Watching OSCARS online tonight?

T

TahoeTennis

Legend
Please post links to live streams on YouTube or other places here for peeps with no cable to watch the academy awards tonight.

Your picks?
3 billboards = best picture actress and sam Rockwell supporting guaranteed
 
Was about to post this in the "fav. movie of 2017" thread but guess this is a better fit. Links to my old reviews are provided where available.

Best Picture - Anyone who read my previous capsule reviews should know I'm not terribly impressed by this year's lot, and I wish Mudbound had taken the place of some of the nominees, but among the current ones Phantom Thread should win. I've never been a big PTA fan and still dislike his calculated shock-and-awe game plan, but I was charmed by how touching and funny his latest outing was, and I'm ready to say this tale of Reynolds Woodcock and Alma Elson, while not quite transcendent, is one of the better explorations of obsessive love in cinema. Among PTA's oeuvre I'd probably rate it second only to Magnolia, and Daniel-Day Lewis is sensational as the doyen of haute couture.

Which nominee will win, though? I'm guessing it's a tight 3-way race between Get Out, Lady Bird and The Shape of Water (I know Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is the odds-on fave right now but the fact that its director wasn't even nominated doesn't bode well for its chances), with the latter as the eventual winner due to the other two splitting BLM and #MeToo votes. And I'd actually be pretty happy about that result, as del Toro's picture is on paper as unlikely an Oscar winner as they come.

Actor in a Leading Role - I loved Denzel's performance in Roman J. Israel and as I just noted DDL is more than a worthy nominee and I suspect the dark horse here, but this category is probably the least likely to produce an upset. It's hard to imagine another actor who would be better suited to play Churchill than Oldman, and his expected win would be well deserved.

Actress in a Leading Role - All deserving nominees (I even liked Streep's performance despite my general antipathy towards her) and I still think Robbie could emerge as the surprise winner, but I'm guessing it'll be down to Hawkins, Ronan and McDormand, with Frances getting enough sympathy votes (like I said I'm not too keen on Three Billboards's chances) to end up on top.

Actor in a Supporting Role - I'm going with another upset: Dafoe over Rockwell again thanks to enough sympathy votes (The Florida Project deserved more than a single measly nom).

Actress in a Supporting Role - Again any of 'em would be a deserving winner (with the only possible exception of Spencer, if due to the very supporting role he's asked to play), but this is looking like another shoo-in category, with Janney grabbing her first Oscar (on her very first nomination!).

Animated Feature Film - I'm not qualified to comment on this as I've seen only two of the nominees (Coco and Loving Vincent - really wish I caught The Breadwinner during its limited run), but who are we kidding? Coco will win. Just hope Loving Vincent doesn't pull off the upset. The animated indie hit of the year is a perfectly fine whodunit biopic, but its marketing would have you think it's a direct descendant of Oskar Fischinger's visual music in its innovation and imagination when it's anything but.

Cinematography - My money's on The Shape of Water's Dan Laustsen but I hope Roger A. Deakins takes it for Blade Runner 2049, which I feel is one of the most underrated films of the year (as with most sci-fi flicks it was praised more for its visual style and technical accomplishments than for its metaphysics).

Costume Design - I would have no quarrel with any of the nominees (even Consolata Boyle who worked on the loathsome Victoria and Abdul), but expect Mark Bridges to win it for Phantom Thread.

Directing - Almost as unpredictable as its Best Picture sibling, but if The Shape of Water comes up short tonight I predict it won't be because of del Toro's failure in this category. Hope he gives another speech steeped in personal and cinematic history.

Documentary (Feature) - I've yet to see Icarus and Last Man in Aleppo, but I can't imagine either of them matching the personal and social impact of Strong Island, Yance Ford's powerful documentary on her quest to find justice for her deceased brother and one of the two films of 2017 (along with Bill Morrison's Dawson City: Frozen Time) which I'm ready to declare a masterpiece. Varda and JR's lovely Faces Places would be another commendable winner.

