Oscar nominations favor hits that are everywhere, all at once

At the 95th Oscars on March 12th, there is a real chance of viewership among the candidates for the brand name. Nominations include “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (11 nods, A24, $100 million worldwide), “Top Gun: Maverick” (six nods, Paramount, $1.5 billion) and “Avatar: The Way of Water” (four nods, Disney, $2 billion) and the original global hit “Elvis” (eight, Warner Bros., $282 million) are all vying for best picture.

The global box office may draw more eyes to stateside ABC and more than 200 countries around the world, but the sequel is unlikely to win the top prize. It’s more likely that a mainstream crowd pleaser that tugs at the heartstrings of the audience, like recent winners ‘CODA’, ‘Nomadland’ and ‘Green Book’, will take the win.

Every year, the entire membership of the Academy (about 9,000 people fill out the ballots) votes for the nomination of the best film. This year, the increasingly international body revealed itself again, nominating (for the eighth time) a non-English language film in the International Feature and Best Picture categories. German Oscar entry “All Quiet on the Western Front” (9 nods, Netflix) could also win some craft prizes on Oscar night; among the international best film nominees, only “Parasite” won the grand prize. Wait for the Netflix campaign.

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Also winning best picture was Swedish director Ruben Ostlund’s English-language Palme d’Or winner Triangle of Sadness (with three nods, Neon, $10.3 million). PGA nominees “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (one nod, Netflix, $15 million), “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (five nods, Marvel/Disney, $830 million) and Darren Aronofsky’s film. “The Whale” (three nods, A24, $13.2 million).

Alejandro González Inarritu’s “Bardo” (Netflix) won Best Cinematography (but not an international film), Denmark’s “A House Made of Splinters” (POV) won Best Documentary, and to the delight of “RRR” fans around the world, we get to see the raunchy ‘Naatu Naatu’ at the Oscars.

Also on the horizon: David Byrne may perform This Is a Life from Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Lady Gaga (“Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick”) and Rihanna (“Lift”) Me Up”, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”). As for the music industry, which voted its 14th nomination to Diane Warren (“Applause” from the little-seen “Tell It Like a Woman”), who shamelessly campaigns every year – well, winning an honorary Oscar had to would have prevented it. stupidity.

©Netflix/Courtesy of the Everett Collection

Speaking of shameless campaigning, a cadre of actresses gave British actress Andrea Riseborough, star of the micro-budget “To Leslie” (Momentum), enough support to earn a spot. This is a film Academy voters need to see now; most don’t. And Netflix, which is riding high on her 16 nominations (including the animated “Guillermo del Toro Pinocchio”), managed to get Ana de Armas up for an Oscar despite terrible reviews for “Blonde.” In the end, approval of the rising Cuban-born star’s performance outweighed dislike of Andrew Dominik poorly reviewed movie.

The race for Best Actress remains between two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (Focus Features’ “TAR,” 6 nods) and first-timer Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere”), the first Asian actress nominated in the category. But the acting branch put two white actresses in spots that could have gone to newcomer Danielle Deadwyler (United Artists Releasing’s “Till”) or Oscar winner Viola Davis (Sony’s “The Woman King”). Both films were ruled out. Not a good look.

On the other hand, while the due Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”, seven nods) received a fifth nomination, the acting branch did not go with the usual suspect Olivia Colman (“Empire of Light”). Oscar voters honored 16 first-time nominees, including veterans Colin Farrell (Globe winner “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Searchlight, with nine nods), Brendan Fraser (Critics Choice winner “The Whale”) and Bill Nighy (“Living ,” “Living,” A Sony Pictures Classics, with two nods) to youngsters Austin Butler (Globe winner “Elvis”) and Paul Mescal (“Aftersun,” A24). Advantage: Farrell because his film is a Best Picture nominee.

