Semi-Blind Stab at 2020-2021 Oscar Nom Predix

Minari is easily the highlight of this year's Oscar contenders.

What is there to say about this year's awards race? For my part, I have very little to say as I haven't been following it as closely as I have been for the last 15 years. I've seen less than 50 movies that are eligible for this year's Oscar nominations, and this is likely to be the first year in a long time that I haven't watched all of the nominees from the above-the-line categories. I'm obviously going to watch the nomination announcement tomorrow as I do every year, and I'm going to catch up with the nominees eventually. But let's just say I'm a hair less obsessive about it this year. Blame it on the pandemic or personal life or my immersion in pre-2020 cinema. Either way, I'm not nearly as informed as I normally would be. 

That being said, I can't let my tradition of predicting the nominees die just because of my own shortcomings. So, as someone who has watched far fewer of the contenders than most compiling their predictions, here's how I could see the nominees going:

I Was This Close

For years now, I've been trying to get a perfect score on this Sporcle Best Actress nominee quiz, and today was the closest I've ever come. 229 out of 230 actresses that have ever received a Best Actress nomination. Nothing like mixing a global pandemic, boundless procrastination, and an inclination towards insomnia to improve my Oscar trivia.

In case the print is too small, the actress I forgot to include was Piper Laurie. I'm ashamed to admit that I've never seen The Hustler, a movie that I associate solely with Paul Newman, which is why I occasionally forget her in this quiz. The Carrie and Children of a Lesser God Supporting nominations are much more prominent in my mind for her. Perhaps this post will make me remember her next time I attempt it.

P.S. Who do we think gets added to this group come March? Frances McDormand, Viola Davis, Sophia Loren, Kate Winslet, Carey Mulligan, and Michelle Pfeiffer are all previous nominees, so nominations for any of them wouldn't affect this list. However, new blood like Andra Day, Carrie Coon, Vanessa Kirby, Elisabeth Moss, and Jessie Buckley have potential to join the first-timers club this year in a field that's somewhat crowded with more familiar names.

Update (12/17/2020): I finally pulled it off! A perfect 230/230 score, with four whole minutes to spare. Yay, me?

I was down to the last one and got stumped like last time. Tonight, it was Vivien Leigh of all people that I couldn't remember, which is downright blasphemous on so many levels. Luckily, I came to my senses:

My First Drive-In Experience!

Long time no see, readers! Movie theaters have reopened and new movies are finally available to see on the big screen, including Christopher Nolan's Tenet, most notably. I'll confess right up front that I'm extremely hesitant to attend a screening of any kind at the moment. If I could guarantee that I'd be the only person in the theater I might consider it, but otherwise I think I'll wait it out just a little longer, as much as I miss the sanctuary of the dark, air-conditioned auditoriums and the glowing moving images of the screen.

I doubt I'd be lucky enough to be the sole patron for Nolan's latest based on the impressive box office numbers it's managed to pull over the Labor Day weekend. 20+ million isn't bad considering the limited seating and the fact that not all markets are open yet. Did you brave the ongoing pandemic to check it out? Tell me how it was in the comments so I can live vicariously through your movie-going experiences.

Meanwhile, as the title of the post and above photo suggest, I've finally made my first trip to the drive-in theater! I figured this would be the best alternative to in-door theaters, since I've been missing it so much. They were showing Tenet on the other screen, but since this was my first time at the drive-in and I wasn't sure what kind of complications would arise (mainly in regards to sound and projection), I decided it would be best to wait until it could be seen under more ideal circumstances. So that left us with New Mutants.

2019 Oscars: Predictions & Preferences

Picture

Prediction: 1917, because it peaked as a frontrunner during the right stage of voting.

My Vote: Parasite, because we deserve a foreign language Best Picture winner this meticulously layered and craftily shaped.
Should Have Been Nominated: Atlantics, because it's unlike anything else this year, even if the Academy would never in a million years.

Director

Prediction: Mendes, for the reasons listed above.

My Vote: Bong, for the reasons listed above.

Should Have Been Nominated: Mati Diop or Marielle Heller or Greta Gerwig or Lorene Scafaria or Joanna Hogg or Claire Denis or Alma Har'el, because women are fucking great at directing and most of these are more deserving than the actual slate of nominees.

Actress

Prediction: Zellweger, because ever since Judy first screened she's become the entire conversation, steamrolling everyone else in contention.

Preference: Ronan

Should Have Been Nominated: Alfre Woodard

Actor

Prediction: Phoenix, because of the physicality and transformation of the performance, and the desire for voters to reward Joker in a major category.

Preference: Banderas, for using subtle expressions to unearth an entire history about Salvador.
Should Have Been Nominated: Eddie Murphy, for being as delightful and exuberant as ever, while quietly revealing Rudy's insecurities.

Supporting Actress

Prediction: Dern, because she's taken virtually every precursor you need to win this and should cakewalk without Lopez in the picture.

Preference: Pugh, because that monologue is aces and opens up an entirely new viewpoint on Amy.

Should Have Been Nominated: Jennifer Lopez, for putting everything that's sexy, fun, and personable about her persona on full display while discerningly and gradually revealing how dangerous they can get.

Supporting Actor

Prediction: Pitt, because the industry is ready to see him win an acting Oscar.

Preference: Hanks

Should Have Been Nominated: Aldis Hodge

Original Screenplay

Prediction/Preference: Parasite, because I'm hoping it can score outside of International Feature, and my suspicion is that its twisty, impeccably calibrated script will do the trick.

Should Have Been Nominated: Pain and Glory

Adapted Screenplay

Prediction/Preference: Little Women, because Gerwig's approach to adaptation is the story here, both in terms of campaign and being the the key to the film working as well as it does.

Should Have Been Nominated: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, for avoiding the hagiography you're expecting and creating a tale about the influence Mr. Rogers made on people.

Cinematography

Prediction: 1917, because it has the one-shot gimmick and love for Deakins on its side.

Preference: The Lighthouse, for its stunning work with light and 1.19:1 aspect ratio.

Should Have Been Nominated: Atlantics

Costumes

Prediction: Little Women, because of the beautiful period detail that often inspires voters.

Preference: Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, for how instantly iconic Robbie, DiCaprio, and Pitt are.

Should Have Been Nominated: Dolemite is My Name, because the costumes add to the enjoyment of the film and Ruth E. Carter is a total genius who deserved a victory lap this year.

Film Editing

Prediction: Ford v Ferrari, because it's the Most Edited film in the category in the absence of a Best Picture frontrunner.

Preference: Parasite, for those expertly cut montages and the high wire management of the mid-film setpiece.

Should Have Been Nominated: Atlantics, for guiding its elliptical shape and it, keeping the film's cards close to its chest.

Makeup

Prediction/Preference: Joker, for the work on Phoenix, even if it pales in comparison to Ledger.

Should Have Been Nominated: The Irishman, because it navigates the aging conceit in the script much more coherently than the de-ageing technology does.

Original Score

Prediction: 1917, because I suspect people will want to reward Thomas Newman for his career.

Preference: Marriage Story, because on a second watch I began to realize how vital it is to the emotional beats of the film.