Documentary (Short Subject) - Can't comment as I've yet to see any of 'em. Hoping to catch them later this week before they're inevitably pulled from the lone theater currently showing them in the DC area following the Oscars. (I'm guessing the live-action and animated shorts will stick around a little longer.)

Film Editing - Have yet to see Baby Driver, but if there's one category where Nolan's Dunkirk could claim bragging rights it should be this one.

(To be continued.)
 
Foreign Language Film - A Fantastic Woman seems to be the slight favorite here and I hope Chile gets its first Oscar. Sebastián Lelio's exquisite feature has been justly praised for its refusal to dwell on the usual transgender theme of transformation, but I feel even that fails to do the film justice as it's the rare work of protest art that is as interested in the self as it undoubtedly is in social justice. In this respect it shares with Strong Island and Sami Blood (another one of my faves of 2017, and which I'm happy to report is now available for free streaming on Amazon Prime) the distinction of looking at the costs of discrimination through an unmistakably personal lens, and I say decidedly for the better. Its lead actress Daniela Vega (who almost didn't make a second of appearance in the movie!) deserves much of the credit for the film's success, no doubt thanks to her own experience as a transgender woman, and if there's a more heartfelt performance in cinema of Handel's "Ombra mai fù," too often hackneyed in its presentation but here sung in all of its soulful luxuriance by Vega herself (who in fact studied opera), I've yet to see it. Warmly recommended.

As for the other nominees, Ziad Doueiri's The Insult makes a forceful argument for no one individual or group's monopoly on suffering, but I say the courtroom-drama treatment of its serious subject, while highly gripping and entertaining, makes this an overall unsatisfying examination of politics in the Middle East and tribalism in general. Loveless suffers from the worst excesses of Bergman's sadly influential misanthropy which Andrey Zvyagintsev seems to share wholeheartedly as it's hard to see the whole point of returning a lost child to such a world of mistrust and desolation, and the fact that it made Sight and Sound's top 10 films of 2017 says more about the puerilely cynical worldview of the critics themselves than the actual messy state of the world we inhabit. On Body and Soul is quite possibly an even quirkier love story than Phantom Thread, and while I resent the potential insinuation that people with disabilities need to work extra hard to find love one could make the counterargument that sometimes it takes an unconventional couple to show us what love is, and Ildikó Enyedi's charmer would've gotten my vote if not for A Fantastic Woman. And I'm still waiting to hear a good reason why I should care what anybody thinks about the pretensions of the art-museum crowd when the social issues that The Square pretends to concern itself with can be and have been given a more thoughtful treatment through less self-consciously hip avenues.

Makeup and Hairstyling - Before I pontificate, why only three nominees in this category? Surely there must've been others just as worthy? Anyway I'm calling Arten Tuiten for Wonder (and it's a fine feel-good film!).

Music (Original Score) - Desplat's sumptuous score for The Shape of Water is the projected winner, but Greenwood should win it for Phantom Thread, and I say that as an avowed Radiohead detractor.

Music (Original Song) - It'll be down to "Remember Me" from Coco and the ubiquitous "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman. I'll go so far as to say I don't care what happens in the other categories as long as Pasek and Paul repeat in this one, as I've been most pleasantly surprised by the unexpected box-office success of the latter film which really has grown on me. (Might post an in-depth look at how that came about after the Oscars.)

Production Design - Again Blade Runner 2049 FTW!

Short Film (Animated) - A rather underwhelming bunch compared to their predecessors, as none of them comes remotely close to matching the poetry of Bear Story, We Can't Live Without Cosmos or Blind Vaysha. The worst offender is Dear Basketball which I must admit, despite my undying Kobe fandom, is a rather embarrassing paean to self-congratulation via the vehicle of one's profession. And what's even worse is that, if you like me saw them in succession in a theatrical version put together by ShortsTV, Lost Property Office, an extra addition to as well as the best of the bunch, wasn't even nominated for the Oscar! Anyway I was dumbfounded to find out that Dear Basketball is the odds-on fave here, but don't be surprised to see the highly diverting and funny (at the screening I attended there was at least one lady laughing hysterically in spots) Revolting Rhymes take home the statue.

