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| Joaquin Phoenix in Joker |
To paraphrase Arthur Fleck, "Is it getting crazy here, or is it just me?"
The titular antihero who becomes the DC Comics villain Joker, played by Joaquin Phoenix, set a record for the most nominations given to a film based on a comic book (including, for the second year in a row, a Best Picture recognition, along with its ten other noms), besting last year's Marvel blockbuster Black Panther (which got six nods and walked away with a record three wins).
Despite being highly divisive and controversial with critics, the Todd Phillips-directed psychological character study proved a radical showcase for how to use such resources for provocative current relevance--perhaps some reasons why the film was recognized for its directing, writing, and other technical aspects. That, and Phoenix's phenomenal and chilling performance.
And while most other comic books and their crowd-pleasing adaptations prove, from time to time, a nostalgic and entertaining trip for audiences, the Academy acknowledged a couple of period films that recalled memories of the 1960s. In one corner is writer-director Quentin Tarantino's trip through 1969 Los Angeles in Once Upon a Time . . . In Hollywood (ten nominations). In the other corner is James Mangold's race car biopic Ford v Ferrari (four nominations). Two other period films (set during the first and second World Wars, respectfully) that have also generated serious attention include Sam Mendes's breathtaking one-shot drama 1917 (ten nominations) and Taika Waititi's anti-hate satire Jojo Rabbit (six nominations).
But perhaps the company with the most nominations this year (above Disney, Sony, and Warner Brothers) is streaming service Netflix, which has been on an exponential rise since Dee Ree's historical drama Mudbound in 2018 and Alfonso Cuaron's semiautobiographical memory piece Roma last year. The competitive streaming service has a new record of 24 nominations, including Fernando Meirelles's religious biopic The Two Popes (three noms), Noah Baumbach's heartbreaking drama Marriage Story (six noms), and Martin Scorsese's mob epic The Irishman (ten noms).
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| (l-r) Robert DeNiro in The Irishman, Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson in Marriage Story |
Following the surprise success of Roma, director Bong Joon-ho's satirical black comedy Parasite is the first time a film from South Korea has gained serious competition at the Oscars (in six categories, no less). And it's the second year in a row that an international film has been recognized in both the foreign film and Best Picture categories, ditto best director and screenplay.
First-time nominees include Cynthia Erivo (for her lead role in Harriet, and the first acting nominee since Mary J. Blige from 2017's Mudbound to be nominated for Best Original Song as well), Scarlett Johannson (who joins Sigourney Weaver, Cate Blanchett and Emma Thompson, in being nominated for two different roles in the same year, for Jojo Rabbit and Marriage Story), Rian Johnson (for his original screenplay for the murder mystery whodunit Knives Out), Jonathan Pryce (for his lead role in The Two Popes), Florence Pugh (for her supporting role in Little Women), and Waititi (for his adapted screenplay for Jojo Rabbit).
FUN FACT: Johansson and Weaver have something in common: they're both famous for various acclaimed roles under established directors, as well as for their iconic action characters--Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Ellen Ripley, respectfully. Interestingly enough, the latter was Oscar-nominated for her respective role in 1986's Aliens.
In terms of nominees who have been recognized before, five-time-winning composer John Williams received a record 52nd nomination this year (and his third consecutive, and reportedly final work, for a Star Wars film). On the flipside, composer Thomas Newman has been nominated for a collective fifteen awards (including this year's 1917), but has never won. That may change this year, because his score for Mendes' period war drama is absolutely incredible.
On that same note, one amazing thing about this year's roster is how long it's been since some of the nominees were last recognized by the Academy, including actress Charlize Theron (fourteen years), actress Kathy Bates (seventeen years), actor Tom Hanks (nineteen years), and actor Anthony Hopkins (twenty-two years). Even more amazing is how many other veteran actors received their first nominations this year since they last won their own golden statues. These include actor Leonardo DiCaprio (four years), writer Quentin Tarantino (seven years), composer Randy Newman (nine years), actress Renee Zellweger (sixteen years), director Sam Mendes (twenty years), actor Al Pacino (twenty-seven years), and out-of-retirement actor Joe Pesci (twenty-nine years).
FUN FACT: AL Pacino shares a connection with the late actor Heath Ledger and current nominee Joaquin Phoenix. All actors have been Oscar-nominated for playing comic-book villains onscreen, including the Joker for the latter two. (Ledger is the only person to have won by far.) But Pacino was the first to be recognized in this respect, for 1990's Dick Tracy.
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| Snubs this year include (l-r) Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems), Greta Gerwig (Little Woman), Awkwafina (The Farewell), and Lupita Nyong'o (Us) |
Overall, although representations from a lead black actress and a South Korean critical favorite are commendable, as are the amazing resurgence (if briefly) of several veteran performers, composers and genres after so many years, the fact that other forms of diversity (including female directors, and actors and actresses of different cultures or ethnicities) have been left out of recognition is a pity.
In fact, it's probably the closest that the Academy has come to reliving it's controversial #OscarsSoWhite headlines of 2015 and 2016, respectfully.
Current award-show favorites like actors Christian Bale (Ford v Ferrari), Robert DeNiro (who did get a Best Picture nod for co-producing The Irishman, but not for his lead role), Taron Edgerton (Rocketman), Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers), and Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems) gained several frowns and boos when they were snubbed by the Academy for their respective roles. Ditto Greta Gerwig's lovely direction of Little Women, which was still recognized in six categories, including Gerwig's adapted screenplay.
I personally believe one film that should have been recognized was Jordan Peele's ambitious horror movie Us, which featured a universal yet provocative story that happens to have a contemporary black family at the center, but without drawing the subject of race a la Get Out. In addition, Lupita Nyong'o's dual performances in the film were unexpected and committed if terrifying.
But the biggest upset, in my opinion, was the lack of recognition given to Lulu Wang's semiautobiographical The Farewell (one of my three absolute favorite, if not my favorite, films of 2019). Wang's original screenplay and direction were a genuine work of art and emotion, Awkwafina's Golden Globe-winning performance was radical and relatable, and Zhao Shenzhen's genuine supporting role as the family matriarch were all a labor of love.
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| (Left to right) Lulu Wang, Zhao Shenzhen, and Awkwafina |
In that regard, this may be the most disappointing list of Oscar nominees since 2016, and comparatively so. Then again, this isn't the only awards show out there, although it is the most famous, biggest, and (perhaps, as of recently) the most controversial.
And that's no joke.
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