The 8 nominees for Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards, aka The Oscars, ranked in order, with my own personal take on each:
1. BlacKKKlansman
An incredibly skillful and impressive film that wields great power and raw emotion. But it is also quite deft, comedic, and above all, entertaining. This is a film that cuts open the racial war rooted in the 1970s but makes it searingly relevant for today’s charged political and racial climates. This is one of Spike Lee’s most sure handed films, in my opinion. Great cinematography, a sharp script, and impressive sound design and music all contribute to a very satisfying cinematic experience. There are varying degrees of acting scales on display, with strong performances by Washington and Driver, but also populated with frustratingly one-note stereotypes that serve the story but prevent the matters at hand from ever truly feeling 100% real. The film paints a picture of good versus evil and it’s very easy to root for the good guys. I wish that weren’t so blatant but the bad guys in this instance make it all too easy. There is an intensity and electricity that courses throughout the entirety of this piece. Great suspense and high-wire identity drama are on full display. I really enjoyed this film and was surprised by how satisfying I found it to be. I was also taken back by how powerful and affecting it was when it was all said done. The filmmakers make a statement… and it is a powerful one. This is the top film of this year’s crop, in my opinion. I don’t think it will win, but it would certainly deserve to.
Rating: 93 (out of 100)
2. Bohemian Rhapsody
Hopefully you’ve experienced the thrill of a live concert in your life. The music pulsating, the crowd roaring, the adrenaline flowing… you forgetting your troubles as the band takes you away with their songs. If you haven’t experienced that, you’re missing out. But you’re in luck – this film comes as close as any one I’ve ever seen to capturing that feeling. It’s capably directed, well-acted, exquisitely performed, measured and balanced, wild and playful… everything Queen was on stage and in their music. It is an extremely well-done portrait of a band, a man, and their story that gives depth, background, and poignance to so many of Queen’s songs in a way I had never experienced. As a measured film, it is a tad too pedestrian overall but it has its flourishes and they are quite grand. Malek’s lead performance is exhilarating and Best Actor worthy. The editing is a standout for me, as is the cinematography. It’s not flawless – like missed notes and off rhythm moments in a live musical performance – but that doesn’t take away from its charm and the way it makes you feel. I chose to judge this film based on the sensory experience of it, and as such, it succeeds, and I quite enjoyed it. I went in skeptical and it won me over. Mr. Mercury famously sang “we will rock you” and this film most certainly did.
Rating: 88
3. The Favourite
This was such an odd, fascinating fractured gem of a movie. It was like looking back into a period in history using the microscope of a modern eye. The cinematography is wild and balletic at times, and the script is irreverent, cheeky, and equal parts dark and goofy as the film tells this tale of 18th century England with a decidedly anachronistic hand. The soundtrack is a particularly interesting thing in and of itself, with the simple repetitive plucks and strums of stringed instruments giving a sinister, anxiety-inducing cue to events on screen. The tone is purposely uneven and the movie carries a thread of dread throughout it, even as it makes you laugh in delight at times. You can feel the moral scales at its center start to tilt with increasing malevolence. The acting is superb, with each of the 3 main female leads providing a stunning game of wile, wit, and emotions. Olivia Colman is a force on the screen, in a beguiling performance. And Emma Stone provides one of the strangest character arcs I believe I’ve ever seen, all while Rachel Weisz provides a counteracting, steadfast, and noble turn that sneaks up on you with its intelligence, veiled heart, and strength. The film is an interesting artifact of feminism and sexism and power held up to the light for intense examination. Though it does start to grow long in the tooth toward the end and it is not without its flaws, I enjoyed this film. It is an extremely tough one to recommend, but it strikes a peculiar and specific tone that happened to strike me quite well as I watched it.
Rating: 87
4. A Star is Born
This is a well-made film. Great acting, capable and assured directing, sharp editing, phenomenal music, and an endearing script – even if the story, itself, is well-worn and a little bit too cliché, the words of it shine. Lady Gaga gives an amazing performance (Best Actress worthy) and Bradley Cooper is strong and nuanced, though the character leans on stereotypes too much. It provides a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes trials and tribulations of musicians and artists. I was hoping it would go a bit deeper into that world but it only chooses to dip its head just beneath the surface. It instead chooses to dive deep into the core relationship and its emotional waters. There is nothing wrong with that decision, but it’s a story we’ve seen on the big screen time and again. I was hoping for just a little something different. I also had issues with the superficial, tacked-on examination of mental illness. This film has big, wondrous moments that bellow and boast, but it’s the small moments…the intimate details, like a character’s improvised lean-in to hear what was said…those moments are what carry this thing. There’s a lot to like about this film, though it’s not perfect. Still, it puts on a good show, much like its characters on their stage.
