same.  12. A Sun A Sun may be my favorite International Feature contender not in the top 10, and although the length runs quite long (the film is around 2 hours and 30 minutes), don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s slow in any way. The second half of the film does stretch the length quite a bit, but even for a film that’s just a little too long, what fills those minutes remains positively riveting. The performances in this are uniformly great (particularly Yi-wen Chen), but it’s really Kuan-Ting Liu that steals the show as the film’s sort of villain character, the one who made the whole plot happen in the first place. Liu is unsettling in this film (though he’s not in it much), a genuinely terrifying presence in an otherwise non-thriller type of film that has a lot to say about how a family deals with their child being implicated in some horrific criminal activity. This film is as much about the family around the main character, particularly the father who has a lot of trouble forgiving his son for bringing such shame to their family, as it is about the main character himself, and the cinematography by co-writer and director Chung Mong-Hong may seem unremarkable at first, but slowly reveals itself to be some of the best of the year, even if you don’t notice it at first. Letterboxd Review  11. Minari This got so close to making my Top 10 of 2020, but given that there were ten more films that either meant more to me personally or had a greater impact on me as pieces of filmmaking, it lands at the top of Part 1. Minari is a gorgeous, tender film that aches to be seen on a theater screen, with beautiful cinematography by Lachlan Milne and a wonderful, Oscar-worthy score by Emile Mosseri. Lee Isaac Chung’s tale of the American dream and what that even looks like, seen through the eyes of a Korean family that moves to Arkansas in the 80’s, is one of the most quietly moving and powerful films of all of 2020, and the most likely to pull some dark horse momentum for a Best Picture win at the Oscars this year. The performances from the entire cast are fantastic, especially Steven Yeun, Alan S. Kim, Youn Yuh-jung, and Han Ye-ri, who all turn in award-worthy work. Echoing such indies as A24’s other multi-language hit, The Farewell, this is an essential film to see from 2020, and though it lands just outside the Top 10, it’s one I’ve grown to love more and more every time I think about it or catch a glimpse of it somewhere. Definitely seek this one out. Bitesize Breakdown Review And those are my picks for Part 1 of my Top 20 Best Movies of 2020! What are some of your favorite movies from last year? Anything else you think should be here? Let me know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
- The Friendly Film Fan |
