Finally we’ve made our way the 94th Academy Awards. It’s hard to believe we’re still talking 2021 movies on March 27th, yet here we are. Nevertheless, I do tend to get excited for every Oscars ceremony and last night was no different. This year was filled with frustration, namely the ludicrous decision to remove eight Oscar categories from live TV and replace them with needless fluff. Still, there was plenty for us to talk about – several good things, maybe a surprise or two, and a particular slap that has earned more press than the winners. So as I do every year, hear are some random thoughts about the 94th Oscars.

• I hate to tell the Academy, but nothing they did this year is going to win the Oscars new viewers. Overall it was a messy show filled with needless filler and that still ran nearly 30 minutes over. They should have stuck with those eight categories the producers inexplicably chose to remove. Hopefully they’ll learn from this.
• So “CODA” wins Best Picture. First, I like the movie a lot. It’s a sweet feel-good heartwarmer. It even squeaked into my Top 10. But it’s sudden burst of momentum never made much sense, and it’s hard seeing it as a ‘Best Picture’. On the other hand, I kinda like the idea of breaking the mold of what we’ve long considered ‘Oscar worthy’.
• And who would have guessed Apple would get a Best Picture Oscar before Netflix?

• In the most sure-thing category of the night, Ariana DuBose wins Best Supporting Actress for “West Side Story”. It’s still insane that Caitríona Balfe wasn’t even nominated. But what a joy seeing DuBose win the award. She was terrific.
• I hated not getting to see “Dune” win live for Best Production Design.
• I hated not getting to see “Dune” win live for Best Editing.
• I hated not getting to see “Dune” win live for Best Sound.
• I REALLY hated not getting to see Hans Zimmer win Best Score for “Dune”.
• But hey, we did get to see an overly long comedy sketch, a never ending advertisement for the Academy’s new museum, some movie trailers, etc. So who needs actual award presentations?
• Speaking of “Dune”, it wasn’t done there. It also won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Well deserved and the right choice.
• “Dune” also won for Best Cinematography. And DP Greig Fraser could find himself back at the Oscars next year for his amazing work in this year’s “The Batman”.
• Denzel Washington is an absolute treasure.
• So did you see what happened between Will Smith and Chris Rock? The broadcast’s edit was so bad no one could really tell at first. But it didn’t take long to realize that Will did indeed walk up and slap Rock across the face after a joke about his wife. He followed it up with a couple of profanity laced warnings that let every know this was real. Yikes.

• If the show’s producers couldn’t add anything memorable to the Oscars at least Will Smith did.
• And just a short time later, Will Smith awkwardly came back on stage, this time to accept his Best Actor Oscar for “King Richard”. Not a big surprise as he had become the clear frontrunner. His speech was something – full of tears, emotion and irony. There was also an apology for what transpired earlier. It was a truly surreal moment.
• Troy Kotsur did indeed win Best Supporting Actor for “CODA”. And just as predictable as his win, he also gave one of the most beautiful acceptance speeches of the night. What a class act and what a well deserving winner.
• Also predictable, Jane Campion wins for Best Director. This seemed like a lock, but her film “The Power of the Dog” had been losing a lot of steam to “CODA”. Nevertheless Campion holds on, making it back-to-back directing wins for women.
• Surprisingly Best Director turned out to be the only win for “The Power of the Dog”, a movie that peaked a little too early this awards season. I read this was the first time a film has only won Best Director since 1968 with “The Graduate”.
• Speaking of directing, I’m still astonished that Denis Villeneuve wasn’t even nominated for Best Director. Campion wins despite her movie not winning another Oscar. “Dune” wins six and Villeneuve can’t even get a nomination. I did love how all of the “Dune” winners singled out Denis in their speeches.
• This year’s trio of hosts (Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes, and Amy Schumer) were pretty much hit-or-miss all night. A few jokes landed, some fell flat, and some bits seemed to go on forever. Next year just give us Hall (and the eight categories).
• One of the few categories with at least some intrigue was Best Actress. It turns out the favorite did indeed win. Jessica Chastain takes home her first Academy Award for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” It’s a really good performance in a pretty good movie.

