Best Picture Nominees: Don't Look Up

 


On February 8 the Academy Award nominations were announced and 10 films were nominated for Best Picture. On March 27, the winners will be announced. Between now and then, I'll be looking at each of the nominees and considering their chances.

Don't Look Up
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett, Rob Morgan, and Mark Rylance
Director: Adam McKay
Total Nominations: 4
Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Editing
About: This was a highly anticipated release among a strong slate of original films from Netflix. It earns a Best Picture nomination, among others, but it's far from the biggest Netflix awards player. It is a fun entry into the biography of McKay as a writer/director. He previously delivered nominated comedies in Vice and The Big Short. If you were a fan of those films, and the blend of humor to tackle difficult subjects, this one will work for you, too. The cast is solid and there are a number of fun moments. But I understand why it didn't land with every audience. It garnered four total nominations, including Best Picture. That was the good. I was, however, disappointed it didn't land in the Best Original Song competition because the original song in the middle of the film was one of the highlights of the production and one of the best I heard this year. But, alas, that's how these things go sometimes. Where are it's chances among the categories it did get? That's also murky. I'd say it's among the longer longshots in Best Picture and Best Editing. The best shot it has is likely in the score and screenplay competition, though I don't expect it to win in either. In the end, McKay's film is fun and engaging, one that provides a feather in the cap for Netflix, but I don't see it ending the night as an Oscar winner.
Rating: Rated R for language throughout, some sexual content, graphic nudity and drug content.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five
Where to Find It: A limited run back in theaters and on Netflix.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more