And The Oscar Goes To...

A really weird thing happened this year.

Now, I like movies. I probably go out to see more movies than the average person. But when the Oscars come out, there's still always a new set of movies that exist that I'd totally missed, or had only briefly heard about. Stuff like The Favourite, or Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. There'll even Get Out and La La Land and the like, movies I wanted to see but hadn't gotten the chance to at the time. But this year, to my surprise, I've actually seen the majority of the Best Picture nominees. For the most part, I hadn't even seen these movies out of a sense of obligation, but just out of genuine excitement for all these movies on an individual level. As of this writing, I've seen everything on the list with the exception of The Irishman. I intend to get to The Irishman eventually, but I really don't want to watch an intense, brooding 3+ hour crime movie just out of obligation. Still, I've probably seen more of these movies than some Oscar voters have... With all of that in mind, I thought it would be good fun to rank the Best Picture nominees. I'm approaching this rating of these films as Best Picture nominees, so this rating isn't strictly about my personal ranking of these movies. I'm filtering through kind of a discussion of what makes a Best Picture nom; I'm thinking the heart and impact of these movies themselves as well as their general artistry. Obviously this won't be extremely far off from personal preference, but there are some notable differences. Without further ado: my personal ranking of the Best Picture list:

1. Parasite:

What a stunning movie. I'm still dwelling on it. A very tightly-composed look at class structure and poverty. I'm loving this trend of horror/thriller comedies that double as social commentaries. It's so incredibly tight on every single level. Editing, directing, writing. This movie has it all. Also, what other foreign language film has got this much Western traction in the past few years? I was shocked to see a full theatre when I watched this movie last night. I almost think that along proves the impact this movie is having. I really hope Parasite encourages Western audiences to explore more foreign films.

2. 1917:

Honestly, I think this one is tied with Little Women, but I expect that Academy to lean more to 1917. My fear is that if 1917 wins, people forever will be complaining that it won because of 'a gimmick,' but 1917 is way more than just being a gimmick. It uses its mode to explore the harrowing dehumanization and cost of war, and that's cool. But alas. 1917 is worth examining as way more than just a directing gimmick. It will probably get Best Cinematography, and rightfully so, but the fact that this movie is getting reduced to its directing is sad to me. I talk about this more in my individual review, but 1917 honestly does a lot through subtlety, and it wouldn't surprise me as the Best Picture winner.

3. Little Women:

Give Greta Gerwig everything. Her adaption of Little Women honestly might be perfect. It should win best adapted screenplay but it won't and that's awful. Gerwig effortlessly breathes new life into a classic story and does it with expert precision. The cast is amazing. This movie is a celebration of feminine and creative joy and it's so precious. I think what surprises me the most about Little Women is how effortless it is. There's such a level of technical craft and brilliance that goes undiscussed. It belongs in the running for Best Picture; it's in my top three for a reason. But, the Academy is going to sleep on it and that kills me.

4. Marriage Story:

I had this one below Jojo for a while but honestly, I think this might be the better Best Picture nom. The acting is absolutely stellar, and the script is very, very tight. This movie sits like a rock; it's so heavy and you don't even realize it until the movie is done. Adam Driver called it a 'love story about divorce,' and that's pretty spot-on. It's about genuine human conflict, and the messiness of the legal structures around divorce, and about the nature of love. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannson are so good in this movie. One of the climactic scenes got very big on Twitter a bit ago, and it was kind of memed as an example of 'here's what people think is good writing but is actually garbage!' But it's so easy to rip something out of context and call it bad. Marriage Story does such a good job of showing the complexities of life by introducing dozens of strings in these characters' lives, and slowly tying them together through the brutal intricacies of divorce court. You relate to both of these central characters and understand their motivations, which is very impressive and makes the central tension all the more gripping. I was honestly prepared to be ambivalent towards this movie, but I was surprised to find I kind of loved it.

5. Jojo Rabbit:

There's like, weird backlash to Jojo Rabbit, and I don't get it? Jojo Rabbit is a wonderful satire about Nazi Germany, but even more broadly, about the nature of hatred and othering. Taika Waiti is brilliant and strikes a perfect balance yet again between comedy and drama. It encourages us to see the beauty of other people. Also, shout-out to the child cast of this movie? They go toe-to-toe with some big actors, and I love them so much. I don't really know if Jojo Rabbit deserves Best Picture, but I think it's an excellent film and worthy of attention. I'm putting this in the middle of the list, but Jojo Rabbit is one of my favourite movies of 2019.

6. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood:

If Tarantino's newest flick wins, it'll be because of Hollywood's obsession with Hollywood. Which isn't to say this movie is bad! It's a really fun dive into the Golden Age of Hollywood, centered around the story that changed Hollywood forever. People have said that nothing happens in this movie, but that's because the movie is way more about the time period and the characters than the plot. But, as the response to 1917 shows, people don't 'get' a movie that isn't about its plot, I suppose.

7. Ford v Ferrari:

This was a really fun movie! I had a lot of fun with it. It's not the Best Picture by any stretch but it's a really good movie. It's all about friendship and the underdog and spunky creatives rising against the structured capitalist industry. Matt Damon and Christian Bale play buddies and it's really fun. Christian Bale also plays best dad. It's a really great movie! Ford v Ferrari won't get Best Picture and I'm totally fine with that.

8. Joker:

I've made my thoughts on Joker pretty well known. It's a destructive, ignorant movie that is held up by its acting. Todd Philipps should not get Best Director, this movie should not get Best Picture. My fear is that one of them will, as a show that the Academy is trendy now and as a reminder that this whole show is a sick joke anyways. Phoenix can get Best Actor, I guess, but Adam Driver deserves it more.

? The Irishman:

Haven't seen it, don't have an opinion. But it's being painted as Scorcese's magnum opus as if Silence didn't already come out. I imagine it's very good! It's just probably not a movie that's my style, and I'm fine with that. I'll see it eventually, I just don't have the time or energy for it right now. Sorry, Scorcese. I trust you did a really good job. Some more shout-outs of the Oscar season: Please give Rian Johnson his Best Screenplay for Knives Out. The fact that this movie isn't nominated for Editing or Production Design or anything is baffling to me. Similarly, how on earth is Ad Astra only up for Sound Mixing? Put that up for Best Picture instead of Joker, Ad Astra was great. It was quietly profound and ethereal, it's perfect Best Picture recognition. At least put it up for Visual Effects? It certainly has better Effects than anything that was nominated. Ad Astra got snubbed this year. One last snub, for Best Original Song. ...Taylor Swift's "Beautiful Ghosts" from the cinematic masterpiece Cats (2019) deserves to be nominated for Best Original Song and I will fight for this. It deserves to win. Taylor Swift single-handedly wrote something better and more coherent than anything in the actual original musical. It's the only song to give Victoria any characterization whatsoever. Seriously, put your misconceptions aside. "Beautiful Ghosts" deserves that award. Let Cats have an Oscar, cowards.