• I loved seeing Kenneth Branagh win the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for “Belfast”. Such a beautiful movie written with such passion and perspective.
• And “CODA” wins for Best Adapted Screenplay. I ended up predicting “CODA”, but this was one of the categories that could have went another way.
• My gosh the upbeat music and dance numbers during the In Memoriam was terribly distracting and frankly disrespectful. I can’t imagine who on the production team ever thought that was a good idea!
• Add this one to the ‘easy to predict’ bunch. “Drive My Car” wins Best International Feature Film. It was pretty much a given. I’m still stunned that Asghar Farhadi’s fantastic “A Hero” wasn’t even nominated.
• “Encanto” won Best Animated Feature Film. Of course it did. It’s Disney and we all know the Academy rarely ventures outside of Disney/Pixar for their winners in this category. Sorry “The Mitchells vs. the Machines”.
• In the end “Dune” led the way with six Oscars, “CODA” won three, and “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” won two. No other film won more than one Oscar. The Academy definitely spread the statues around this year.

And there you have my random thoughts on this year’s ceremony. What did you think of the show? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

I love Oscar weekend. I enjoy the ridiculous pageantry, the overstuffed television broadcast, and of course the focus solely on movies. And while I don’t take them too seriously, I do tend to avoid the condescending (and seemingly obligatory) dismissal of the awards which makes its way through critics circles nearly every year at this time. That’s because I do think the Oscars matter. Not so much in definitively proclaiming the ‘best’ movie of the year. But in highlighting certain movies and advancing careers.

This year I’ve had a tough time keeping myself excited for the Academy Awards. Not because I’ve lost interest or due to the nominees. But because we are already three months into 2022. It’s hard to stay focused on 2021 movies when we’re already this far into the new year. Simply put, March 27th is too long to wait.

Still, here we are two days away from Oscar night, and I have to admit my juices are beginning to flow. Suddenly I find myself looking forward to Sunday night’s big show. So in keeping with that excitement, I decided to put together my picks for some of the Academy’s big categories. Critics often get together to consider, debate and discuss. So why not join the choir. Today I’m simply sharing who I think WILL win and who I WANT to win. So let’s go.

BEST PICTURE

The Nominees:

1. Belfast
2. Don’t Look Up
3. Drive My Car
4. The Power of the Dog
5. Dune
6. West Side Story
7. CODA
8. King Richard
9. Licorice Pizza
10. Nightmare Alley

Who Will Win: “The Power of the Dog”

Who I Want to Win: “Dune”

For a long time this has been a one horse race with “The Power of the Dog” being the clear frontrunner. But lately “CODA” (of all movies) has been surging and now there is some real belief that the little feel-good movie could win the big prize. I’m not ruling it out, but I’m still not seeing it. I like “The Power of the Dog” but don’t feel it’s storytelling is nearly as sharp as most do. But it has a lot of push behind it – probably enough to get it across the finish line. I’d prefer a number of other nominees (“Dune”, “Belfast”, “Nightmare Alley”, “West Side Story”) but they don’t stand a chance. BY THE WAY: I can think of 20 movies I would have nominated over “Don’t Look Up” or “Licorice Pizza”. Oh well.

BEST DIRECTOR

The Nominees:

1. Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
2. Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car)
3. Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)
4. Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
5. Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)

Who Will Win: Jane Campion

Who I Want to Win: Kenneth Branagh

Yes, I know it’s fashionably absurd to root for Kenneth Branagh or “Belfast” is any regard. Too bad. It’s a great movie and I would love to hear it’s name called. But none of that matters. This has been and remains Campion’s category, and I don’t see anything changing on Oscar night. This one’s pretty much a lock. BY THE WAY: Where on earth is Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”)? It’s easily one of this season’s more glaring omissions.

BEST ACTOR

The Nominees:

1. Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
2. Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
3. Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick…Boom!)
4. Will Smith (King Richard)
5. Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)

Who Will Win: Will Smith

Who I Want to Win: Denzel Washington

There was a time where I thought this was a really intriguing category. But over the last month or so Will Smith has emerged as the clear favorite. I have to say, as a luke-warm Will Smith fan, I was really impressed by his work in “King Richard” and would have no beef with him winning. But I really wish Denzel would get the statue. Unfortunately almost no one is talking about his incredible performance so it’s hard to imagine he stands a chance. Sunday will be Smith’s night. BY THE WAY: No Bradley Cooper for “Nightmare Alley”???

