*Warning -- spoilers ahead!*
Much like last year, this year’s Oscar nominations for Best Picture were...disappointing. Since last year when “The Shape of Water” won Best Picture over “Call Me By Your Name,” I’ve been slowly losing hope in award ceremonies that cater to who knows what over profound social statements and ingenious artistic flair.
In my personal, unpopular opinion, the only films that actually had validity of being on the list for 2019 were “Black Panther,” “Roma” and “BlacKkKlansman” due to their cultural relevance and record-breaking popularity. At the same time, just because something is popular doesn’t mean it has merit. Take “The Favourite,” for example. Weren’t intense, period dramas supposed to be over in like, 2006? I really can’t deal with the sheer cheesiness and overly idealistic nature of “A Star is Born,” no matter how excellent Lady Gaga’s voice is. And did anyone even see “Green Book”? Didn’t think so. OK, Rami Malek was an incredible Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” but the film’s writing missed the mark in so many uncool ways -- not to mention factually incorrect and full of plot holes. So let’s save his role for Best Actor, shall we?
Here are the 5 films that should have been nominated in place of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Favourite,” “Green Book,” “A Star is Born” and “Vice.”
1. "Sorry to Bother You"
“Sorry To Bother You” tells the tale of a millennial black man’s search for stability, both financially and in his personal life. He eventually lands a job, and quickly moves through the ranks after heeding advice from another black man to “use his white guy voice” to sell products. Director Boots Riley pulls out weirdly wild subversive moves to make statements on racism, art and consumerism that leave the viewer poring over every detail at the film’s end. At the same time, we're left wondering, “what the hell did I just watch?” Almost everything is meant to be a metaphor in this film, and it’s wholly exciting to watch.
2. "A Quiet Place"
Let’s talk about how John Krasinski came out of NOWHERE and directed this film that probably has less than 500 spoken words in it. Even though the film itself is relatively quiet, the viewer knows exactly what the family is feeling and experiencing. “A Quiet Place” is the kind of post-apocalyptic film that’s been missing from existing repertoire: it’s not loud, angry, obnoxious or full of the same ol’ tropes that we’ve seen dozens of times before. At its heart, it’s a film about the strength of family bonds, a wholesome theme that’s portrayed in an incredibly intimate, unique way.
3. "Eighth Grade"
Much like John Krasinski, Bo Burnham is the director that unexpectedly captured hearts with major cringe-worthy moments in his directorial debut, “Eighth Grade.” Burnham was able to perfectly capture what it’s really like to live as a teen in the social media age. Thirteen-year-old Kayla tries so hard to fit in -- to the point that she insists on creating self-help YouTube videos for a non-existent audience. Thankfully, she ends up learning a lot about herself and individuality along the way. “Eighth Grade” is kind of like the modern equivalent of “Catcher in the Rye,” and empathetically portrays the struggles of social pressures and self-esteem from viewing so much online content.
4. "Mandy"
At its core, “Mandy” is a bloody revenge film. A more tasteful version of gritty slasher movies, “Mandy” remains an incredibly visually stimulating film, channeling Guillermo Del Toro with its gothic, mesmerizing darkness.
While Nicolas Cage isn’t usually known for his stellar acting, his over-the-top antics play out really well in this film, as he plays a husband utterly determined to atone for his wife’s murder. He’s willing to do just about anything to avenge her killers who, in this case, are part of a Manson-like cult. The casting director’s decision to cast Cage as the revenge-seeking husband was truly a brilliant move in this suspenseful-yet-action-packed horror flick, which makes the viewer feel like they’re in a dream, or maybe more accurately, a nightmare.
5. "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot"
Joaquin Phoenix stars as alcoholic cartoonist John Callahan in “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot.” The movie is set in the earlier stages of Callahan’s life, in which he succumbs to addiction and makes a mistake that permanently alters his quality of life. This film is a beautiful homage to Callahan while also relaying positive messages of determination, encouragement and the importance of having a support system.
Music lovers will find a little bit of joy in this film from the small supporting roles from Kim Gordon, Beth Ditto and Carrie Brownstein. Between Phoenix’s acting and intimate story-telling, the film shows the viewer that even though Callahan’s life wasn’t easy, he found a way to make it work. Chances are, if you see this film, you’ll start thinking the exact same way.
