Best Picture 2022

 

FWIW, this year's Best Picture Oscar nominations feel mostly right to me.

BELFAST -- Warm and affectionate movie directed by and featuring British film royalty, both nominated along with the director, Kenneth Branaugh. Strong story. Leads weren't nominated. Won't win.

CODA -- Jagged, unapologetic and emotive film that features deaf actors (one nominated) as central players. Touching and affirming. Won't win.

DON'T LOOK UP -- Smart-ass message movie lousy with Hollywood A-listers and a killer ending but an unrelentingly condescending tone. Won't win.

DRIVE MY CAR -- Little-seen, foreign-language film based on a story by a contemporary literary master, Haruki Murakami. Dunno. Haven't seen it.

DUNE -- Technically spectacular re-crafting of an impossible story. No acting nominations. And the director wasn't nominated. Won't win the big prize.

KING RICHARD -- Will Smith-produced story of the exceptional, though flawed, man who groomed two tennis champions. Smith might win, he's overdue. His co-star Anjanue Ellis is also nominated for several strong scenes and holding her own with Smith's imposing on-screen presence. Picture won't win.

LICORICE PIZZA -- So much works about this picture even when the audience feels they've wandered into madness. But that's Paul Thomas Anderson -- as distinctive a cinematic vision as any. Neither of the leads is nominated. The script crackles but the movie won't win.

NIGHTMARE ALLEY -- Beautiful homage to film noir. Visually splendid but director Guillermo del Toro was not nominated, oddly, nor was any of the cast. Won't win.

THE POWER OF THE DOG -- Everything works in this picture. Story, performances and scoping. Four acting nominations, including Jesse Plemons, who was overlooked for the Globes. And Jane Campion is nominated for directing. Almost a sure thing.

WEST SIDE STORY -- It's got Spielberg, a star-making supporting performance from Ariana DuBose, and is wonderful in the moment but, weirdly, has little staying power. Won't win.