BEST ACTRESS

The Nominees:

1. Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
2. Penélope Cruz (Parallel Mothers)
3. Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)
4. Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)
5. Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Who Will Win: Jessica Chastain

Who I Want to Win: Olivia Colman

This is a pretty stacked category. It’s one that features several really good performances in pretty good movies. Obviously K-Stew has been getting a big social media push while Cruz’s name suddenly started popping up as a potential dark horse. A part of me says never count out Kidman, but I really do think Chastain will pull it out. She was terrific in a movie that was too focused on rewriting certain bits of history. Still, Chastain didn’t miss a beat and should get the Oscar. BY THE WAY: I’m still surprised that Ruth Negga didn’t slip in for “Passing”.

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE

The Nominees:

1. The Hand of God
2. Drive My Car
3. Flee
4. The Worst Person in the World
5. Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom

Who Will Win: Drive My Car

Who I Want to Win: The Worst Person in the World

This is a wild category and one noted by some pretty stiff omissions. Regardless, it’s hard to see anything else winning other than “Drive My Car”. After all, it is the only nominee that’s also nominated for Best Picture. In fairness, I haven’t seen “Lucana”, but the other four make for an interesting group. Still, the winner here is pretty easy to predict. BY THE WAY: How did the Academy not even nominate Asghar Farhadi’s “A Hero”? Talk about mind-boggling.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

The Nominees:

1. Encanto
2. Flee
3. Luca
4. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
5. Raya and the Last Dragon

Who Will Win: Encanto

Who I Want to Win: The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Another interesting category. I personally loved “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and “Raya and the Last Dragon”. But boy does Oscar love Pixar so it’s hard to bet against them. I can’t see “Encanto” losing. BY THE WAY: I remain an animated movie weakling so don’t put much value on anything I have to offer to this category.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

The Nominees:

1. Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)
2. Troy Kotsur (CODA)
3. Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)
4. J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos)
5. Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)

Who Will Win: Troy Kotsur

Who I Want to Win: Troy Kotsur

A fun category but also one of the most sure-things come Oscar night. Troy Kotsur has been on an amazing streak this awards season, and it’s hard to see anything derailing him leading up to his last stop. A part of me would love to see Hinds win. He gives such a wonderful performance in “Belfast”. But no one is stopping Kotsur. He’ll win and it will be one of the most memorable moments of the night. BY THE WAY: I like Jesse Plemons. But his nomination here is such an odd one. It’s a solid performance but he’s given very little to do. I would have much rather seen someone like Ben Affleck for “The Tender Bar”.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

The Nominees:

1. Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)
2. Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)
3. Judi Dench (Belfast)
4. Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
5. Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)

Who Will Win: Ariana DeBose

Who I Want to Win: Caitriona Balfe (Oh wait…)

This category is a mix of of excitement and utter bewilderment. Buckley was such a nice surprise and Ellis was quite good. But no one is beating DeBose. She was magical in “West Side Story” and she has had this category locked up since well before the nominees were announced. BY THE WAY: The Caitriona Balfe snub is the most baffling and egregious of the year. She was incredible in “Belfast” and had been nominated in nearly every award stop leading up the Oscars. I have no idea how the Academy dropped the ball this badly.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Nominees:

1. Belfast
2. Don’t Look Up
3. King Richard
4. Licorice Pizza
5. The Worst Person in the World

Who Will Win: Belfast

Who I Want to Win: Belfast

This category is a complete toss-up. I can pick apart the scripts for nearly every one of these nominees. But I think Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” screenplay is a near perfect mix of heart, soul, and humor. I think it’ll win, but the near irrational pushback to that film in some circles may point to a more fashionable choice. Still, I’m sticking with “Belfast”. BY THE WAY: How “Licorice Pizza” and “Don’t Look Up” found their way into this category is beyond me. Perhaps certain names do carry more weight during awards season.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Nominees:

1. CODA
2. Drive My Car
3. Dune
4. The Lost Daughter
5. The Power of the Dog

Who Will Win: CODA

Who I want to Win: Dune

Here’s another one that could go a number of ways. While I think the script is the one thing that holds “The Power of the Dog” back, I still believe it has a good shot at winning this category. But the recent push “CODA” has received makes me lean towards it, and I wouldn’t be upset if it wins. I do think people are overlooking “Dune” and how it’s screenplay brought together its vast and sweeping story. But in a category this stacked, it’s understandable why it wouldn’t win. BY THE WAY: Even in a crammed group, it’s really a shame that Tony Kushner wasn’t nominated for “West Side Story”.