Should Have Been Nominated: The Last Black Man in San Francisco, because its sweeping while evoking an intimate feel for character and place.

Original Song

Prediction: Rocketman, because...Elton John?

Preference: Harriet, because I think it would just be swell for Cynthia Erivo to have an EGOT. Plus she has such a lovely voice.

Should Have Been Nominated: "Control" from Her Smell

Production Design

Prediction: Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, because the '60s Hollywood sets are disarming, plus it's a key category in which fans can recognize the film.

Preference: Parasite, because the logistics and narrative purpose of that house are even more impressive when you realize they built it from the ground up.

Should Have Been Nominated: Knives Out, because it's another house that adds layers to its narrative while evoking idiosyncratic character and specificity to the family.

Sound Editing

Prediction/Preference: Ford v Ferrari, because the racing sequences are hard to ignore (though we suspect 1917 will double up on Sound wins)

Should Have Been Nominated: Us, for the eerie aura of tension it builds with scissors, lighters, metal bats, etc.

Sound Mixing

Prediction: 1917, because it's just as daunting an achievement on an aural level as it is on a visual one, and the Academy will likely notice that in at least one of the Sound categories.

Preference: Ad Astra

Should Have Been Nominated: Atlantics

Visual Effects

Prediction: 1917, because it's the Best Picture frontrunner and more of a technical challenge than the rest of the nominees.

Preference: The Lion King, because however unnecessary and drab it is as a film, the photorealistic animal textures are often breathtaking.

Should Have Been Nominated: Ad Astra

100 Best Films of the 2010s: #1-#25

#100-#76          #75-#51          #50-#26          #25-#1

Honorable Mentions

25. Roma (Cuarón, 2018)

Alfonso Cuarón navigates a delicate junction of history, personal memory, and cultural specificity, yielding images and sounds that evince totemic power. Is its technical prowess more engaging than the interior life of its protagonist? Maybe, but its overwhelmingly beautiful all the same.

24. The Act of Killing (Oppenheimer, 2012)

Uniquely earth-shattering, even when its dicey gambles in perspective occasionally weigh the film down in certain ways. Joshua Oppenheimer's adroit judgment and formal authority keep the experience from feeling glib.

23. BPM (Beats Per Minute) (Campillo, 2017)

"More life." Robin Campillo's AIDS epic provides just that, allowing its troupe of activists a full gamut of emotions and situations. Grabs you from its opening frames, capturing the electric energy of the ACT-UP group at the center of the film. Lucidly bristles with tensions between in-fighting and unity.

22. Get Out (Peele, 2017)

Rich layers abound: tonal, thematic, emotional, political... Each revealing something madder, scarier, and funnier beneath its surface. Jordan Peele's satirical and formal convictions are precise yet unbound by expectation. A remarkable piece of entertainment that goes full-boar on pleasure and depth.

21. Happy as Lazzaro (Rohrwacher, 2018)

Magical synthesis of tangible naturalism and elliptical fable. As open-hearted and compassionate as its protagonist.

100 Best Films of the 2010s: #26-#50

#100-#76          #75-#51          #50-#26          #25-#1

Honorable Mentions

50. Inside Llewyn Davis (Coens, 2013)

The Coen Brothers have always had an unusual fascination with cosmic forces of misfortune as a cruel, misanthropic joke, but there's something about this one that's more interested in being a shoulder to lean on than some of their other ones. Surely a good portion of that can be attributed to the humanity Oscar Isaac brings to the title character.

49. The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (Tailfeathers & Hepburn, 2019)

Does for North American cinema what Cristian Mungiu did for the Romanian New Wave. Bold formal choices as a socio-political statement. Rich in empathy without simply being pitiable.

48. Holy Motors (Carax, 2012)

If there's any movie out that there can get away with calling themselves original, it's probably this one. At once a perverse and pleasurable ride that constantly reinvents itself and cinematic conventions. Leos Carax is an absolute visionary.

47. Magic Mike (Soderbergh, 2012)

Speaking of pleasurable. Manages to pull off the bright summer-time entertainment about half-naked beefcakes that was advertised while also playing as a sly commentary on sex as capital. Easily top 5 Soderbergh for me.

46. Aquarius (Filho, 2016)

Sonia Braga's performance is a genuine force of nature, but there's even more to savor! From the opening prologue that would have made an exceptional short film on its own, to its audio-visual beauty, to its limber braiding of personal history and political conviction.

45. mother! (Aronofsky, 2017)

My initial impression of this movie was repulsion and unease, but I've grown to view this as part of the movie's odd, unique charm. "Charm," that is, less in its ability to shock its audience with baby cannibalism than with the ways it fearlessly bears its anger and devises a singular formal and thematic through line to siphon it into our own viewing experience. The dramaturgy is big but never heavy, revealing an opportunity for Darren Aronofsky to almost gleefully act out crazy Black Swan operatics of his own. I.e. a lacerating, heavy-handed experience that's all the more impressive for its commitment.

2019 Oscar Nomination Predictions (updated w/ reactions)

Sayuri the dog for Oscar host, you absolute cowards.

Taking a break from the Best of the Decade countdown to share my predictions for tomorrow morning's Oscar nominations. Presented without commentary.

Picture

1. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
2. Parasite
3. 1917
4. Joker
5. The Irishman
6. Jojo Rabbit
7. Marriage Story
8. Ford v Ferrari
9. Little Women

if there are 10...

10. The Two Popes

also in the running

Knives Out, The Farewell, Bombshell

-- 9/9. I can't think of a single time this has happened. But am I proud?

Director

1. Tarantino
2. Bong
3. Mendes
4. Phillips
5. Scorsese

also in the running

Waititi, Baumbach, Gerwig, Almodovar, Mangold

-- 5/5. I'm sorry if I somehow willed Todd Phillips into being nominated. I guess it's better than Waititi?

Actress

1. Zellweger
2. Theron
3. Johansson
4. Nyong'o
5. Ronan

also in the running

Erivo, Awkwafina, Woodard, de Armas

-- 4/5. I figured Lupita Nyong'o wasn't a sure thing, but I was starting to believe the hype for Awkwafina. Oh well. At least I didn't get my hopes up for Alfre Woodard.

Actor

1. Phoenix
2. Driver
3. Banderas
4. de Niro
5. Bale

also in the running

Egerton, Murphy, DiCaprio, Sandler, Pryce, Hauser

-- 3/5. Banderas is the Academy's biggest saving grace this year for me, at least in terms of the acting categories.

Supporting Actress

1. Dern
2. Lopez
3. Robbie
4. Pugh
5. Zhao

also in the running

Johansson, Bates, Bening, Kidman

-- 3/5. I knew Zhao Shuzen was a long shot, but no Jennifer Lopez? Bad show.

Supporting Actor

1. Pitt
2. Pacino
3. Pesci
4. Hanks
5. Song

also in the running

Alda, Hopkins, Foxx, Dafoe

-- 4/5. Honestly thought the acting branch would want a chance to reward Parasite somewhere. Much less inspired voting than last year. Remember what a great surprise Marina de Tavira was?

