Every year I like to talk about what movies I think should win at the Oscars and which nominees I would swap if I were king for a day. This is a little late (OK, very late) this year, so I will keep it short!
Who Should Win Best Actor – Riz Ahmed in Sound of Metal
If you haven’t seen this movie, I highly recommend you check it out. It is a deeply personal story about self discovery, reflection, and what is most important in life. Riz Ahmed absolutely crushes it in this role, with both a striking physical performance and a deeply emotional one.
The One Swap I Would Make – Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods instead of Anthony Hopkins
Delroy Lindo put on an absolute tour de force in Da 5 Bloods. It’s a shame he wasn’t nominated.
Who Should Win Best Supporting Actor – Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah
The One Swap I Would Make – None
I think they pretty much nailed this category.
Who Should Win Best Actress – Frances McDormand in Nomadland
One of the best movies of the year and one of the best performances. She is so down to earth, so real, so crunchy, that she blends in with the rest of the cast, most of which were real people. A win here would solidify her as one of the great actors of all time. I am pulling for her.
The One Swap I Would Make – Sidney Flanigan in Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always instead of Vanessa Kirby
Sidney was mesmerizing in this quiet drama about a young girl attempting to get an abortion. This movie wasn’t recognized at all at the Oscars which is really unfortunate. Check it out.
Best Supporting Actress – Yuh-Jung Young in Minari
Honestly one of the funniest performance in years. When she enters Minari, it becomes an entirely different movie for the better. She is laugh out loud funny in an otherwise emotionally charged movie.
The One Swap I Would Make – None
Again, I think they did a pretty good job on this one.
Best Director – Chloé Zhao for Nomadland
One of the most beautifully shot, emotionally gripping, and grounded movies I have been in a long time. Chloé Zhao is a master at her craft. She has a keen eye for landscapes, quiet moments, and the juxtaposition of the two. I can’t wait to see what she does in the MCU.
The One Swap I Would Make – Spike Lee for Da 5 Bloods instead of Emerald Fennell
Promising Young Woman is a complicated movie that I think often misses the mark tonally. It is beautiful, evocative, and extremely stylized, but I think inconsistent in what it is trying to say. On the other hand, Spike is at the top of his game in Da 5 Bloods. He gets the absolute most out of his performers, gives us a real sense of time and place, and keeps the movie moving forward at a comfortable pace.
Best Picture – Nomadland
Nomadland is a beautiful movie about grief, the American Dream, and the people we leave behind in society. Filled with images of the lonely American landscape juxtaposed with our lonely protagonist, this movie moves us with both images and story. Led by an incredible performance by Frances McDormand, I’m confident it will stand the test of time.
The One Swap I Would Make – Soul instead of The Trial of the Chicago 7
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a fine movie, but it wasn’t even the best movie about a racially motivated trial that came out this year (that honor goes to Mangrove). I think there honestly is a case to be made that Soul was the best movie of the year and should win Best Picture. I don’t understand the resistance the Academy has towards recognizing animated movies in the Best Picture category.
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