Short Film (Live Action) - Again slightly disappointing compared to what came before them, but at least more worthwhile than their animated brethren. I wish the Academy decided to award all the nominees here because it's quite clear how much it means to them (the ShortsTV presentation showed their reaction during the nomination ceremony, and I dare you to scoff as you watch their cheers and even in one case tears of joy), but back in the real world, The Silent Child is considered to have the best odds though I hope the heartwarming Watu Wote (All of Us) wins and wonder how the recent events affected the voters' reaction to DeKalb Elementary's sympathetic portrayal's of its near would-be school shooter.

Sound Editing and Sound Mixing - I still don't feel qualified to judge the merits in both of these categories.

Visual Effects - I'm still in the Blade Runner camp but since the "visual effects" here mean special effects I expect the second Guardians of the Galaxy to eke out the win.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Ivory will win for Call Me by Your Name, but the correct answer here is Dee Rees and Virgil Williams for their masterful adaptation of Hilary Jordan's Mudbound.

Writing (Original Screenplay) - This is Peele's or Gerwig's best shot at his/her Oscar tonight.

Should be a pretty wild Oscars this time!
 
Last edited:
The pro-Jihadi film Last Men in Aleppo should win best Documentary, although the pro-McCarthyite Icarus is a strong challenger.

Although just having seen all the pins on the red carpet, I think Icarus will win.
 
Is that Robbie's mom? Hand her the microphone! Ugh, too late.

Garner is impeccably dressed as usual. Obviously Ben is nowhere to be seen.

Chalamet brought along Mom as well. Unless he's a lot taller than he looks his mom's 5 feet tops.

Bartelby said:
Shape of Water won't be winning best Original Screenplay, that's for sure.
Click to expand...

As you may know del Toro has categorically denied the plagiarism charges and from what I've read so far I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt. Looks like this might not even rise to the level of cryptomnesia.
 
Ugh, Rockwell just won Best Supporting Actor. Looks like this won't be such an upset-filled nite after all.

Bartelby said:
I've read precisely one or two articles about the matter, but there were or are now three different accusations about the film: the Zindel play, a Dutch short, and a scene from a Jeunet film!!!
Click to expand...

Guess I spoke up too soon. :oops: Didn't know there were alleged sources other than the Zindel. Will read up more about it.

Moose Malloy said:
@NonP On Body and Soul is available on Netflix.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Moose. Haven't been really keeping up with the streaming for a while. Was in a sleep-ridden coma for the past week or so, like I needed to catch up on all the lost shuteye during the Olympics. :D Will definitely check it out.
 
Icarus trumps all else, of course, because it fits in with the prevailing climate.

From all reports, it is a dreadful film as a film that had to be re-cut by Netflix for it to be even fit to be shown.

The director frames himself as the centre of the film In a masterpiece of narcissistic framing.

And then he claims a 'chance meeting' with Rodchenkov, which is always a fraudulent plot device.
 
The zig-zagging Guardian newspaper just gave the game away:

Given the film’s understandably negative view of corruption in Russia, it might not be a favorite with our Putin-loving president.
 
Last edited:
Del Toro’s YouTube interviews are absolutely fascinating! A big fan of Pan’s Labyrinth.

I don’t know if The Shape of Water is as hot as everyone makes out, but I hope either Best pic or Best Director for The Shape...and why not throw in Sally Jenkin for Best Actress, her character in The Shape was so likeable!!
 
Bartelby said:
Icarus trumps all else, of course, because it fits in with the prevailing climate.

From all reports, it is a dreadful film as a film that had to be re-cut by Netflix for it to be even fit to be shown.

The director frames himself as the centre of the film In a masterpiece of narcissistic framing.

And then he claims a 'chance meeting' with Rodchenkov, which is always a fraudulent plot device.
Click to expand...

It most likely is the worst of the bunch. (Again TBF I still haven't seen it.) As I've pointed out 2017 was an unusually strong year for documentaries. Morrison's Dawson City, Vanessa Gould's Obit. or Matthew Heineman's City of Ghosts (which probably boasts the rawest final scene of all of last year's films) could've easily taken its place.