Original Screenplay

1. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
2. Marriage Story
3. Parasite
4. Knives Out
5. The Farewell

also in the running

Pain and Glory, Bombshell, Uncut Gems, Dolemite is My Name, Ford v Ferrari, Waves...and 1917...

-- 4/5. Nominating 1917 for writing is...a choice. When I was hoping for an interesting surprise (as this branch is known to do), I was thinking along the lines of Waves or Uncut Gems, not...1917. Wild.

Adapted Sreenplay

1. The Irishman
2. Jojo Rabbit
3. Little Women
4. Joker
5. The Two Popes

also in the running

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Hustlers, Just Mercy

-- 5/5. No surprises here.

Animated Feature

1. Toy Story 4
2. Missing Link
3. Frozen 2
4. I Lost My Body
5. How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

also in the running

Klaus, Abominable, Weathering With You, Ne Zha

-- 4/5. Yay, Klaus!

Documentary

1. American Factory
2. Apollo 11
3. The Cave
4. For Sama
5. Honeyland

also in the running

One Child Nation, Maiden, Biggest Little Farm, Advocate, The Edge of Democracy, Midnight Family, Knock Down the House, The Apollo, The Great Hack

-- 4/5.

International Feature

1. Parasite
2. Beanpole
3. Pain and Glory
4. Corpus Christi
5. Atlantics

also in the running

Les Miserables, Honeyland, Those Who Remained, Truth or Justice, The Painted Bird

-- 3/5. Was really hoping Atlantics would pull through in a Dogtooth sort of way.

Best Cinematography

1. 1917
2. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
3. Ford v Ferrari
4. Joker
5. The Irishman

also in the running

Parasite, The Lighthouse, Little Women, A Hidden Life

-- 4/5. Not a bad lineup at all.

Best Costume Design

1. Little Women
2. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
3. Dolemite is My Name
4. Rocketman
5. Jojo Rabbit

also in the running

Aladdin, Hustlers, Downton Abbey, 1917... and Joker and The Irishman

-- 3/5. Ruth E. Carter was robbed.

Best Film Editing

1. Ford v Ferrari
2. Parasite
3. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
4. Joker
5. The Irishman

also in the running

Marriage Story, 1917, Little Women, Jojo Rabbit

-- 4/5. The nomination for Jojo Rabbit that I understand the least. How do you pass up Little Women?

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

1. Bombshell
2. Judy
3. Joker
4. Rocketman
5. 1917

also in the running

Dolemite is My Name, Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, Maleficent, Downton Abbey, Little Women

-- 4/5.

Best Original Score

1. 1917
2. Joker
3. Little Women
4. Ford v Ferrari
5. Jojo Rabbit

also in the running

Marriage Story, Motherless Brooklyn, Star Wars, Avengers: Endgame, Pain and Glory

-- 3/5.

Best Original Song

1. "Spirit"
2. "I'm Gonna Love Me Again"
3. "Into the Unknown"
4. "Glasgow"
5. "Stand Up"

also in the running

"I Can't Let You", "I'm Standing With You", "Speechless", "High Above the Water", "Daily Battles", "Catchy Song", "Soju One Glass", "Never Too Late", "Letter to My Godfather", "Da Bronx"

-- 3/5. Guess I gotta watch Breakthrough if I want 100% Oscar completism this year. God damn it, Diane Warren.

Best Production Design

1. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
2. 1917
3. Jojo Rabbit
4. The Irishman
5. Parasite

also in the running

Ad Astra, Joker, Little Women, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Rocketman, Knives Out, Downton Abbey

-- 5/5. Yay, Parasite!

Best Sound Editing

1. Ford v Ferrari
2. Avengers: Endgame
3. Joker
4. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood
5. 1917

also in the running

The Irishman, Toy Story 4, Rocketman, Star Wars, Ad Astra

-- 4/5. Only predicting one nomination for Star Wars was a bit dim in hindsight. Also to everyone who kept telling me Avengers was gonna be a Best Picture nominee with multiple nominations: Haha!

Best Sound Mixing

1. Ford v Ferrari
2. Joker
3. Rocketman
4. 1917
5. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood

also in the running

Avengers, The Irishman, Star Wars, Apollo 11, Ad Astra, Toy Story 4

-- 4/5. Ad Astra is honestly a great choice.

Best Visual Effects

1. The Lion King
2. Avengers: Endgame
3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
4. 1917
5. Alita: Battle Angel

also in the running

Gemini Man, The Irishman, Captain Marvel, Terminator, Cats

-- 4/5. Guess my gamble that this branch would be turned off by the de-aging work in The Irishman didn't pay off. Otherwise, this was easy to guess.

100 Best Films of the 2010s: #51-#75

#100-#76          #75-#51          #50-#26          #25-#1

Honorable Mentions

75. Eden (Hansen-Løve, 2014)

Lovely, humane EDM epic that beautifully accumulates a tough, deeply felt connection to its characters and music. The best dance/end credits sequence since Beau Travail.

74. The Homesman (Jones, 2014)

In terms of directors who created fresh angles on the neo-western genre, Tommy Lee Jones should be up there with the Coens and P.T. Anderson. Dense, slantwise, and bravely rough-at-the edges when it could easily aim for something less complicated.

73. How I Ended This Summer (Popogrebsky, 2010)

A chillier, and even more remote Lighthouse, where a panic-stricken, college-aged fuck-up is circled by his taciturn, easily frustrated superior. Acute and unusual sense of tension and rhythm. Dobrygin!

72. A Star is Born (Cooper, 2018)

Bradley Cooper gives a performance for the ages in an already impressive career as an actor, but an under-praised asset to the success of this version of A Star is Born is his ability behind the camera. Displays such a rich perception to the emotion of a given scene, allowing the film's peaks to play so persuasively. Also deploys the soundtrack to perfection.

71. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Heller, 2019)

Endearingly embodies the spirit of Fred Rogers while genuinely wrestling with the idea of his cultural and personal impact in the real world. Mature and artistically tricky in its approach to aloofness, anger, idioms, and human bonds. Hanks's final piano ballad still lingers.

100 Best Films of the 2010s: #76-#100

                                   

#100-#76          #75-#51          #50-#26          #25-#1

Honorable Mentions

An intro to this list. Plan to keep individual write-ups as brief as possible in order to keep up the pace.

100. The Wind Rises (Miyazaki, 2013)

Hayao Miyazaki's final masterpiece. The animation is as lovely as ever, but the film's mix of wistfulness and moral contemplation is an even trickier reward, especially for a swan song.

99. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Iñárritu, 2014)

I get why it's maligned by some. The Michael Keaton character serving as a stand-in for Iñárritu's own foolhardy, unfastened audacity with Lindsay Duncan as a surrogate for any critic that stands in his way is a valid reading. And yet, it is a bold feat. The one-shot visual conceit is technically awe-inspiring and yields some of the most arresting images in Emmanuel Lubezki's already stacked portfolio. Even more impressive to me is how the one-shot conceit never feels like an arbitrary choice executed simply to prove that Iñárritu can pull it off, instead existing in clever relation to the flow of the stage, the grandiosity of ego, and the immediacy of losing one's mind.

