Box office woes are a far cry from the entire history of the three award-winning films that opened or expanded over the Thanksgiving weekend – MGM/UAR’s ‘Bones and All’, Sony Pictures’ ‘Devotion’ and ‘ Strange World” by Walt Disney. Despite poor financial returns, studios are pushing ahead with their bids for Oscar attention, as they should.
The cannibal feature “Bones and All” struggled to draw audiences to theaters despite Timothée Chalamet’s star power. Still, for those who love it (spoiler alert: me), it’s one of the best films of the year, with its gory embodiment of teenage love, meticulous craftsmanship and high-caliber performances. that elicit a passionate response.
It might not work for voters who fear severed fingers and blood dripping on fine furniture, but the film won awards for its director Luca Guadganino and Best Young Actress for star Taylor Russell when it premiered. premiered at the Venice Film Festival. Both would be more than Academy-inspired nominees.
Taylor Russell and Mark Rylance in “Bones and All”
©MGM/courtesy Everett Collection
Guadagnino, once nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture for the coming-of-age drama “Call Me by Your Name” (2017), directs one of his most vigorous directorial efforts with a singular vision that is completely sincere. Additionally, the Italian author hopes to break into the documentary feature race with “Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams,” a portrayal of legendary shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo from Sony Pictures Classics.
Russell, who caught Hollywood’s attention with the underrated ‘Waves’ (2019), is proving she’s a top woman, ready to take on more complex roles like Maren, a young woman adventure in search of his mother in the hope of finding the answer to his “condition”. The Best Actress realm will be filled with big names and talent, but there is a pocket of support for her that could materialize further.
After earning three Independent Spirit names – including a supporting name for Mark Rylance, the only actor capable of making underwear-wearing a cinematic art form, I pray the film can continue its momentum this awards season, including make-up and original score by two-time duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors) and Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) in “Devotion”
Eli Ade
In the case of “Devotion,” the Academy has a real crowd pleaser as one of the selections of the year. A nice throwback to ’90s action movies, the war flick about two naval officers’ friendship during the Korean War looks like something that would play on TNT and TBS every year and become the “dad movie”. “Saturday afternoon par excellence. It’s a total compliment.
The movie is categorized as “the other” airplane movie that also stars Glen Powell, referencing “Top Gun: Maverick.” Planes and Powell are two things the movies have in common, but “Devotion” offers its own pleasures.
Co-star Jonathan Majors shows that the narrative that movie stars are disappearing might be premature… some are simply still taking off. Directed by JD Dillard, the film boasts fine crafts such as Wynn Thomas’ luscious production design, sound and visual effects. Most notable is composer Chanda Dancy’s beautiful score, which enhances each action scene and its dramatic rhythm. It deserves serious consideration from the music industry and would make Dancy the first black woman ever nominated for the original score. Plus, the original song “Not Alone,” co-written by star and songwriter Joe Jonas, provides a healthy dose of inspiration.
“Strange World”
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Finally, “Strange World” follows the path of “The Good Dinosaur” and will become one of the studio’s few financial losses in recent years. It is not due to the quality.
With very little marketing, Don Hall’s colorful gem features what Bill Maher would call “the woktiest movie of the year,” starring a white father, black mother, and LGBTQ son in a film about climate change. It’s a Trump supporter’s worst nightmare. But, when given a chance, this tender story about family, acceptance, and our neglect of Mother Earth is a new kind of animated adventure that will mean so much to so many in the years to come.
It’s probably not as exciting as other animated feature contenders like “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” and “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” but it could still be a strong possibility of landing on the ground.
To Academy and industry voters, don’t let the “bombshell” headlines stop you from giving these movies (or any movie) a good jolt. This is also the case for previous releases such as the romantic comedy “Bros” starring Billy Eichner and the meditative epic “Three Thousand Years of Longing” by George Miller.
Money cannot be the only measure of success and artistic significance in the industry. Ask any movie buff about ‘Children of Men’ (2006), ‘The Iron Giant’ (1999) and ‘Fight Club’ (1999).
To see ranked predictions for each individual category, visit Variety Oscar Center. The first set of SAG Awards predictions for the movie was also revealed.