Every year the same thing happens: Oscar nominations are announced and a large number of film lovers are upset. They might be mad that they favourite films did not make the cut, they might be mad films they did not care about did. But there is also a group of people upset that Oscars fail to reflect the landscape of filmmaking as far as diversity is concerned. Contrary to what Twitter statistics may tell you, women and people of color ARE making films. They are making great films. Check out critics’ end-of-the-year lists and see how much more interesting they are than anything the Academy has to offer. I mean, just look at the Best Director nominees.
5. Todd Phillips, Joker
I am sorry but this is a joke of a nomination. There is nothing about Joker that suggests to me someone with a true artistic vision was behind it. Well, the one thing people seem to admire unanimously is Joaquin Phoenix’s performance – something Phillips admits he did not even really direct.
4. Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
I enjoyed Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood when I saw it in the summer but even then I couldn’t help but notice some truly odd filmmaking choices were made. There are so many things here that could have been done better or just cut completely.
3. Sam Mendes, 1917
1917 is a good film. It is a competently made film. Hell, I would say it is impressive at times. But it is, after all, an exercise in style, in an execution of a gimmick more than anything. I can appreciate what Mendes did but I won’t applaud it too loudly.
2. Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Scorsese made a film that only he could have made, that much is for sure. The Irishman is undeniably his. And everything that happens in it and especially the performances are conducted by an expert, by someone who definitely had a vision and knew how to execute it. And that is more than can be said for most of the nominations this year.
1. Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
For every Academy voter the choice for Best Director would be obvious. Parasite is the best film of the bunch and Bong Joon-ho created something exceptional. He created an amazing world, so similar to our own but still fascinating somehow, he created fleshed-out, complex characters and he knew exactly how to work with his actors to bring them to life. He introduced wonderful symbolism. He might be the greatest filmmaker of the year.
Swingin' at the Seance 