LeBlog’s 2021-22 Memo to the Academy

https://lebeauleblog.com/2022/01/24/leblogs-2021-22-memo-to-the-academy/

Back in the 80s and early 90s, Siskel and Ebert used to kick off their coverage of Oscars season with what they called their “Memo to the Academy.” This was basically just an episode in which they chose some of their favorite films and performances of the year, but more specifically those which they thought were in danger of getting too little attention from the voters at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

https://lebeauleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-17-at-2.56.31-PM-631x430.png

Since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I’m going to follow their lead here at LeBlog with my own set of suggestions in a variety of categories. You’re not likely to see entries about slam dunk nominees like Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog or Will Smith in King Richard here. Instead, with the voting for nominations beginning later this week on the 27th, I’m going to be featuring those who might be “on the bubble” or maybe even seemingly entirely ignored so far. I’ll try to point out which of these describes a specific candidate. The voters have just five days to register their selections, making this perhaps the most important time to get in their ears. You can’t win if you aren’t nominated. Ask Kristen Stewart. Maybe a little nudge could help. Feel free to share your own favorites that you think are in danger of being left out in the comments section.

This year the Academy has moved to a full 10 nominations in the Best Picture category, meaning that one or two more films will get into the biggest category of the night than in other recent years. Despite this, a couple of my favorite movies of the last several months are hanging around on the edge of either getting in or not according to top prognosticators. Meanwhile a few that I consider a bit overrated look like sure things.

https://lebeauleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-18-at-9.45.49-AM-1024x576.png

Let’s start with the movie I have sat down to the most times so far, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s film adaptation of the Jonathan Larson autobiographical musical Tick Tick…Boom. Maybe this doesn’t resonate for everyone the way it does for me, but let someone who was frequenting stages and rehearsal rooms and cast parties back in 1990 tell you: The whole production nails the feeling of the era and its character types. It’s like it was yesterday. While Andrew Garfield appears to have a strong chance at getting into the Best Actor category, people seem to be underrating everything else that went into making this sharp and emotional movie. Nominations in Best Picture, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Sound all seem more than appropriate to me. Best Director is a crowded field, but you can bet if it was a 10 nominee category I would also be pushing Miranda there. Maybe no other director this year was as important in making their movie more than it could have been in other hands. Unfortunately there’s no category for Best Performance by a Cameo Ensemble.

While we’re on the topic of Miranda, let me lodge the pre-emptive complaint that Disney may have ruined his chances at joining the ranks of EGOT by pushing the gentle ballad “Dos Oruguitos” for the Best Song Oscar over what has turned out to be the small cultural phenomena of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” or even “Surface Pressure.” This is no insult to the lovely Spanish language song, but the sad fact is that a huge number of the Academy voters aren’t Spanish speakers and either of the catchier pop songs may have had a better chance at grabbing momentum in the race and never letting go. As it is, that momentum seems to have been seized by yet another James Bond song, this one by pop singer Billlie Eilish. And guess what? It’s now too late to change course because the Oscars short list has already been announced, and “Dos Oruguitos” is the only Encanto song on it. Hey Academy, let’s not wait to make Lin-Manuel Miranda an Oscar winner, okay? He’s already a giant, and honestly you would benefit as much from an association with him as he would from one of your awards. Never mind that “Dos Oruguitos” is actually better than “No Time to Die.” Let’s make this happen.

https://lebeauleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Screen-Shot-2022-01-18-at-9.53.12-AM-1024x574.png

Another of my favorites, Guillermo Del Toro’s Nightmare Alley, might be standing around tantalizingly just outside of a nomination in as many as eight different categories, including Best Picture. The most obvious one to me would be Bradley Cooper joining the Best Actor field to save us all from him taking up space in the Supporting Actor category (we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it). Cooper carries Nightmare Alley on his shoulders even as his cast mates are offering up top level performances, because that’s what the role calls for.