98. Begin Again (Carney, 2013)

Sure, John Carney's movies tend to follow the same formula, but who cares when the results are this sweet, joyous, and tuneful? However, the impeccable soundtrack and ensemble swiftly excuse any similarities to Once.

97. Spa Night (Ahn, 2016)

Manages to be incredibly sexy even when grounded in David's hesitant POV. Speaks to the confidence of Andrew Ahn (in his directorial debut) and to his ability to pack a ton of insights into a minimalist shape.

96. Fire at Sea (Rosi, 2016)

I don't watch as many documentaries as I'd like to (hence their scarcity on this list) and feel self-conscious in assessing their merits, so one moving past my own shortcomings and being among my favorites of the year should show you how special it is to me. Which is certainly the case for Gianfranco Rosi's harrowing documentary about the small Italian island of Lampedusa and the European migrant crisis.

100 Best Films of the 2010s: Honorable Mentions

Happy New Year!!!

As I look back on the movies that left the most distinct cinematic impact on me for this decade, I can't help but reflect on where I was personally throughout the past 10 years. I was 17 years old at the start of 2010 and was beginning to enter the second half of my junior year of high school. Needless to say to anyone who's lived through their late teens and early twenties, but the 2010s were in no way a stable time in my life. At the risk of belaboring the point, this decade, for me, has mostly been marked by growth and change (for better and for worse), but the one thing that has remained constant is my love for list-making. In fact, I made a Best of the Aughts list at the end of the last decade. Shockingly enough, that list does not hold up in the slightest. Some of the movies I put on that list I don't even like anymore and exposed some major recency bias on my part, with my top two titles being from the year 2009. So with that said, I do hope the list I'm about to share here continues to hold up in 2030, but I also know that time and perspective is bound to reshape my opinions and point-of-view on certain things. My estimation will probably grow or shrink on certain films as the years go on, especially with titles that are still fresh to me. Some movies that I'm about to list in the honorable mentions section could make a complete leap frog to the Top 10 of the decade in a few years time for all I know. Movies that I don't currently care for could just as easily do the same. The power of growing and, more importantly, rewatching can make anything possible. With that out of the way, think of this list as a time capsule for how I view these films now.

My plan is to begin with the Honorable Mentions and release my Top 100 in four parts. I should note that this list has been finalized before screening certain 2019 titles, so if you're missing Portrait of a Lady on Fire or Little Women or The Two Popes or The Irishman (screened subsequent to finalizing the list), then that's what's happening. It's also possible that I've seen it but don't think it deserves to be on the list.

One more note: I'm only including titles that had their world premieres this decade. Films that made their premiere in the 2000s but were released in the U.S. in the 2010s that I would have mentioned include: White Material, Fish Tank, Everyone Else, Our Beloved Month of August, Dogtooth, Secret Sunsine, Prodigal Sons, Mother (the Bong Joon-ho version), and A Prophet.

50th Nashville Film Festival: A Hidden Life, Atlantics, and Clemency

The Fall festival season is coming to a close, unlocking certain question marks surrounding the awards race and, more importantly, exposing the movie-going demographic to some exciting titles that are coming to general audiences in the near future. For its 50th anniversary, the Nashville Film Festival, typically running through April each year, was apart of the Fall festival circuit, with access to some of the year's most anticipated releases. I had the good fortune of attending the festival's semi-centennial, albeit only in sporadic doses. I missed out on major Oscar contenders like Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story and Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit, while some of the more under-the-radar indies like Burning Cane, Gay Chorus, Sequin in a Blue Room, and Standing Up, Falling Down played at inopportune times for my schedule. I will be catching up on each of those (and others) when I can, but now I would like to discuss the three films I was able to see at this year's festival: A Hidden Life, the latest from Terrence Malick, Atlantics, the directorial debut of Mati Diop, and Clemency, the buzz-filled Sundance vehicle for Alfre Woodard.

Oscar Viewing Diary - Class of 2018

Logging Each of the Oscar-nominated Films I've Seen by Year!

(2018)

Screened:
(will update as I screen more nominees)

Animal Behaviour - Amusing if overlong Animated Short nominee posits animals in the roles of humans in a group therapy session.

At Eternity's Gate - Julian Schnabel directed Willem Dafoe to his fourth nomination for this typically expressionistic portrait of Vincent van Gogh.

Avengers: Infinity War - The Marvel Cinematic Universe nabbed their annual Best Visual Effects nomination over Best Picture-nominated Black Panther.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs - Netflix-backed Western anthology from the Coen Brothers received 3 well-earned nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay for the directing duo.

BlacKkKlansman - Spike Lee's biggest Oscar play yet in his 30+ year career, receiving his first nomination as a director.

Black Panther - Marvel's Oscar success here is a momentous occasion outside of its genre roots, crafting a savvy, formally intelligent blockbuster that has genuine cultural relevance.

Black Sheep - Vivid documentary short about a black londoner recounting his personal experiences living in a racist neighborhood proceeding the murder of Damilola Taylor.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Controversial Freddie Mercury biopic plagued by production drama eventually became an unexpected awards magnet, particularly for its star, Rami Malek.

Can You Ever Forgive Me? - Marielle Heller's follow-up to Diary of a Teenage Girl scored acting nominations for on-screen besties Melissa McCarthy (2nd nomination!) and Richard E. Grant (1st nomination!).

Cold War - Pawel Pawlikowski is the only director nominated in this year's Best Director lineup whose film was not Best Picture nominated, a rarity in the expanded nominee era.

End Game - Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, heroic documentarians behind Celluloid Closet and Times of Harvey Milk, return with this survey of medical professionals and patients coming to terms with end-of-life options.

Fauve - Canadian-produced short feature follows two rabble-rousing young boys as they trek through an open pit mine, leading to a grim outcome.

The Favourite - Yorgos Lanthimos has gradually become an Oscar household name, scoring his first Best Director nomination after success with Dogtooth  and The Lobster.

First Man - Damien Chazelle's dazzlingly constructed fourth feature was by no means the Oscar juggernaut its predecessor was, but had a respectable showing with four nominations.

First Reformed - At once a Best Actor contender for Ethan Hawke, Paul Schrader's writing was the only nomination for this patiently insinuating parable of personal, spiritual, and environmental mortality.

Free Solo - Documentary follows thrill-seeking rock climber Alex Honnold in his attempts to free solo climb the daunting El Capitan.

Green Book - Has managed to sustain its awards momentum ever since taking the top prize at Toronto, receiving five nominations despite criticisms of the film's perspective on race relations.

If Beale Street Could Talk - By far the best movie to receive a nomination in any category, Barry Jenkins' follow-up to Best Picture-winning Moonlight is an aching, rapturous adaptation of James Baldwin's novel.

Incredibles 2 - Much-awaited sequel to the 2004 Pixar hit scored yet another Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination for the company.

Isle of Dogs - Wes Anderson makes a successful return to stop-motion animation nine years after Fantastic Mr. Fox, scoring well-deserved nominations for Animation and Score.

Late Afternoon -Breathtakingly lovely hand-drawn animation and surprising emotional undertow earmark this short feature about an elderly woman cycling through her memories.

Mary Poppins Returns - One had hoped this would be the year where Emily Blunt scored her first acting nomination, but the film was successful in other areas, reaping four nominations.

