The Oscars air tonight on ABC. The editors gathered their opinions for a heck of a round-up.
Call Me By Your Name
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor (Timothée Chalamet), Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Mystery of Love”)
Call Me By Your Name was an exquisite film, and I’d happily bawl through it again. I find myself disappointed that it hasn’t been nominated for its editing or cinematography; both made the film an immersive experience. -Katherine
Dunkirk
Nominated for: Best Picture, Production Design, Cinematography, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Original Score, Film Editing, Best Director (Christopher Nolan)
I had so many questions watching this film. Questions like, is that Tom Hardy flying the plane? How many storylines are there? What is this main guy’s backstory? Is the ominous music going to play nonstop? At some point, it would have been nice to have some real dialogue to ground this film for me. Since I knew nothing about the characters, except in this moment, they were at war, it made it hard for me to care about them. I know Christopher Nolan was being super artsy, but if I have to work hard to understand a movie, I’m just not sure it’s really worth watching. -Navani
Get Out
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor (Daniel Kaluuya), Best Director (Jordan Peele), Original Screenplay
So smart, So well done, so many layers. Did you catch all the symbolism the first time you watched? Probably not. I mean, what a marvel at making everyone understand how the scariest place in America for many people is a small white suburban town. Kudos to Jordan Peele for speaking to so many social issues under the guise of a funny thriller. He found a way to trick America into eating its vegetables. -Navani
Get Out was last year’s best movie, and nothing would please me more than if it swept its categories. -Katherine
Maybe my top film of the year. Its messages may be more important than its genuine scares. When “Grandpa” turned that gun, tho! -Jason
Jordan Peele showed more understanding of the horror genre than most directors. A mix of genuine scares, humor, and powerful metaphor made Get Out one of the most important and surprising films of the year. -Brad
Lady Bird
Nominated for: Best Picture, Lead Actress (Saoirse Ronan), Supporting Actress (Laurie Metcalf), Best Director (Greta Gerwig), Original Screenplay
…And if Get Out can’t get a clean sweep, can Lady Bird? What a beautiful portrait of American teenage life. -Katherine
Came for the Cannibal Ox poster featured on Kyle’s wall, stayed for the pithy dialogue. The fact that Lady Bird acknowledges her privilege and mediocrity early on (“I wish I could live through something.”) allowed me to continue watching what might otherwise be just another mediocre coming of age story set in suburban America. Thank God for the depth of the love / hate relationship with her mother and the awesome musical references of 2003 to keep things interesting and nostalgic. Plus, I always love a good bestie combo which is also center stage here. -Navani
Great year for withholding moms. Such a beautiful slice of life, while gloriously random-feeling. Delighted for Gerwig’s nomination. -Jason
I, Tonya
Nominated for: Lead Actress (Margot Robbie), Supporting Actress (Allison Janney), Film Editing
I, Tonya was the first film of Margo Robbie’s where I had to concede that she’s a great actress. -Katherine
My other top film choice. Its irreverent play with the fourth wall brought new angles to familiar story. Paul Walter Hauser (and the film itself) were snubbed terribly. -Jason
Phantom Thread
Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), Supporting Actress (Lesley Manville), Costume Design, Original Score, Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson)
It is an outrage that Phantom Thread wasn’t nominated for best cinematography. Thankfully, it’s been nominated for everything else–Paul Thomas Anderson, Johnny Greenwood, and Daniel Day-Lewis have provided their best work to date. -Katherine
Beautifully dark and elegantly adorned, film was a taut send-off for Daniel Day-Lewis. -Jason
The Shape of Water
Nominated for: Best Picture, Lead Actress (Sally Hawkins), Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer), Supporting Actor (Richard Jenkins), Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Original Score, Film Editing, Best Director (Guillermo del Toro), Original Screenplay
I think this is the film that will win out over its competitors, and while it was a little heavy on the Amelie, it was a very sweet film and I love it deeply. -Katherine
Overrated a bit, but certainly astoundingly beautiful and happy to see Sally Hawkins at the center. Has Michael Shannon ever been as creepy in a career of playing creeps. -Jason
An unconventional love story and a visually stunning masterpiece, Shape of Water takes Guillermo aesthetic to the next level. And who doesn’t love Sally Hawkins? -Brad
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Nominated for: Best Picture, Lead Actress (Frances McDormand), Supporting Actor (Woody Harrelson), Supporting Actor (Sam Rockwell) Original Score, Film Editing, Original Screenplay
My expectations were lowered so much by Crash-haters that I was able to overlook the obvious melodrama and manipulation and appreciate the artistry. -Jason
Brilliant performances and a heartbreaking script, Three Billboards pulls no punches in examining grief, ignorance, bravery, and the consequences of our actions. -Brad
Mudbound
Supporting Actress (Mary J. Blige), Cinematography Adapted Screenplay, Original Song (“Mighty River”)
This movie was so hard to watch but also so necessary. Yes we’ve seen racial tensions in the south before BUT I can’t recall a time when it’s from a soldier’s perspective like this. You go from fighting for your country side-by-side to then coming home and no longer being equals with a fellow soldier. How do you make peace with that no matter which side you are on? The answer is not so pretty. -Navani
The Florida Project
Supporting Actor (Willem Dafoe)
Who knew the happiest place on Earth was bordered by an ecosystem of poverty. Willem Defoe is completely endearing (nice change) and newcomer Brooklynn Prince makes the word “thot” sound almost heartwarming in this tale of hardship from a child’s perspective. -Navani
Baby Driver
Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Film Editing
Too bad this ode to heists and soundtracks was mostly forgotten by Oscar season. Even Jamie Foxx’s iconic villain was ignored by February. -Jason
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, Original Score, Visual Effects
Look, the film did its job, but its technical achievements are no better than its competition; these awards deserve to go to The Shape of Water. -Katherine
The Boss Baby
Animated Featured
This film conflicts with my key values. -Katherine
I’m with Tiffany Haddish here. Leave Boss Baby alone. I genuinely enjoyed this film and predict a re-evaluation a la Babe: Pig in the City. -Jason
The Disaster Artist
Adapted Screenplay
Captured the heart of the book, of the unusual and true relationship between Wiseau and Sistero beyond The Room‘s bad film status. James Franco was maximum-James Franco as the idiosyncratic Tommy W.; if only he had been minimum James Franco in his acting classes and elsewhere. -Jason
Logan
Adapted Screenplay
The Big Sick
Original Screenplay
At press time the Scholars had either not seen, or were unable to muster an opinion, for the following films: Marshall (As a fan of Chadwick Boseman and Sterling K. Brown, Katherine is ashamed), All the Money in the World (we hear Michelle Williams is excellent!), Beauty and the Beast, Blade Runner 2049, Victoria & Abdul, The Greatest Showman, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Darkest Hour, Kong: Skull Island, War for the Planet of the Apes, Wonder, Molly’s Game, The Post, The Breadwinner, Roman J. Israel, Esq., Coco, Ferdinand, Loving Vincent, A Fantastic Woman, The Insult, Loveless, On Body and Soul, and The Square.
