OSCARS 2020

This year was notable in that I found several talented relatively new filmmakers that had been around for a few years whose movies I had not been aware. The main reason may be my general aversion to horror films, at least the kinds of horror films that I grew up with, which specialized in torture scenes. The horror movies that are coming out now, spearheaded by the very talented producers at A24, are very good movies that have more in common with the horror renaissance of the 1970s than the schlock of the 80s and the torture porn of the aughts. I saw my first Jennifer Kent movie last summer ("The Nightingale") which led me to see her brilliant first movie (2015's "The Badadook"). I saw my first Eggers Brothers movie last fall ("The Lighthouse") which let me to see their very good first movie (2015's "The Witch"). I just saw Ari Aster's extraordinary "Midsommar" and have put his first movie "Hereditary" on my list. Then outside of the horror genre, I saw the Safdie Brothers "Uncut Gems" leading me to put "Good Time" on my list, and I saw Keanu Reeves "John Wick 3: Parabellum" leading me to watch the first movie in the series. I already knew about Marielle Heller ("A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood") and Greta Gerwig ("Little Women"), so all in all I feel more caught up with new talent in movies than I have been in years.

Also, I feel like for the first time in forever, the races for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress were just as competitive as the races for Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor. This probably reflects more and better roles for women.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Kathy Bates – Bobi Jewell – Richard Jewell

Laura Dern - Nora Danshaw - Marriage Story

Nicole Kidman – Gretchen Carlson - Bombshell

Scarlett Johansson – Rosie – Jojo Rabbit

Yeo-jeong Jo – Yeon Kyo - Parasite

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Baykali Ganabarr – Billy – The Nightingale

Brad Pitt – Cliff Booth - Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood

Joe Pesci – Russell Bufalino – The Irishman

Kang-ho Song – Ki Take – Parasite

Wesley Snipes – D’Urville Martin – Dolemite is My Name

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

1917

Bombshell
Jojo Rabbit
Joker

BEST COSTUME DESIGN 

Joker

Jojo Rabbit

Little Women

Midsommar
One Upon a Time…in Hollywood

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Joker

Midsommar

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

Parasite

BEST USE OF A SONG IN A MOVIE

Old Man Piano Medley – Under the Silver Lake

I’m a Believer and Heroes (German Version) – Jojo Rabbit

In the Still of the Night – The Irishman

Being Alive – Marriage Story

Beethoven (Pathetique Sonata) – Little Women

BEST SOUND EDITING AND SOUND MIXING

Ford v. Ferrari

The Lighthouse

They Shall Not Grow Old

1917

Ad Astra

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

1917

Avengers: Endgame

Captain Marvel

The Irishman

 Star Wars IX: The Rise of Skywalker

BEST FILM EDITING

Honeyland

The Irishman

Knives Out

Parasite

Uncut Gems

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1917

Honeyland

The Lighthouse

Midsommar

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

BEST DOCUMENTARY

American Dharma

American Factory

Honeyland

One Child Nation

They Shall Not Grow Old

BEST ACTRESS

Aisling Franciosi – Clare – The Nightingale

Awkwafina – Billi – The Farewell

Charlize Theron – Megyn Kelly – Bombshell

Florence Pugh – Dani – Midsommar

Taraji P. Hensen – Ann Atwater – The Best of Enemies

BEST ACTOR
Adam Driver – Charlie – Marriage Story

Adam Sandler – Howard Ratner – Uncut Gems

Joaquin Phoenix – Arthur Fleck – Joker

Keanu Reeves – John Wick-  John Wick 3: Parabellum

Willem Dafoe – Thomas Wake – The Lighthouse

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Anthony McCarten - The Two Popes

Greta Gerwig – Little Women

Jojo Rabbit – Taika Waititi

Lulu Wang - The Farewell

Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Bong Joon Ho - Parasite

Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers - Spider-Man: Far From Home

David Robert Mitchell - Under the Silver Lake

Mike Leigh - Peterloo

Rian Johnson – Knives Out

BEST DIRECTOR

Ari Aster – Midsommar

Bong Joon Ho - Parasite

Safdie Brothers – Uncut Gems

Sam Mendes – 1917

Quentin Tarantino - Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

BEST PICTURE:

This was the first year that a foreign language film won the Best Picture Oscar (Bong Joon Ho's "Parasite") and it will be the first year since I've started this blog (2005) where my pick for Best Picture was also the Academy's pick. So good job Academy.

1917
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
The Farewell
Jojo Rabbit
Knives Out
Midsommar
Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood
Parasite
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Uncut Gems