Mary Queen of Scots - In a refreshing change of pace, Queen Anne managed to spark more enthusiasm than Queen Elizabeth did this season, though the Costume and Makeup branches were seemingly impressed.

A Night at the Garden - Tours a haunting seven minutes of the 1939 American Nazi rally that drew nearly 20,000 spectators and eerily reflects modern-day Trump rallies.

One Small Step - Sweet, warm, dialogue-free Animated Short nominee about a Chinese-American father and daughter, the latter of whom aspires to work for NASA.

Period. End of Sentence. - Women in a small rural community in India advocate for and manufacture high quality sanitary pads, despite the stigma around menstruation.

A Quiet Place - Another would-be nomination for Emily Blunt, John Krasinski's foray into horror managed only a single nomination for Sound Editing.

RBG - Modest but inspiring account of the life and career of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is considered the front runner in this year's Best Documentary Feature category.

Ready Player One - Steven Spielberg's kinetic explosion of gaming and studio property was quite the CGI showcase and resulted in a nomination for Best Visual Effects.

Roma - Alfonso Cuarón is nominated as a director, writer, producer, and cinematographer for this semi-autobiographical snapshot of a specific time and place.

Shoplifters - Hirokazu Koreeda's Palme d'Or winning depiction of a makeshift family is a precisely calibrated and impeccably acted masterpiece.

Solo: A Star Wars Story - The second standalone entry into the Star Wars universe failed to excite critics and audiences, but still managed a nomination for Visual Effects.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Technically awe-inspiring, universally beloved Spidey toon broke ground with its innovative use of animation, resulting in a Best Animated Feature nomination.

A Star is Born - Bradley Cooper is as acute, complex, and impactful behind the camera as he is in front, directing himself and Lady Gaga to acting nominations.

Vice - Adam McKay returns with more brazen political commentary after The Big Short, scoring his second nomination as a director for this Dick Cheney biopic.

Weekends - Structured on a series of repetitions and contains no dialogue, much like One Small Step, centering on a young boy with divorced, somewhat neglectful parents (unlike One Small Step).

The Wife - Glenn Close received her seventh nomination in this slow-burn marital profile/character study and could potentially nab her first win.

Have Yet to See:


Bao -
Border -
Capernaum -
Detainment -
Hale County This Morning, This Evening -
Lifeboat -
Madre -
Marguerite -
Minding the Gap -
Mirai -
Never Look Away -
Of Fathers and Sons -
Ralph Breaks the Internet -

Skin -

2018 Oscar Nomination Predictions

Months of speculation, controversy, and online debate have led to this moment...my return to the blog! Just kidding, it's the Oscar nominations! As I usually do, I thought I would share my predictions and work through my own thoughts on the awards race so far and the impending nominations.

I will try not to despair so much over many of the questionable choices AMPAS will make on nomination morning, since there's always the chance that I will be pleased with the individual lineups. But I would like to point out that our the ways in which we engage these movies and responses to them play an important role in their fate as cultural touchstones. If I happen to find Green Book and Bohemian Rhapsody to be pedestrian and simplistic in how they handle issues of race and sexuality (each applying to both films) and you happen to enjoy them, then your first reaction doesn't have to be indignation. It's not that I personally find people who like this movie to be racist or homophobic. I just wonder why these are always the only types of racial or queer stories that are ever accepted into the cultural consciousness. If you do like these movies, then that might be an important question to ask yourself.

So, with that being said, let's look at my probably wrong and misguided predictions:

Best Picture

1. Roma
2. Green Book
3. A Star is Born
4. The Favourite
5. BlacKkKlansman
6. Black Panther
7. If Beale Street Could Talk
8. Crazy Rich Asians
9. Vice

if there are 10...
10. First Man

On the cusp: First Reformed, Bohemian Rhapsody, Leave No Trace

Also in the running: Mary Poppins Returns, A Quiet Place, Cold War, Widows

Outside shots: Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Eighth Grade, The Rider, Boy Erased, You Were Never Really Here, We the Animals

-- Not predicting Bohemian Rhapsody, despite its durable, if bewildering, precursor support. I do think it's an egregious movie, although that hasn't stopped me from predicting them before. My own feelings aside, it just strikes me as a populist choice that garners industry attention within various guilds, but ends up with little-to-no support from the Academy. Is it the kind of movie that will receive enough #1 votes to get nominated? You could make the same argument against Crazy Rich Asians chances, which showed up in the same places as Bohemian Rhapsody (Golden Globes, PGA, SAG), but isn't regarded as much of a threat for a nomination. The only difference is that people actually like Crazy Rich Asians and it doesn't whitewash what it pertains to be about (looking at you, too, Green Book). I'd say everything else is pretty safe, aside from If Beale Street Could Talk, which is the best movie of the year so of course it has the best chance of missing.

Best Director

1. Alfonso Cuarón - Roma
2. Bradley Cooper - A Star is Born
3. Spike Lee - BlacKkKlansman
4. Ryan Coogler - Black Panther
5. Debra Granik - Leave No Trace

On the cusp: Yorgos Lanthimos - The Favourite, Peter Farrely - Green Book, Barry Jenkins - If Beale Street Could Talk

Also in the running: Adam McKay - Vice, Pawel Pawlikowski - Cold War, Damien Chazelle - First Man, Paul Schrader - First Reformed, John Krasinski - A Quiet Place

Outside shots: Steve McQueen - Widows, Chloe Zhao - The Rider, Lynne Ramsay - You Were Never Really Here, Rob Marshall - Mary Poppins Returns

-- Among any of the potential "surprise" nominees, Debra Granik's name being called would get the biggest hurrah from me. First, because it would be a great win for Team Campion, and second, because her work in Leave No Trace is the kind of direction I'd like to see rewarded more frequently. Soulful yet tough-minded command in its accumulative emotional impact and subtle coaxing of its communities and POVs. It'll probably be Peter Farrely, but if voters watched their Leave No Trace screeners at the right time, then I'm willing to believe it will stick with enough of them to make this happen.

Best Actress

1. Glenn Close - The Wife
2. Lady Gaga - A Star is Born
3. Olivia Colman - The Favourite
4. Melissa McCarthy - Can You Ever Forgive Me?
5. Emily Blunt - Mary Poppins Returns

On the cusp: Toni Collette - Hereditary, Nicole Kidman - Destroyer, Yalitza Aparicio - Roma, Elsie Fisher - Eighth Grade, Julia Roberts - Ben is Back

Also in the running: Viola Davis - Widows, Regina Hall - Support the Girls, Rosamund Pike - A Private War, Carey Mulligan - Wildlife

Outside Shots: Amandla Stenberg - The Hate U Give, Charlize Theron - Tully, Kathryn Hahn - Private Life, Constance Wu - Crazy Rich Asians

-- I fear it isn't going to happen for Emily Blunt. Though she wouldn't be my first choice for a nomination, I would be thrilled to see Blunt finally rewarded all these years after The Devil Wears Prada, which should have been her first Oscar nomination. The film's charms do fade the further you get from it, so it would not surprise me to see it get less support than it needs for a nomination outside of the technical categories. I'm still predicting her, but am keeping an eye out for people like Collette or Kidman who leave a more potent impact.