Jonathan Hession / Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

The fifth Actor slot was wide open as Hugh Jackman did not win the favor widely disliked “The Son,” and while the mainstream SAG Awards went to comedian Adam Sandler in “Hustle” (Netflix), that won’t happen again at the more snobbish Oscars. Finally, tiny British indie “Aftersun” got enough attention from critics groups and BAFTA to tempt the acting branch into introducing Charlotte Wells. It doesn’t hurt that Mescal is hot, playing Stanley Kowalski in a well-reviewed London production of Streetcar Named Desire.

On the supporting side, Globe and Critics Choice winner Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) leads the acting field, followed by Asian actresses Hong Chau (“The Whale”) and Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere”). , a veteran of Hsu. cast: Jamie Lee Curtis and Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”). Among the actors expected are Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan (“Banshees”), Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”), leading man Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere”) and long-shot Brian Tyree Henry, who scored. raves for her performance in the mini-drama Causeway (AppleTV+).

Finally, Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking” (with two nods, United Artists Releasing) was nominated in the Adapted Screenplay (where it’s favored to win) and Picture categories, while “The Whale,” supported by Actors and Makeup & Hairstyling, missed out . both. The Academy honors not only auteur Polley, who was nominated for Away from Her, but also its producers Frances McDormand (“Nomadland”) and perennial Oscar winners Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, who supported Best Picture. film award for “12 Years a Slave”. ” and “Moonlight”.

After back-to-back wins for Best Directors Chloe Zhao and Jane Campion, Polley was the female filmmaker most likely to land a spot. But it was not so; DGA nominee Joseph Kosinski (“Top Gun: Maverick”) and “Avatar: The Way of Water” helmer James Cameron didn’t make it either.

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The directing and editing nominations help determine Oscar momentum. Both have three films: “Everything Everywhere,” “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “TAR,” which is expected to win Blanchett the best actress award. Further momentum favors nominations leader “Everything Everywhere” and runner-up “The Banshees of Inisherin”. Despite being a chaotic comedy with multiverses and hot dog fingers, Critics Choice Best Picture and Best Director winner “Everything” is gaining ground. His passionate supporters were able to push him forward in the preferential vote.

But the same goes for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” which is likely to get a new boost from the BAFTAs on Feb. 19. This is Martin McDonagh’s second Best Picture nomination after “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017). his first nomination for directing and his third for writing (“In Bruges,” “Billboards”). He won an Oscar right out of the gate for his 2004 short film “Six Shooter.”

©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

So what happened to Steven Spielberg’s origin myth/early awards season front-runner, “The Fabelmans,” which won the oft-Oscar-predicting People’s Choice award at the Toronto International Film Festival? The first position is often a dangerous place. The film has no international support, with just one BAFTA nomination for writer Tony Kushner, who earned his third Oscar nomination for writing (after Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and “Munich”). “The Fabelmans” received PGA, DGA and SAG Ensemble nominations, and Williams and Judd Hirsch received Oscar nods for acting, but not Paul Dano.

Spielberg broke his own record as a solo producer by earning his 12th Best Picture nomination, tying the late William Wyler for directing the most Best Picture nominations. This is the director’s ninth nomination, tying him with Martin Scorsese for the most nominations for a live-action director. (Wyler nodded 12 times.) But if you don’t get an editor’s nomination, it’s a blow; it’s rare for a film to win Best Picture without it. Only 10 films have accomplished this feat, including “Birdman”; it was an anomaly because it was edited as one long, single take.

The most likely scenario for Spielberg is to win Best Director. Either “Everything Everywhere” or “Banshees” can take the crown of best film. Both are original, surprising and emotionally resonant. Daniels’ action comedy doesn’t quite look like a Best Picture contender; the heartbreaking and violent breakup between two old friends does. A24 upped “Moonlight” to Best Picture in 2017, but never underestimate Disney-owned specialty distributor Searchlight, which boasts Best Picture wins for “Slumdog Millionaire,” “12 Years a Slave,” ” Birdman”, “The Shape of Water” and “Nomadland”.

The winners will be announced at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12 at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Jimmy Kimmel returns as host for the third time in addition to the telecast ABC.com, Hulu Live TV and YouTubeTV in addition to streaming. See the full list of this morning’s nominations here.

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