Has it been a year since I’ve done this? Yes, my favourite thing to write on my phone on the train as I end up inexplicably busy this time of year is back. This year the films were mixed, but all interesting. Unlike last year’s set of remakes which provided a dull set of bloated best picture nominees, all ten of these were at least something different. Naturally they missed the best film of the year, but that’s what the ASBOs are for and I will eventually get round to them in the next couple of weeks, but here is who should win tonight. If you don’t agree, tough. Art is fundamentally objective and as a man I know I’m right.

Best Supporting Actor

This is probably the weakest category of the big ones. Robert De Niro was indeed in Killers of the Flower Moon, but barely worth knowing. Meanwhile, Sterling K. Brown was fine in American Fiction, but again probably lucky to get an Oscar nomination. Mark Ruffalo was interesting in Poor Things, however chosing a single role which makes him not as dull as dishwater seems a bit much. Therefore, it’s between Robert Downey Jr in Oppenheimer or Ryan Gosling in Barbie. While RDJ did well, I’d personally pick Ryan Gosling as Ken in Barbie, who’s comedic turns were some the most memorable moments of the movie.

Supporting Actress

There were definitely some very good picks here, however one of the most suprising was America Ferrara who had one monologue. I’d hardly call hers one of the great performances. Emily Blunt was fine in Oppenheimer, while Jodie Foster was probably the best part of Nyad (an absolutely okay feel good by the numbers family film). Danielle Brooks was fantastic in The Color Purple as Sofia. She got her emotional cues perfectly and had some great big numbers. However, Da’Vine Joy Randolph‘s performance as the grieving Mary in the holdovers was understated and brilliant. She really brought the film together and gave it a sense of levity.

Best Actress

The line up for Best Actress is stacked this year, and is probably the best one since Ladybird, Billboards, Shape of Water and I Tonya came out in the same year. Annette Bening was decent in Nyad, while Sandra Huller was very good in Anatomy of a Fall, carrying that film brilliantly (As well as Zone of Interest for which she wasn’t nominated). Carey Mulligan as Felicia Montague, Emma Stone in Poor Things and Lily Gladstone were all fantastic, with the latter being the only good thing in Killers of the Flower Moon. This is a really tight one, and I might change it before clicking publish, but I’ll go for Lily Gladstone in KotFM who did significantly better than pouty Leo Di Caprio.

Best Actor

The ladies won this year, but there were some good male performances. Bradley Cooper as Bernstein in Maestro was fine (His writing certainly let him down), as was Jeffrey Wright as a writer in American fiction. Colman Domingo was good as gay black activist Bayard Rustin, in a solid biopic movie. The best performances were Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer and Paul Giamatti as a disenfranchised teacher in The Holdovers. Murphy’s contrast between steely focus and regret are fantastic, as he really acts with his face and posture. While Giamatti is great at showing a bitter anger, I doubt he has any for me saying that Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer was the best male performance this year.

Best Picture

While this year’s nominees didn’t suck, there were lots of middling films.

10) Maestro: While there weren’t any true stinkers of the ilk of Don’t Look Up, Maestro was definitely the weakest of this year’s nominees. A biopic about Leonard Bernstein directed by and starring Bradley Cooper, the whole thing is just a bit flat. It really fails to find and deliver themes in a way that last year’s conductor movie Tar was able to. Carey Mulligan brings a powerhouse performance, and Doris from work is in the Ely Castle scene which was the best bit, but otherwise it was a tad so-and-so in it’s begging to be loved

9) Killers of the Flower Moon: The Martin Scorcese.epic about really interesting native Americans having their land stolen which focuses on the most boring white guy, KotFM very much struggled to justify its very long run time. There were highlights. It was well shot, however the main reason to watch was a star turn from Lily Gladstone.

8) American Fiction I really wanted to like this movie. A debut film with a good cast, American Fiction wanted to say something brilliant. However, after it ran out of steam with its one joke, it didn’t really know how to say it. A fairly easy Saturday night film, it’s by no means a bad movie. However, it’s never going to be remembered as one of the very best.

7) Barbie Maybe it was my own fault for going in with really high expectations. Barbie was a guns blazing feminist film which lacked that polish. The whole thing felt like it lost its way half way through. However, it’s success was not undeserved. Margot Robbie was great, likewise Ryan Gosling and every costume and set design was on point. It just needed to be a little bit tighter.

6) The Zone of Interest This film seemed to be one to appreciate more than like. Based on a family who live a banal existence next to Auschwitz, technically it’s a really good film with great production and sound design. However, the lack of hook towards a character made it one for those more pretentious than me. I appreciate the message and the parallels with what’s happening today, it was just very implicit.

5) Anatomy of a Fall Now we’re getting to the films we enjoyed. Anatomy of a Fall was very much a good standard court drama, expect that it’s not about who done it. A film about communication and ambiguity, the question is whether Sandra Huller’s character pushed her husband or whether he fell from the top storey of their house. A solid script and some good performances make this a decent watch.

4) Past Lives While this year’s indie darling wasn’t top of my year end list, unlike seemingly all the big critics, I was warm towards Past Lives. Wonderfully shot, and criminally overlooked for the acting Oscars (Both Greta Lee and Teo Yoo should’ve been in there) this gentle movie about love over time and distance was a real pleasure. There is a scene in a bar about 20 minutes before the end which is one of my favourite ones, and until the emotion came pouring out from the characters (which felt inconsistent with the rest of the movie), I was engaged and rooting for these two.