Best Actor

1. Bradley Cooper - A Star is Born
2. Viggo Mortensen - Green Book
3. Ethan Hawke - First Reformed
4. Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody
5. John David Washington - BlacKkKlansman

On the cusp: Christian Bale - Vice, Ben Foster - Leave No Trace

Also in the running: Willem Dafoe - At Eternity's Gate, Ryan Gosling - First Man

Outside shots: Joaquin Phoenix - You Were Never Really Here, John Cho - Searching, Robert Redford - The Old Man and the Gun, John C. Reilly - Stan & Ollie, Lucas Hedges - Boy Erased

-- The BFCA and Globe wins probably make my decision to exclude Bale in my predictions seem like a lapse in good judgment, but this does seem like one of those years where a supposed lock is shockingly left out on nomination morning. Bale in Vice has been a foregone conclusion for so long while people like Hawke, Malek, and Washington keep inspiring passionate fans to vote for them.

Best Supporting Actress

1. Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk
2. Amy Adams - Vice
3. Rachel Weisz - The Favourite
4. Emma Stone - The Favourite
5. Claire Foy - First Man

On the cusp: Thomasin McKenzie - Leave No Trace, Nicole Kidman - Boy Erased, Michelle Yeoh - Crazy Rich Asians, Margot Robbie - Mary Queen of Scots

Also in the running: Emily Blunt - A Quiet Place, Elizabeth Debicki - Widows, Danai Gurira - Black Panther

Outside shots: Linda Cardellini - Green Book, Cynthia Erivo - Widows, Tilda Swinton - Suspiria

-- I feel pretty confident about King's chances at this point, mostly because none of the other contenders have cemented themselves as a serious front runner the same . Adams will get in for being perfectly fine in a movie that doesn't ask her to dig as deeply as she does in her best nominated performances. Stone and Weisz will ride their category fraud campaign to easy nominations on the coattails of The Favourite's Best Picture and Best Actress momentum. I'm still predicting Foy for the last slot, even though First Man failed to catch on leading up to the nominations. I could see any of the four actresses outside of the predicted five (McKenzie, Kidman, Yeoh, Robbie) making it over her, but Foy benefits from playing a role they love (Concerned, Supportive Wife) and, more importantly, for supporting the emotional core of the movie in a role that they love. Whether First Man is completely dead as an Oscar contender is debatable (I still think it could happen), but I would not underestimate Foy.

"Describe your perfect date."

How did Hollywood drop the ball on Heather Burns? So great in Miss Congeniality! Her Cheryl Frasier is a genuinely inspired daffy-comic creation, aiming to delight and earn cheers where others might poke fun.

I was happy to see April 25th trending this morning. This movie has always been a favorite of mine and my mom's, with this scene in particular being a standout. It's nice to see it getting its own October 3rd of sorts.

How are you spending April 25th? The weather has been misbehaving all spring, so a light jacket just won't do today, unfortunately.

Oscars 2017: Predictions and Preferences

Best Picture

Prediction: Get Out
Alternate: The Shape of Water
My Vote: Lady Bird
Should Have Been Nominated: BPM (Beats Per Minute)

-- I'm hearing everyone out on their individual predictions for this category. I buy most of them, even the one involving my personal favorite of the bunch, Lady Bird, taking it. On a gut level, though, I'm probably leaning more towards Get Out benefiting from the preferential ballot. You could make the same argument for The Shape of Water, which similarly has groundswell support, but I'm thinking Picture and Director split again. Which speaking of...

Best Director

Prediction: Guillermo del Toro
Alternate: Jordan Peele
My Vote: Greta Gerwig
Should Have Been Nominated: Safdie Brothers - Good Time

-- Whether Shape of Water wins Best Picture or not, I believe that we'll have another year where the amount of tech nominations (and probable wins) will have a fair amount of impact on this particular race. I don't agree that del Toro's work is necessarily a trickier achievement than what Gerwig or Peele pull off, but it's arguably the most directed movie of the bunch (e.g. sets, makeup, setpieces), which will probably give it the edge over the other nominees.

Best Actress

Prediction: Frances McDormand
Alternate: Sally Hawkins
My Vote: Saiorse Ronan
Should Have Been Nominated: Swap out Hawkins in Water for Hawkins in Maudie, first of all. From outside of the nomination pool, I'd go with Kristen Stewart in Personal Shopper

-- Unless voters don't see the point in giving McDormand a second Oscar, the potential for a spoiler is looking unlikely. I think she's fine, but I prefer all four of her competitors and hardly think she would be winning for anything revelatory. By which I mean, she plays the driven indignation thing we've seen her do before well, with enough tonal variety to keep it interesting. Still, though, as skillful as McDormand is, I never felt a complete person amid the rigged scenarios, vague relationships, or precarious sympathies the script sets up for Mildred. She has shining moments, but plenty more missed opportunities to deepen or complicate her character for us. I'd be happier with Ronan, who fully and thoughtfully vivifies Lady Bird's scattered emotions and behavior without distancing her.

Best Actor

Prediction: Gary Oldman
Alternate: Timothée Chalamet
My Vote: Chalamet
Should Have Been Nominated: Robert Pattinson - Good Time

-- So, it's no secret that Chalamet being able to Adrien Brody his way to an Oscar win would completely blow me away, but as with Best Actress, the frontrunner is likely to prevail. Given the biopic mimicry and level of Darkest Hour support, I just don't see anyone spoiling Oldman's chances, tempting as it may be to predict.

Best Supporting Actress

Prediction: Allison Janney
Alternate: Laurie Metcalf
My Vote: Metcalf
Should Have Been Nominated: Tiffany Haddish - Girls Trip

-- I'm most tempted to predict an upset here out of any of the other acting categories for the most deserving nominee, Laurie Metcalf, if for no other reason than the feeling that the Academy will want to reward Lady Bird somewhere. However, I'm not tempted enough to get my hopes up that high. Janney's industry support and scene-stealing momentum will probably tilt the odds in her favor. She's far from my first choice, but who could begrudge Allison Janney winning an Oscar?

Nicole: To the Moon and Back

Started studying for an astronomy quiz and my hands unconsciously reached for this. Who better to teach me about the stars and cosmos?

A post shared by @ lucascraigw on Feb 3, 2018 at 7:44am PST

I say we start a movement to replace general education textbooks with books about actresses. My first suggestion: Tilda Swinton replacing a language arts textbook. Why bother with learning proper grammar when you have someone who transcends language?

P.S. I'm loving this book so far! It makes want to seek out some of the obscure early movies she's made and even Grace of Monaco!

2017 Oscar Predictions

Lady Bird: a treasure given to us by Greta Gerwig

1/20: It's often the case that Best Supporting Actor is either the first or among the first of the awards to be announced on Oscar night, so I thought I might as well begin my predictions there. That and I just saw Call Me by Your Name, which could potentially double-dip in this category, so the topic is fresh in my mind. More to come.

1/21: Updated with Animated, Documentary, and Foreign Language predictions. Probably adding more tonight.

1/21 Update #2: Added both Screenplay categories as well as Makeup and Visual Effects.

