2017 Academy Award Nominations, and the State of Cinema
Originally published 24 January 2017
As the picture above indicates, 2017 was a year of Women in the Movies for me. Certain 20th Century Love Witch Little Sister Women with Equity and Hidden Figures. Women starred in these movies of course, and in many cases wrote and/or directed them as well.
Unfortunately, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences doesn’t reward what William Bayer referred to as “Cinema of Personal Expression.” And every film nominated for Best Picture this year was directed by a man.
My reactions to the Oscar nominations are not in the least bit influenced by a film’s recent success winning other awards. That’s because a) I don’t follow other awards, and b) who cares. My readers know that I’m much more focused on films with high critical acclaim, and I base my surprises and snubs on that foundation. That gives us much to discuss this year.
Two films in the Best Picture category stand out in my mind, for different reasons. Lion was a film that was generally liked by critics and audiences, while not appearing on many best-of-the-year lists. But I would group it along with Hidden Figures as an inspirational tale that had the benefit of being based on a true story. A quality non-animated film that has no spaceships or magic, that the whole family will like? I can count those on one hand, so I’m supportive. Hacksaw Ridge impressed critics more but, like so many Mel Gibson films, was an exercise in endurance. Or maybe it just felt that way for me since I was in the second row. If you’re going to recognize Andrew Garfield for bringing Christianity to Japan, why not for the far superior Silence, which was only rewarded for its Cinematography? For a more human view of Mel, check out the excellent Blood Father, which he mercifully did not direct, but acts in very well. And gets shot.
What, if anything, should we think about Mel Gibson’s nomination for Best Director? Assuming that every Best Director will be drawn from the ranks of the Best Picture list (which was not always so) we see that the Academy liked his work better than Denzel Washington (for Fences), Garth Davis (for Lion), Theodore Melfi (for Hidden Figures), and David MacKenzie (for Hell or High Water). If those are your choices, than I can’t quibble too much, but that leaves behind some truly interesting work from other movies. How about Park Chan-wook for The Handmaiden? I guess multiple nominations for the Palme d’Or don’t count for much anymore? Maren Ade will likely be taking home a much deserved statue for Toni Erdmann, so that’s some small consolation.
How about writing? Well, if Hidden Figures wins Best Adapted Screenplay, than Allison Schroeder will take home a statue along with Theodore Melfi. For women, that’s it. Naught for…. well, Maren Ade again. No consideration for the criminally underrated The Edge of Seventeen, written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig. There are actually very few films written by women in the highest ranks of 2016 critically acclaimed lists. You have to consult the group I started with above — Certain Women by Kelly Reichardt, American Honey by Andrea Arnold, and The Fits by Anna Rose Holmer, Lisa Kjerulff and Saela Davis, to find some examples. Those three have one thing in common — minimalism in dialogue, focusing more on non-verbal interactions. That isn’t going to catch anyone’s attention. Still, Best Costume Design was 5 for 5 women.
Ah well. Should I keep griping, or focus for a while on pleasant surprises?
No. Because there weren’t any. There were many nominations that made me happy, but they were all expected. All I can focus on are the oddities and the WTFs.
- Meryl Streep again.
And again and again. There were so many other strong female performances overlooked for this category. Does the Academy just want her to get up and bust on Trump again? Why not Sandra Hüller, Felicity Jones (for Rogue One), or Mary Elizabeth Winstead (for 10 Cloverfield Lane)? Normally I’d blame the science fiction genre for those last two, but Arrival proves me wrong. How about the twice-hosed Amy Adams (Arrival and Nocturnal Animals)? And wasn’t this supposed to be Annette Bening’s year, after owning 20th Century Women, and not winning after 4 previous nominations? - Sing out loud, sing out strong!
Did you know that “Best Original Musical” is still an active Oscar category, even though there have been no nominations since 1984, when Purple Rain beat out The Muppets Take Manhattan? I kid you not. With a resurgence in 2016 of the “classical musical” led by La La Land, why not bring it back? Perhaps I’m just peeved that Hail Caesar! only got a Production Design nomination, after wowing me with some excellent song and dance. Sing Street was also one of the most purely entertaining films of the year, and got completely shut out. Anyone claiming to be an 80s music fan must not miss it. - No one bit on these? Prestige films that were obvious Oscar bait including Eye in the Sky, Midnight Special (Michael Shannon’s other good film from 2016), Our Kind of Traitor, and especially Swiss Army Man were all ignored. Released too early in the year, or too weird to handle, I suppose.
- “Dying is easy, Comedy is disregarded”
If the Academy recognizes that comedy is difficult to pull off, why don’t they reward it more often? Hail Caesar!, Everybody Wants Some!, The Nice Guys, Deadpool, Sing Street, and most especially , and most especially Hunt for the Wilderpeople should be sought out and savored. I shrug off Meryl’s nomination, as it reflects only the Academy’s slavish regard for her, not the material. It was Florence’s death scene which sealed the deal anyway. Whoops, spoiler! - O-V-E-R-L-O-O-K spells Relief
This is my annual rant of celebrated films which I hated, and apparently left the Academy cold as well. I’m very glad to see nada being awarded to American Honey, because I hated hated hated every character in that movie. Finding Dory was a boring shadow of its predecessor, and Knight of Cups continued the sad trend of physically painful Terence Malick films. - Did they check the wrong box?
Viola Davis, Jeff Bridges and Dev Patel as Best Supporting Actors? - Un Certain Regard
This is the Cannes Film Festival category for movies that didn’t win, but the judges really liked anyway. My list for 2016, for films not mentioned previously, includes High Rise, The Neon Demon, Train to Busan, and The Wave. Not for all tastes, but if you love urban dystopian zombie fashion model natural disaster movies, give them a try. - My Besties List
These are the only films I awarded top marks for in 2016: 13th, The Handmaiden, and Hell or High Water.
I’ll stop there. I could write much more, particularly about the fine documentaries of 2016, and why Casey Affleck and Mel Gibson should avoid being photographed together, but it’s late. You are hereby released to go read other, lesser commentaries. I have to seek out “My Life as a Zucchini.”