Rating: 86
5. Vice
This movie feels like a brainstorming session splayed out across the screen, with ideas and energy flowing profusely. It’s an entertaining take on history that is unabashedly biased but still peppered with just enough evenhandedness to open your mind up to the message it attempts to convey – or should I say, the message with which it bludgeons you. The political and historical tales ebb and flow with varying degrees of interest and banality. But it’s the storytelling style that is both the most impressive and yet the most scatterbrained part of this film. The filmmakers are giddy with the tools and tricks they use on the screen. It’s fun to watch and downright hilarious at times, especially when it chooses to break the fourth wall. Plus, it boasts one of the most innovative narrative devices I’ve seen in cinema in a long time. The cinematography and editing are overdone, but the acting is solid – I continue to marvel at Bale’s ability to physically transform into his characters. And one of the most pleasing aspects of this film is the slivers of humanity that he gives the main character, that peak out from underneath the steely villain the story wants him to be. My brain is full after watching this film. It’s pretty good, but definitely pockmarked with flaws. There is a general sense of throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks and assuming that there is some greater insight presented after doing so. Still, it’s a visceral slice of American history that makes you cringe with the knowledge that all of it happened right before our oblivious eyes.
Rating: 82
6. Green Book
Simply put, this is a smile of a movie. It’s a comedy wrapped up in something that feels like it should be more dramatic but has, instead, decided to dance around the edges of its more serious subject matter with regards to race relations in the 1960’s. Even so, it’s a playful and fun film, with two compelling main characters whose charisma and charm, as well as a delightfully comedic script, carry this piece. There are numerous flaws (simplistic staging, one-note acting, stereotypical story crutches, heavy handedness with delicate subject matter, etc.) that orbit around Mahershala and Mortensen but their performances cut through them to deliver an entertaining experience. They provide two rich, detailed characters with equal parts grace, pathos, and nuance. The music pulsates at the core and the travelogue aspect of its road show approach is nice, if a good bit under delivered. Green Book has heart and warmth, wit and crispness and it was a refreshing Saturday evening cinematic trip for yours truly. It is a decidedly black-and-white movie to a great extent but I kept hoping for just a little more gray. It’s not a great film, but it is a good one and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Rating: 81
7. Roma
A fascinating but frustrating film. Filmed in sumptuous black and white, pockmarked with subtitles, and teeming with artistry and attention to detail, this film seeks to transport the viewer through time, back to a place recalled from the filmmaker’s childhood. It manages to achieve that effect – you feel as though you are in the past – but it’s at the expense of a compelling viewing experience. This film is the equivalent of someone telling you stories from their past but the stories are just visuals and lived-in memories, rather than a yarn that deserves cinematic treatment. It is a beautiful, carefully crafted film and the characters feel lived-in and real, and there is some deeply emotional material present (that only gets a half-hearted exploration). And there are several magnificent long take scenes, which are this director’s trademark. But when all is said and done… it’s just boring and to a fair extent, a bit pretentious (as though the director feels imbued with the power to entertain and captivate the viewer no matter what he decides to put on the screen). It is a film that is not as compelling as it wants to be or thinks it is. I felt as though I was reading a visual memoir – watching someone’s slideshow of their childhood. And yes, that can be as boring as it sounds. That being said, this is my prediction for the Best Picture winner – there seems to be a groundswell of support for it.
Rating: 74
8. Black Panther
I believe I’m going to be in the minority with my opinion on this film. I watched it long before the Oscar nominations were announced, but there were already rumors that it may sneak into the Best Picture conversation. Unfortunately, knowing that seemed to hinder my ability to evaluate this film on its own terms and its own merit. It is a fairly entertaining popcorn, blockbuster movie. And it seeks to deliver a social message of some sort though it doesn’t fully achieve its purpose. But when viewed strictly as a comic book movie, it is quite fun – even if it has some questionable moments and frustratingly mind-bending suspension of disbelief, even for a comic book movie, that it requires of its viewers. I will say that Michael B. Jordan‘s character was a highlight. Beyond him though, the rest of the affair is merely okay. I recall the effects being so-so and the set design being visual overkill. The sound and film editing are standouts, though. Maybe I’m just getting too old for kids’ movies that the world wants me to accept as high–quality film. To some extent, I can understand why this was nominated for Best Picture. But I don’t think it should have been.
Rating: 70
So that’s it. That’s my take on the 8 nominees for this year. I didn’t think this year’s crop was particularly strong compared to previous years, but they were, at least, entertaining across the board. And I know full well that my tastes and the Academy’s don’t exactly align.
Let me know what you think in the comments. What was your favorite film? Am I wrong on some of my takes – or spot on? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
This marks the 22nd year of this hobby of mine. I’ve carried on this “Oscar Adventure” of seeing each Best Picture nominee before the Academy Awards telecast for each year since 1997. When the films that have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture are announced, I check and see which ones I’ve already seen and then I make a point to see all the remaining ones before the Oscar telecast (which for this year, takes place Sunday, February 24th).
The criteria I use to judge the nominees is a long, convoluted mix of cinematic artistry and entertainment. I try to go into each film viewing with zero expectations and as little knowledge of the plot as possible. And I always try to form the basis of each review immediately after the film is done, jotting down notes that I later turn into these write-ups.
Thank you for taking the time to read them. I love this annual tradition. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed watching the films and writing it.
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