So there are a few of my picks for Sunday night‘s big show. I’d love to hear what you agree or disagree with. What would be your choices for the categories mentioned above? Let me hear from you.

Independent film distributor extraordinaire A24 teams with writer-directer Alex Garland (“Ex Machina”, “Annihilation”) in the new horror thriller “Men”. The film stars the wonderful (and now Oscar-nominated) Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear. A24 dropped a killer teaser a month or so ago and now have released the first official trailer. To no surprise this looks really good and you can see Garland’s fingerprints all over it.

In “Men” Buckley plays Harper, a grieving woman who retreats to English countryside following the tragic death of her husband (Paapa Essiedu). Her quiet escape is quickly interrupted by a number of men from the village (many played by Kinnear). The images are mysterious and often unsettling, giving us a taste of the horrors to come but also leaving much to our imagination. One thing’s for sure, there will be more going on under the surface that what the trailer shows us. I can’t wait.

“Men” hits theaters May 20th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Coming off of her stellar performance in “Fresh”, Daisy Edgar-Jones stars in “Where the Crawdads Sing”. The small town drama/thriller is an adaptation of the best selling 2018 novel by Delia Owens and sees Edgar-Jones given a meaty role as a resilient young woman from the North Carolina marshes. The film is directed by Olivia Newton and written for the screen by Lucy Alibar who co-wrote 2012’s superb “Beasts of the Southern Wild”.

Edgar-Jones plays Kya. Abandoned as a child and shunned by most of the local townsfolk, Kya mostly survived in the marsh on her own. But when a young man she was involved with suddenly ends up dead, she becomes the chief suspect in what festers into a witch hunt. The cast also includes the always terrific David Strathairn who instantly elevates any movie he’s in. I like the setting and I like the premise. I also like what I’ve seen of Edgar-Jones, and I’m anxious to see what she does with this role.

“Where the Crawdads Sing” opens in theaters on July 15th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it and taking a pass.

After last month’s bland and thrill-free “Blacklight”, it’s not a stretch to wonder if the Liam Neeson action thriller era has finally reached its end. But not so fast. The first trailer for his new film “Memory” just dropped and it gives a little hope that the great Irish actor still has a few good movies left in them. Directed by Martin Campbell, “Memory” teams Neeson with Monica Bellucci and the often underappreciated Guy Pearce.

In some ways, “Memory” has a lot of the same flavor as every other Neeson flick. But this one has an interesting twist. This remake of a 2003 Belgian film sees Neeson playing a hitman-for-hire who is suddenly targeted after refusing to carry out a job involving a kid. The catch is Neeson’s aged assassin, though still lethal, is showing signs of early dementia. This adds an intriguing wrinkle and both Pearce and Bellucci have some interesting roles to play. How will it all turn out? I have no idea. But I’m genuinely curious about this one.

“Memory” is set to hit theaters April 29th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I have to admit, back in 2020 my expectations for a “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie were pretty low. And while Jeff Fowler’s zany action-adventure comedy was far from perfect, I was surprised at how entertaining it managed to be. Fowler returns with the inevitable sequel that brings back the anthropomorphic hedgehog with lightning fast speed. And this time Sonic brings along a few new faces from is long running video game mythology.

The new action-heavy trailer sees Sonic (once again voiced by Ben Schwartz) duking it out with a evil mustachioed Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik (Jim Carrey), a mad scientist with serious world domination ambitions. This time Robotnik has brought some muscle – a red echidna named Knuckles (voiced by none other than Idris Elba). So Sonic teams with an orange fox named Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) to stop the villains and save earth. Meanwhile James Marsden returns as the straight man to Sonic’s nuttiness. I’m not sure what to think about this one. The effects look pretty great, but it also could be a case of overkill. Hopefully not.

“Sonic the Hedgehog” races into theaters April 8th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.