Even with all the other awards that crowd the cinematic firmament, The Oscar Awards remain the most relevant, sought after and most highly prized. Even an Oscar nomination is a huge achievement and counts for more than most other awards do. The Oscar nominations for the 2019 Oscar awards scheduled for 24 February 2019 have been announced. There were several expected names there and several surprises as well:
This is a black and white, semi-autobiographical film for Netflix directed and written by Alfonso Cuarón. It follows the life of a housekeeper to a family living in the Colonia Roma area of Mexico City. It has been nominated in ten categories including best picture, best actress (a rare accolade for an indigenous actress; Yalitza Aparicio who plays Cleo), best supporting actress, best director and several others. This is the first Netflix film to be nominated for best picture.
Black Panther has to be one of the most wonderfully diverse, uplifting and optimistic Superhero films ever. They couldn’t have picked a better film than this to become the first ever superhero film to be nominated for the best picture Oscar.
The Academy seems anxious to avoid the #OscarsSoWhite charge of preceding years or maybe Hollywood has genuinely become more diverse and representative in recent times. Not only is Roma a foreign language film that got nominated, Black Panther is a proud representation of African culture. In addition is The Favourite a period drama-comedy film about a lesbian love triangle which is nominated in 10 categories including best movie, best actress and two supporting actress nominations.
Green Book is another film that shows how Hollywood has come a long way in terms of representing diverse peoples and themes. Set in the time of apartheid in the US, this is a story about an African American pianist and his tour of the Deep South with his Italian American bodyguard/driver. A Star is Born starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper is a woman-centric story which received 8 nominations; so is The Wife.
What Bohemian Rhapsody lacked in historical accuracy and subtlety it more than made up with Queen's phenomenal music, Rami Malek’s superb Freddie Mercury; a movie that is a great tribute to an incredible musician. Apart from Rami Malek, the other nominated actors include Bradley Cooper for A Star is Born, Christian Bale for Vice, Viggo Mortensen for Green Book and Willem Dafoe for At Eternity's Gate.
The superb Glenn Close is nominated for an Oscar for the 7th time for her leading role in The Wife a movie about gender roles and power structures. The other nominees are Yalitza Aparicio for Roma” Olivia Colman for The Favourite, Lady Gaga for A Star Is Born and Melissa McCarthy, for Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Spike Lee is nominated for BlacKkKlansman a film that examines hate crimes and racism in the United States of the 1970s. Pawel Pawlikowski is nominated for Cold War a love story set in the 40s-60s. Yorgos Lanthimos is nominated for The Favourite; Alfonso Cuarón for Roma. Adam McKay is nominated for Vice a biographical comedy drama starring Christian Bale as Us Vice President Dick Chaney during the Bush tenure.
Do you have something interesting you would like to share? Write to us at [email protected]
