Countdown to Oscar Night: Building Films

Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron - Roma
Yorgos Lanthimos - The Favourite
Spike Lee - BlacKkKlansman
Adam McKay - Vice
Pawil Pawlikowski - Cold War

One of the clearest "two horse" races for Sunday. For me, this category shows the shift between the old Academy (Cuaron, Pawlikowski) and the new (Lanthimos, Lee). Historically the award would go to either the best picture winner or an "old guard" Hollywood stalwart whose "time had come". Recently though, voters have been using this prize to award fearlessness, originality, and to exemplify diversity (since 2007 only 1 white American has won this award). I'd say this is a coin flip between Cuaron and Spike Lee.

My Ballot
Alfonso Cuaron - Roma
Spike Lee - BlacKkKlansman
Adam McKay - Vice
Yorgos Lanthimos - The Favourite

My Pick to Win
Alfonso Cuaron - Roma

Shamefully Snubbed
Barry Jenkins - If Beale Street Could Talk


Best Editing
BlacKkKlansman
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
Vice

I think I'm going to have real Bohemian Rhapsody fatigue before this weekend is over... It's editing is downright awful. Green Book and The Favourite were fine, but nothing in the editing room was new, different, or masterful. Much like The Big Short, Adam McKay's Vice is completely fearless in its editing. While a bit clunkier than the former, the VP-docucomedy certainly gets many of its laughs from its jump cuts and innovative storytelling. Standing a bit out from the rest, Spike Lee's joint is brilliantly edited. The real-life images intercut throughout the movie anchor the viewer and cement the film's impact and immediacy. Many critics have felt that this tactic was a cheap ploy to cheat emotion into a movie, but I think time will eliminate this critique.

My Ballot
BlacKkKlansman
Vice
The Favourite
Green Book
Bohemian Rhapsody

My Pick to Win
BlacKkKlansman

Shamefully Snubbed
Sorry to Bother You


Best Cinematography
Cold War
The Favourite
Never Look Away
Roma
A Star Is Born

Screw this category.... I am sure that the two foreign films are beautiful, they just aren't available. In a year chock full of beautiful films that deserve recognition did we really need three foreign films (really four) nominated in this category? Beale St., Sorry to Bother You, First Reformed, Isle of Dogs, First Man, You Were Never Really Here, heck, even Hale County, This Morning This Evening...  Maybe I'll feel differently after getting around to seeing the two films that haven't opened in North Carolina yet...  maybe not.

My Ballot
Roma
A Star Is Born
The Favourite

My Pick to Win
Roma

Shamefully Snubbed
If Beale Street Could Talk