1/22: The day before nominations! Actor and Supporting Actress predictions are now here.

1/22 Updated #2: We're done! All predictions for the 21 feature film categories are now available. Now we wait to see how wrong I am tomorrow.

Best Supporting Actor

1. Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
2. Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
3. Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water
4. Michael Stuhlbarg, Call Me by Your Name
5. Steve Carell, Battle of the Sexes

Also in the running: Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name; Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World

Outside shots: Ray Romano, The Big Sick; Patrick Stewart, Logan; Mark Rylance, Dunkirk

-- Not saying a double-dip for Call Me by Your Name or Three Billboards is an impossibility, especially since there have been hardly any other contenders to gain traction other than Carell or Plummer. My hunch is that the Academy's weird age hang-ups will keep Hammer at bay while Carell coasts on his charm and industry respect. Despite the major controversies surrounding it, I'm not convinced enough people actually like or are enthused by All the Money in the World to clinch any nominations, but I'm willing to eat crow.

Best Animated Feature

1. Coco
2. The Breadwinner
3. Loving Vincent
4. The Boss Baby
5. The Lego Batman Movie

Or maybe: Despicable Me 3; The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales; Ferdinand; Captain Underpants; The Star; In This Corner of the World; My Entire High School Sinking Into Sea

Also eligible: Bird Boy; Cars 3; Emoji Movie; Cinderella the Cat; Ethel & Ernest; Girl Without Hands; The Lego NinjaGo Movie; Mary and the Witch's Flower; Moomins and the Winter Wonderland; Napping Princess; Silent Voice; Smufs: Lost Village; Sword Art Online; Window Horses

-- Shamefully, I haven't seen any of these, but I'm guessing we would've been just fine with three nominees this year?

Best Documentary

1. Jane
2. Faces Places
3. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power
4. Last Men in Aleppo
5. One of Us

Or maybe: Abacus: Small Enough to Jail; Icarus; Strong Island; City of Ghosts; LA 92

Remaining finalists: Chasing Coral; Ex Libris; Human Flow; Long Strange Trip; Unrest

-- Like Animated Feature, I haven't seen any of the eligible films for this category, though as you'll see from my last post, I'm anticipating quite a few of them. I'll do a flip if they nominate Wiseman.

A Fantastic Woman could be the
only LGBT-themed Foreign nominee.

Best Foreign Language Film

1. In the Fade
2. The Square
3. A Fantastic Woman
4. Loveless
5. Félicité

Or maybe: On Body and Soul; The Wound; Foxtrot; The Insult

-- Out of all of these, I've only seen The Wound, which could easily clinch a fifth-spot nomination. In the Fade feels like the only lock to me.

Best Original Screenplay

1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
2. Lady Bird
3. Get Out
4. The Shape of Water
5. I, Tonya

Also in the running: Phantom Thread; The Big Sick; The Florida Project; The Post; Dunkirk; Darkest Hour

Unconventional surprises: Beatriz at Dinner; Killing of a Sacred Deer; A Fantastic Woman; Brad's Status

-- An overstuffed category, which is exciting, but frustrating when making predictions. I, Tonya and Phantom Thread are the two remaining Oscar contenders I need to see, so seeing where they fit in the overall race is slightly more difficult. I'm going with a hunch that I, Tonya is going to have a fairly decent showing on Tuesday, while Phantom Thread will only appear in Best Actor. P.T.A. tends to show up in Screenplay, but considering the crowded lineup, I think he'll sit this year out. I could see virtually any of my runners-up making it.

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. Call Me by Your Name
2. Mudbound
3. Molly's Game
4. The Disaster Artist
5. Wonderstruck

Also in the running: Lost City of Z; Logan; Last Flag Flying; Victoria & Abdul; Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool; Stronger

-- This category, on the other hand, has gotten thinner and thinner as fewer contenders have failed to catch on. In the fifth spot I'm predicting the film that has arguably lost the most momentum this season. Barely making a whisper during the precursors and receiving even harsher "striking but cold" mentions from critics than Carol did, Wonderstruck is likely to be flat-out ignored on paper, but considering how little competition there is in this category, the unique structure of the script, and the occasional fondness the Academy has for Haynes's films, the writer's branch could push it into a surprise showing here. I also thought of leaving The Disaster Artist off here, but what would replace it?

Little Foxes: The New Chapter

New year. New possibilities to explore. I'm cautiously optimistic that I'll post somewhat more frequently, try new hobbies, find new employment, finish school, engage with people more, and experience a more enlightened America that will bring us to a Democratic majority in the house and senate. But first: it's Top 10 season!

I'm nowhere near ready to post mine. A lot of the movies I want to see haven't even opened in Nashville yet. New Year's resolution for distributors: stop waiting until the end of December to release your movies! No one benefits from having too many options to choose from during the busiest season of the year. Statistically speaking it doesn't help your Oscar chances either, since not a single film released in December has won Best Picture since 2004.

But I digress, my main hope is to at least begin posting my Little Fox movie awards for 2017 before Oscar weekend, which would be a considerable improvement on last year's awards. Still, I still have a long list of movies to watch before I can even think about my favorites of the year. So with that, I thought I'd make a list of films that are on my radar in one way or another before publishing my Top 10. In order of anticipation, they are:

