Now that our heads have stopped spinning from the recent Golden Globes, we can focus on Tuesday's forthcoming Oscar nominations.
There are really just two burning questions: One is whether Bohemian Rhapsody, a surprise winner at the Globes, will be nominated for best picture. Another is whether Black Panther, the rare superhero movie to become a critical and commercial smash, might strike a blow for populism with a best picture nomination of its own. At the moment, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences looks a little clueless and chaotic, thanks to its embarrassing "best popular film" proposal last year and its loss of Kevin Hart as a host this year. The right mix of Oscar nominations could help.
Here's what to look for during Tuesday's announcement of the 91st annual Academy Award nominees.
Bohemian Rhapsody: A quick theory about how this Freddie Mercury bio-pic stole the Golden Globe for best dramatic film: Despite mixed-to-savage reviews in the United States, Bohemian Rhapsody earned high marks from audiences and performed well overseas -- and remember, the Globes are voted on by foreign journalists. Looking toward the Oscars, it's worth noting that the movie known as Bo Rhap is a Producers Guild of America nominee, an almost sure sign that it will be a best picture nominee as well. Look for its star, Rami Malek, to show up in the best actor category, too.
Black Panther: There seems little doubt that this groundbreaking, deep-reaching comic-book movie featuring Chadwick Boseman as the first black superhero to anchor his own Disney-Marvel movie will earn a best picture nomination. (If it doesn't, prepare for an all-out riot on Twitter.) As for other nods, acting and directing may be out of reach, but adapted screenplay, art direction and costume design seem likely.
Roma: Alfonso Cuaron's latest, a likely best picture nominee, is a heartfelt ode to his childhood in Mexico. But has anyone seen this Netflix production -- either in theaters or at home? That's hard to say since Netflix does not release box-office receipts or viewership numbers. In late December, IndieWire hazarded a guess of $2.2 million in tickets sales, which would make Roma a classic example of an Oscar nominee: rapturously reviewed, little seen. Look for Roma to show up in the foreign language film category, too.
Green Book: For a straightforward comedy-drama with an anti-racist message, Peter Farrelly's film starring Mahershala Ali as a black musician and Viggo Mortensen as his white chauffeur has become a polarizer. Depending on who you ask, it's either a cliched civil rights story with the same old stereotypes, or a well-acted film that entertains and illuminates. After it led the Globes with three wins, screenwriter Nick Vallelonga came under new scrutiny for old anti-Muslim tweets, adding more fuel to the overall debate. (He has since apologized.) Green Book seems sure to earn nominations for best picture, actor (Mortensen), supporting actor (Ali, who won a Globe for this performance) and original screenplay. Farrelly could get a nod for best director, too.
A Star Is Born: Few movies could feel more Hollywood than this, the fifth iteration of an 86-year-old classic about a famous entertainer (this time a country singer, played by Bradley Cooper) who falls for a rising new talent (Lady Gaga, in her first major film role). Cooper's directorial debut wowed critics and audiences alike; it has music, romance, drama, you name it. Look for this film to lead the best picture category.
MovieStyle on 01/18/2019