3) The Holdovers Now at the point where I’d be happy if any of these movies won best picture. The Holdovers took us back to a simpler time, where movies were just about the characters. Much like some of my festive favourites in It’s a Wonderful Life and The Apartment, The Holdovers is just people being sad at Christmas. When a teacher, a cook and a student are left at a boarding school, all somewhat empty bitter and alone, the film sees them find comfort and family as they get to know one another much better. It’s a sweet melancholy movie of days gone by and will definitely be on future festive watch lists.

2) Oppenheimer The film that will win best picture tonight, it will certainly be deserved. Much like the best pictures of the 80s/90s, a three hour historic biopic about a scientist caused a shock with the amount of interest and sales it garnered. No doubt helped by Barbie, it also stood strong on its own with a well balanced focus on the science and the characters. Technically it was fantastic, it was well written and the acting was brilliant. Much like The Holdovers, these are the films which felt like they were relics of the past, so it’s great to see one this good do so well.

1) Poor Things A best picture always seems to reflect a time as well as a brilliant film. Parasite reflected increasing social inequality, The Best Days of Our Lives as post WWII struggles and Nomadland a feeling of post COVID loss. Poor Things reflects a fight for gender equality and the struggles there, much like Barbie does, but in a much less compromising and gentle way. Bella has the brain of a child but the adult of a body. She goes out and learns about the world. The world is full of horrible scummy men who look to take advantage, so basically Barbie. The script, set design and acting from Emma Stone are all brilliant in this career best from Yorgos Lanthimos, a director I’m usually lukewarm on. Out of the ten movies for best picture, this one is surely the best.

The Best of the Rest

Best Director – A prime example of the Oscars picking some wrong names (Celine Song anyone), however the deserved winner is in there. While Glazer made some art, and Triet and Lanthimos did their things, the career best biographical epic for Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer deserves this one.

Best Original Screenplay – Probably the strongest of all categories, all of these films are so well written. Maestro is a bit crap, but oh well… Anatomy of a Fall and May, December were both very slick and that scene in Past Lives at the bar is just magic. However, the perfectly balanced dialogue and mood of The Holdovers means it deserves a win.

Best Adapted Screenplay – Definitely the weaker side of the screenplay draw, with Barbie and American Fiction both feeling like films that knew what they wanted to say, but not how. Zone of Interest provided an interesting look into a story but without the hook from the dialogue and an off-beat second half. Oppenheimer was great, with some fantastic lines. However, the madness of Poor Things and the naturally evolving dialogue of Bella deserve this one.

Best Animated Film – I’ve not seen Elemental (Don’t really want to) or Robot Dreams (Do want to). Out of the rest, we have three really strong films each of which are worth a watch. However, Spider-verse’s dull half-baked story and Nimona’s simplicity can’t compare to the art and imagination of The Boy and The Heron.

Best International Film – So I’ve only seen three of these movies. I was lukewarm on Zone of Interest. I enjoyed the slow slice of life of a content toilet cleaner is Japan’s Perfect Days. However, best film of the three was Spain’s Society of Snow which is on Netflix.

Best Original Score – Can’t remember much of American Fiction’s score being brilliant, nor Killers of the Flower Moon. I didn’t watch Indiana Jones 5 so can’t comment. Again, it’s between Poor Things and Oppenheimer. Poor Things was mad, but Oppenheimer‘s score was just incredible.

Best Original Song – I’m Just Ken, from Barbie (but not the version of Matt Hancock Lip Synching)

Best Sound – This is a really good category. Sure, The Creator was good and I never watched Mission Impossible, but Maestro was fantastic, especially in the scene in Ely Cathedral. Oppenheimer was ridiculous, especially the bomb test scene. That sent a shockwave through me. However, The Zone of Interest has simply incredible sound work. A film about a family who live next to Auschwitz, you see domestic bliss next to this background screaming to paint a really horrific picture.

Best Production Design – Again, a really strong catergory. I didn’t see Napoleon. Flower moon was good, as was Oppenheimer. However, it’s going to be between Barbie and Poor Things, both of which were weirdly vibrant. As much as I’d love to give Poor Things a bit more love, I think this has to go to the set which caused a world pink paint shortage, Barbie

Best Cinematography – Barbie used its light and camera in interesting ways. I STILL haven’t seen Napoleon and Flower Moon was fine. El Conde exists. I’ve watched it. Thatcher’s a vampire or something. Poor Things and Oppenheimer are again very close here, but I’ll go with Oppenheimer being the better at it.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling – I never watched Golda, but everyone is going to be talking about Bardley Cooper’s nose which makes this a non-contest. Oppenheimer was good, while Poor Things had some very interesting looking characters. However, the slow madness of Society of Snow was really well done, as we see people more and more desperate to survive so I’ll go off-piste and award that movie.

Best Costume Design – Poor Things was really cool, and I’ve seen the dresses in person which is nice. However, this one has to go to Barbie.

Best Editing – This is the one about how they cut up the film. Oppenheimer is great with its pacing, as are Holdovers and Poor Things. Flower Moon is also there. However, the best edited movie has to go to Anatomy of a Fall which shows actions and reactions equally well.

Best Visual Effects – I’ve only seen two of these. The Creator was vibrant, but Godzilla minus one showed the horror of people fantastically, and I’d rather reward that film, because it was also actually a solid film which did fantastically well on a low budget.

The Count:

4 – Barbie, Oppenheimer

3 –

2 – The Holdovers, Poor Things, Society of Snow

1 – Anatomy of a Fall, The Boy and the Heron, Godzilla Minus One, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Zone of Interest