• Call Me By Your Name - Anxious to engage with and form an opinion on this one. Primed to obsess over it.
• BPM (Beats Per Minute) - This bizarrely never played in Nashville. Did I dream the raves and Cannes prizes?
• Phantom Thread - Curious to see if this will be admired-but-eh PTA or lovable PTA. That trailer!
• Loveless - Elena and The Return are completely stunning. Much quieter release than Leviathan?
• Ex Libris: The New York Public Library - Adore Wiseman and can't wait to be transported again.
• Happy End - I doubt it'll be my favorite Haneke or anything, but my interest has definitely been piqued.
• Félicité - Local arthouse has let me down so far in terms of a release for this one. Hurry up and get here!
• God's Own Country - Received universal acclaim, and is supposedly super lovely, so of course it never opened here.
• Whose Streets? - Undoubtedly timely and vital in many respects. Ashamed I missed it.
• Graduation - Mungiu gave us 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, so this is easily high on my list.
• A Fantastic Woman - Thrilled to see Vega's success story and for Lelio's Gloria follow-up.
• Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool - Flawless queen Annette Bening and Jamie Bell have the hots for each other. In!
• The Square - I chuckled a lot during that trailer, especially at Moss's reaction. Plus: Palme d'Or completist
• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - Tried one day, but the projector broke. Delayed seeing it ever since.
• The Woman Who Left - Not sure I'll quite have the time, but Diaz is worth setting aside four hours.
• Heal the Living - Shamefully have never seen a film by Quillévéré. Also stars Tahar Rahim, so yay!
• Last Men in Aleppo - A subject U.S. media has poorly covered. Looks like an utterly sobering feat.
• The Wound - I enjoy having my notions of queer cinema shaken up, so this should be a treat.
• The Greatest Showman - "The new Burlesque," I keep hearing, so that translates to "masterpiece" for me.
• John Wick: Chapter 2 - Honestly, this should probably be higher. So ready for this.
• Staying Vertical - I liked Stranger by the Lake a lot, so I'm definitely curious about this one.
• Human Flow - I'll always go to bat for docs that bind the humanist and the political into one.
• The Breadwinner - Blinked and I missed it when it was in Nashville. Shame since Kells was so impressive.
• The Midwife - The raves for Deneuve is all the reason I need to rent this. No other info necessary.
• Tom of Finland - Certainly could be an odd duck, but I'm inclined to lean towards optimism.
• I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore - Netflix title I'm most ashamed of putting off. Lynskey!
• The Post - Spielberg has equipped himself well ever since Lincoln. I'll obviously be there.
• Molly's Game - Not the biggest Sorkin person, but I'd see just about anything with Chastain.
• Coco - I've become a tad restless with Pixar, but all the right people have said its worth giving a go.
• Wonder - Planned on skipping it until I realized Stephen Chbosky made it! Loved Perks.
• Slack Bay - I love Dumont in madcap, Li'l Quinquin mode. This side of him is a total revelation.
• One of Us - The Jesus Camp directors examining a strict Hasidic community in New York.
• Menashe - The minor publicity and the smitten reactions are a good sign if you ask me!
• The Unknown Girl - Heard it was minor Dardennes, but I suppose even that's worth checking out.
• In the Fade - Even if it weren't Akin, I'd be there to see Kruger bring down the house. Gutsy premise.
• Casting JonBenet - Looks as nervy and conceptually/contextually daunting as The Act of Killing.
• Nocturama - Another arthouse title that slipped under my radar but promises rich rewards.
• Dawson City: Frozen Time - Based on what I've seen, I'm not sure I get Morrison, though his images do stun.
• Free in Deed - Festival hit that went totally flew under my nose upon its theatrical release. Strong recommendations
• Lady Macbeth - Stirred lots of interesting reactions, but I've been a tad resistant. Sounds ugly?
• 4 Days in France - A queer travelogue/Grindr exploration is as far up my alley as you can get.
• Faces Places - Every word I hear about this is a joyous rave! Played for such a short time in Nashville.
• Step - Another warmly received documentary I was upset to miss in its theatrical run.
• Landline - I loved Obvious Child so much I don't even care if there's a drop in quality.
• Professor Marston and the Wonder Women - Frank and sexually open-minded from what I hear.
• Brad's Status - Mike White is having a hell of a year, Emoji Movie notwithstanding.
• The Son of Joseph - I'm unfamiliar with Green's filmography. Is this a good place to start?
• Rat Film - Documentary that explores the interconnections between Baltimore's citizens and rats.
• Thelma - Tend to go back and forth on Trier, but the high-concept premise is intriguing.
• Novitiate - Apparently missed out on potent acting and lensing. Avoiding other details.
• Lovesong - Promises rich minimalism and sensitive relationship portrait, so I'm eager for it.
• My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea - From the designer of the comic book in Rabbit Hole!
• It Comes at Night - Wasn't the biggest Krisha fan, but Shultz has a ton of talent.
• Manifesto - You could just say Cate Blanchett and I'll be there.
• The Untamed - Apt title, since Heli was one of the most lacerating experiences I've ever had.
• After the Storm - Like most of Hirokazu's films, could range from cloying to genuinely moving.
• Stronger - I enjoyed Our Brand is Crisis, so I'm even more excited about Green than Jake.
• On the Beach at Night Alone - Difficult to get a read on Hong, but Kim was terrific in The Handmaiden.
• Okja - To be honest, I'm not big on Bong, although his ambitions are always worth exploring.
• First They Killed My Father - Haven't seen any of Jolie's directorial efforts. This one compels me.
• Last Flag Flying - Apparently weak-sauce, but Cicely Tyson is likely worth giving it a shot.
• My Cousin Rachel - Was something of an arthouse hit, yet responses were weirdly tepid.
• Crown Heights - Barely made an impression in theaters, but I'll be there for LaKeith.
• Happy Death Day - Might be crazy, but the trailer indicated a fun, clever, and tense watch.
• An Inconvenient Sequel - Confession: I never saw the Inconvenient Predecessor. Probably should.
• My Happy Family - Thought about ignoring it until Ty Burr's enthusiasm put it on my radar.
• Catfight - Heche and Oh would be enough for me if it didn't already look so funny.
• Wind River - Good reviews, but guessing it waffles between ambitious and dubious politics.
• The Hero - I'll See You in My Dreams was so good, so I worry hearing that this is a lackluster follow-up.
• Ghost in the Shell - I'm not a fan of the original or whitewashing, but this is often described as an ambitious sci-fi.
• Dark Night - Could end up feeling glib and ponderous, but Memphis was very impressive.
• Prevenge - Grisly comedy starring Alice Lowe and her homicidal fetus? Quite a premise.
• A United Kingdom - Asante/Oyelowo are admittedly bigger draws for me than Pike, but still.
• The Wall - American Made soured me a bit on Liman, but the minimalism seems interesting.
• Dave Made a Maze - Could be Community-ish in its quirks, but could just as possibly delight.
• Wonder Wheel - Took a fast and ugly turn from "Blue Jasmine quality" Allen to icky Allen.
• Brigsby Bear - Charmed quite a few people. Plus I've been big on Hamill since he owned Cruz.
• Jane - Wasn't expecting much when it opened, but apparently I was wrong. Best Doc winner?
• Loving Vincent - Doesn't look my cuppa, but the animation does look like it's worth exploring.
• Marjorie Prime - Features a Mica Levi score so that's certainly promising, but I don't know...
• The Dinner - Directed by Oren Moverman, although nothing seems to indicate this is peak material.
• Wilson - Not expecting much other than Laura Dern being her typically fabulous self.
• Colossal - The return of Hathaway! Exciting how smart or misjudged the premise could be.
• The Mountain Between Us - Looks odd, but I'd be remiss to not support Elba as leading man.
• Murder on the Orient Express - Skippable, I'm sure, but frocks and Pfeiffer might do the trick.
• The Bad Batch - Loved A Girl Walks Home Alone... so much. I don't want this to sully it.
• Woodshock - This broke many critics out into hives, but I was digging the trailer. Plus: Dunst!
• Home Again - Sincerely rooting for Hallie ever since The Parent Trap was dedicated to her!
• Marshall - Is this memorable or could I just wait until Black Panther to get my Boseman fix?
• Alien: Covenant - Never saw Prometheus. Many claim this makes me very fortunate.
• Split - Promotional materials and Richardson intrigue me so why have I been so reluctant?
• War for the Planet of the Apes - I enjoy these movies in the moment, but they rarely stick.
• Baby Driver - Edgar Wright isn't always my bag, although even non-converts were charmed.
• I, Tonya - Is this smug, Big Short-ish snark or is it genuinely challenging and thorny?
• The Boss Baby - Some notices were fairly encouraging, but also it looks terrible.
• All the Money in the World - Assumed this was tossed-off Scott, but no I guess?
• The Snowman - Considering the talent involved this had to be a doozy of a misstep.
• Justice League - I think I've successfully avoided this one! Unless I'm forced to watch a blu-ray.

Titles highlighted in red are films I have since seen.