Fedinkum said:
Del Toro’s YouTube interviews are absolutely fascinating! A big fan of Pan’s Labyrinth.

I don’t know if The Shape of Water is as hot as everyone makes out, but I hope either Best pic or Best Director for The Shape...and why not throw in Sally Jenkin for Best Actress, her character in The Shape was so likeable!!
Click to expand...

Like I said in the "last movie" thread I thought Sally was even better in Maudie. She definitely would be a deserving winner tonight.

And I know Pan's Labyrinth is generally regarded as del Toro's best but I say that title goes to The Devil's Backbone, for the simple reason violence in that movie doesn't feel tacked on for sheer shock value as I occasionally feel is the case in Labyrinth.

imonfire said:
Sound Editing and Sound Mixing go to Dunkirk. Still a shot for Baby Driver to beat it in Film Editing.
Click to expand...

Chances are Dunkirk wins that, too. Not sure about this but I'm guessing whatever wins those Sound categories wins Film Editing.
 
Any film made by a real film-maker, Agnes Varda's/JR's Faces Places, would have to be the best film as film of those actually on the list.

NonP said:
It most likely is the worst of the bunch. (Again TBF I still haven't seen it.) As I've pointed out 2017 was an unusually strong year for documentaries. Morrison's Dawson City, Vanessa Gould's Obit. or Matthew Heineman's City of Ghosts (which probably boasts the rawest final scene of all of last year's films) could've easily taken its place.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Bartelby said:
Any film made by a real film-maker, Agnes Varda's/JR's Faces Places, would have to be the best film as film.
Click to expand...

I actually thought Faces Places had a decent chance. Probably Varda's best since The Gleaners and I. At least they seem to have given her a lifetime achievement award in an earlier ceremony.

Fedinkum said:
Did that dude lost his keys? Lol or that is how the song is played in the movie?
Click to expand...

Incognito said:
I don’t think he was aware he had keys:)

haven’t seen the movie yet. Maybe the original singer called in sick. This guy is a last minute replacement:D
Click to expand...

The actual song sounds better, but then I never got the appeal of "Remember Me." Without the Pixar name attached to it I suspect it would be remembered for what it is: a charming but ultimately forgettable song that plays on the fashionable pro-immigrant sentiment to drive it forward.

Like I said "This Is Me" should win it. We'll see what happens shortly.
 
Fedinkum said:
I never thought I will see Kobe win an Oscar...that is just weird....
Click to expand...

Incognito said:
Wth? Didn’t know Kobe was in the movie making business:)
Click to expand...

I'm sure I'm the biggest Kobe fanatic around here, but the Oscar definitely went to the wrong nominee this time. And to add insult to injury Kobe (who did give a fine speech) was certainly not wanting for further recognition! If these award shows count for anything it's to spotlight worthy names that otherwise would go unrecognized by most of the public. The worst decision by the Academy so far tonight.
 
I am glad Blade Runner pick up some technical awards...is a shame such a good movie not being able to perform at the box office.
 
Dunkirk is picking up awards quietly...maybe Dunkirk is the surprise of the night!!

Did not like the arrogance of the editor winner.
 
And now two feminists, liberated from their high heels, are joking about last year's flavour of the month - race.
 
Politics used to intrude into the Oscars because of some 'naughty' figure like Brando, but now it seems scripted into the show.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

NonP
The 93rd Academy Awards (for 2020–early 2021)
Replies
43
Views
3K
onehandbh
onehandbh
NonP
The 95th Academy Awards
2
Replies
79
Views
4K
Azure
Azure
Crocodile
Media, News and culture
Replies
7
Views
463
vokazu
V
NonP
The Greatest Living Filmmakers
2 3
Replies
104
Views
7K
Moose Malloy
M
I get cramps
Transcription and translation of an online interview with Safin conducted in 2020.
Replies
6
Views
716
I get cramps
I get cramps
Back
Top