As a kid, Oscar night was one of mine nougats events of the year of life. Ever since the German TV channel “Pro 7” appeared in our house and we were able to watch the award ceremony in its entirety, my parents had given up trying to tell me to go to bed because I wouldn’t be able to wake up for school afterwards. Because who cared about school when you could empathize with your favorite movies and actors? And enjoy all the fancy dresses and impressive musical numbers! Yes, my teenage diary even contains a long and excruciatingly detailed Oscar acceptance speech. On my part, I had taken the liberty of writing down the praises of other “cinema professionals” for my talent. It’s not really clear what exactly it was – acting, directing or writing – but it was secondary. My priority was to fantasize Steven Spielberg’s words of admiration, which he would one day dedicate to me from the stage of the “Oscar” ceremony.
Now, of course, my admiration for the event has waned considerably, and I haven’t watched a live show in years. But I must admit that I also follow the announcement of the nominations and try to watch as many as possible of the films that are selected as the best every year. And the year 2022, in my opinion, has been very diverse and interesting. Of the ten films that will compete for the film of the year statuette, I haven’t seen only two – James Cameron’s epic “Avatar: Waterway”, because… well, no. (Also, I can’t understand why this film is nominated in such a prestigious category at all). As well as Sara Polija’s “The Women Talk”, which, as it seems, will not make it to Latvian cinemas. Therefore, I will mostly dedicate this article to the nominees of the “Best Film” category, starting with the film, which, in my opinion, has the greatest chance to receive the “Oscar” award.
“Everything everywhere at once”
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s extraordinary and insane film “Everything everywhere at once” is one of the biggest surprises of 2022. This – by the standards of the US film industry – low-budget film became an unexpected hit and a darling of critics. Although this is a rather unusual choice for the “Best Picture” award, it is a work that accurately captures the chaos of the modern world, the fragmented perception, the abundance of information and how all this can affect mental health. The story of an immigrant family that finds itself at the epicenter of a multiverse battle is touching, funny and relevant. Additionally, Hollywood has long ignored Asian American stories, mostly using them as background characters or offensive caricatures. “Everything everywhere at the same time” is not a social drama where stories of immigrants are shamelessly used – it is a film about family, searching for the meaning of life and forgiveness. And most of all – about love.
“Fabelmeni”
Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical movie “Fablemen” seems like it was made to receive the “Best Picture” statuette. It is a story about Hollywood and the love of cinema, moreover – unlike Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” – it is much more conventional and easier to “digest”. Hollywood loves Steven Spielberg and Spielberg loves Hollywood. The only reason the film might not win the Golden Man is simply because it’s too classic and predictable a choice.
“No changes on the Western Front”
An unexpected surprise for many was the streaming platform “Netflix” film from Germany – Edward Berger’s version of the classic novel “On the Western Front without Change” by Erich Marie Remarque. War films have always played an important role in the context of the Oscars, and the film adaptation of this novel already received the award as best film in 1930. I have to admit, I watched Berger’s film in three sittings, because it is so scary and full of hopelessness that it creates a feeling of physical nausea. There is nothing more terrible than to say that “Unchanged on the Western Front” is probably the most relevant movie right now. The senselessness of war and the idiotic deaths of young men at the hands of well-fed and self-centered politicians are too close to reality to be worth reflecting on. However, it must be admitted that giving an Oscar to a film that brutally shows the horrors and senselessness of war would be almost a political move. Unfortunately, this would make no difference in real life, where human lives are still completely unimportant to bloodthirsty dictators.
“Top Gun: Maveriks”
I can’t believe I’m writing about Joseph Kosinski’s blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick as a potential Best Picture Oscar winner right now, but here we are. However, it should be noted that the Covid-19 pandemic was a very heavy blow to cinemas and the film industry, and “Top Gun: Mavericks”‘s more than a billion dollars at the box office came as a hope for Hollywood – especially for the distribution of films in cinemas. In addition, there is currently a video on the Internet in which Steven Spielberg himself apparently tells Tom Cruise that he has saved Hollywood. So maybe Top Gun: Maverick will get an Oscar as a thank you. And the Church of Scientology will also pray for Mr. Cruz. (James Cameron’s “Avatar: Waterway” would also be placed in this same section – an unexpected nominee in the category, but… who knows! This science fiction epic was also one of the “cinema saviors”.)
“Elvis”
The enormous importance of Elvis Presley in American culture is difficult to fully realize when living in Europe. But the Presley family in the US is something like the royal family of music, moreover, Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie passed away relatively recently. All these circumstances play in favor of, in my opinion, not the most successful movie of Baz Luhrmann – “Elvis”. A big plus, of course, is the acting of Austin Butler in the role of Presley, for which the actor also received a “BAFTA” award. Maybe the spirit of Elvis will stand next to Luhrmann and Butler, but in this case it would be a gesture of respect for the Presley family and the musical legacy of the “King of Rock and Roll” rather than a testament to the artistic qualities of the film.
“The Insane Banshee”
I have to admit with sadness that it is hard to imagine that my favorite – Martin McDonough’s “Inisherina Banshee” could receive the “Oscar” as the best film. This – along with Charlotte Wells’s “After the Sun”, which was not nominated in this category – is one of the most human and touching stories in last year’s cinema. Martin McDonagh’s unusual characters and absurdly witty dialogue are the perfect breeding ground for an existential tragedy that tackles a rarely played topic: the end of friendship. As a consolation, McDonagh is likely to win Best Original Screenplay (unless he’s beaten by Everything Everywhere At Once), and high hopes are being placed on all four of the film’s actors, who are nominated for their performances.
“Triangle of Sadness”
Junho Bon’s Parasite made Academy Award history by becoming the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture. Therefore, this year it is no longer so unusual that two films in a foreign language have been nominated in the “Best Film” category – “The Western Front without Change” and Ruben Ostlund’s “Triangle of Sadness”. Although the critics’ favorite film does not seem like a typical candidate for the most important statuette of the evening, sometimes “Oscars” tend to play a surprise. And the victory of the “Sad Triangle” today would be a surprise.
“Tara”
Todd Field’s drama about the fictional conductor Lydia Tara is great cinema, in which Cate Blanchett once again excels in the title role. However, although Blanchett is one of the most likely contenders for the “Oscar” as the best actress, the victory of the film itself is much less likely. Just like Sarah Poland’s drama Women Talk. Here we could talk in more detail about the marginalization of women’s stories and the fact that once again only men are nominated in the category of best director, but – I’ll say it like it is – I’m tired of keeping my mouth shut. Be that as it may, the film “Tara” is an excellent cinema, which we would really like to see on the screens of Latvian cinemas.
Which film will become the winner of the 2022 “Oscar” will be known very soon, but the number of different films nominated in this category this year gives me hope. No, not to receive an “Oscar” from the hands of Steven Spielberg, but for the future of cinema. Because – unlike several previous years, when watching “Oscar” films seemed like a painful task, this year it was a real pleasure. And only reignited my undying love for cinema. To completely inaccurately quote Steven Spielberg: “Thank you, Tom Cruise!”
