{"id":2012,"date":"2017-02-24T22:00:07","date_gmt":"2017-02-25T03:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bowdoinglobalist.com\/?p=2012"},"modified":"2017-02-24T22:00:07","modified_gmt":"2017-02-25T03:00:07","slug":"oscar-predictions-preview-preview-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/film\/oscar-predictions-preview-preview-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"Oscar Predictions Preview: Preview Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ahhh, the Oscars. For many of us, Hollywood\u2019s grandest awards show offers us a time to believe<\/span>\u2014<\/span>if only for a moment<\/span>\u2014<\/span>that our understanding of film may align with that of the experts. Unfortunately, most of us aren\u2019t blessed with the luxury of being able to blow hundreds of dollars on movie tickets (and buckets of popcorn, if you\u2019re Julian) and to spend inordinate amounts of time sitting in theaters watching every single Oscar-nominated film. For the lucky few that are, good for you. <\/span><\/p>\n

As for the rest of us, we are still in possession of a certain invaluable tool which we can use to assess Hollywood\u2019s elite films: one of life\u2019s greatest conveniences<\/span>\u2014the <\/span>movie trailer. Each trailer is a work of art in its own right, a testament to everything we love about America. It is only fair and good that these mini-masterpieces receive a generous level of scrutiny; each one is, after all, a simulacrum of a greater ensemble, the essence of a chef d\u2019oeuvre. Without further ado…<\/span><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note: For those expecting a serious analysis of this year\u2019s set of Oscar noms, please PROCEED NO FURTHER. The methodology used here is an insult to methodologies everywhere because these picks are based exclusively on the *OFFICIAL* trailers for each nominated film. What follows is an exercise in whimsical nonsense. Special thanks to Jessica Piper for giving us this idea: you are responsible for everything from this point forward.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Actor<\/b><\/p>\n

Julian Barajas: <\/b>A couple things right off the bat: In the \u201cLa La Land\u201d trailer, Ryan Gosling didn\u2019t say anything, which leads me to believe that he doesn\u2019t talk that much during the movie. And one must talk to win a Best Actor Oscar. Andrew Garfield in \u201cHacksaw Ridge\u201d was basically Forrest Gump thrown into WWII. In \u201cManchester by the Sea\u201d (\u201cManBySea\u201d),<\/span> one of the reviews that shows up on the screen says Casey Affleck \u201cjoins the ranks of giants.\u201d That\u2019s a convincing argument. If that\u2019s what the critics say, it\u2019s hard to imagine he won\u2019t put up a fight for the win, but then again, the ad showed more of the red-headed kid instead so I think the red-headed kid was more likely the focus of the film. \u201cCaptain Fantastic\u201d threw me for a curve ball, though. When the trailer started and I saw the trees, I immediately thought, \u201cOh, no!\u201d I was super concerned that the actor Viggo Mortensen was going to reprise the same kind of role he had in \u201cLord of the Rings\u201d: Legolas. I also saw that he was shepherding a bunch of little kids around, similar to what his character, Legolas, did in \u201cLord of the Rings,\u201d except the little kids were not the little kids in the \u201cLord of the Rings<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u2014<\/span><\/i>they were dwarves. Viggo Mortensen, playing Legolas, my favorite character in the \u201cLord of the Rings\u201d<\/span> trilogy, was an inspired choice, but at the same time, I was concerned that this role was going to be too similar to his role as Legolas. I was pleased to see that that was not the case, as it turned out to be a different movie <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> a different role. But I don\u2019t think he will win it, Legolas.<\/span><\/p>\n

There can only be one winner and that is clearly Denzel Washington for \u201cFences.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

WINNER: Denzel Washington, \u201cFences\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Actress<\/b><\/p>\n

Eli Lustbader: <\/b>The trailer for \u201cElle\u201d<\/span> is nothing if not compelling, and Isabelle Huppert gives a monstrous two-minute performance that had me on the edge of my seat for the entire time. The trailer for \u201cFlorence Foster Jenkins\u201d makes the film look like it is one big celebration of<\/span>\u2014<\/span>and that the story is perhaps even the origin of<\/span>\u2014t<\/span>he dreaded \u201cparticipation trophy.\u201d Unfortunately, an Oscar isn\u2019t a participation trophy<\/span>\u2014<\/span>it\u2019s an award for excellence<\/span>\u2014<\/span>and Meryl Streep knows this better than anyone else. So, based on this mutual understanding between me and Streep, it pains me to say that she gets eliminated here. Besides, this nomination should have gone to Amy Adams in \u201cArrival.\u201d (God, I will never let this go.) As much as I\u2019d like to give the award to Ruth Negga in \u201cLoving,\u201d we don\u2019t get to see enough of her in this trailer. However, I will say that if the trailer for \u201cLoving\u201d doesn\u2019t give you the chills, then you don\u2019t have a pulse. \u201cLa La Land\u201d<\/span>\u2014<\/span>BLAH EMMA STONE BLAH. Not today, people. As for \u201cJackie\u201d<\/span>: <\/span><\/i>oh dear, Natalie Portman giving a dark, cryptic, heartbreaking performance. Where have we seen this before?<\/span><\/p>\n

Courtesy Peter\/flickr.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oh, right. Anyway, I absolutely believe that nobody else alive right now could have portrayed Jackie Kennedy better than Natalie Portman. Will that be enough to give her the edge, though? Sure, she may have been my first celebrity crush, but perfect facial symmetry isn\u2019t going to get her any extra points here. We play by the rules.<\/span><\/p>\n

WINNER: Isabelle Huppert, \u201cElle\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Sound Mixing<\/b><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>I simply won\u2019t settle for \u201cArrival\u201d<\/span> not winning this category. <\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>I didn\u2019t really like the sounds in \u201cArrival.\u201d I liked the sounds in \u201cLa La Land\u201d better because they were songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>I think that only makes sense for the sound editing category.<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>I don\u2019t know, I feel like sound editing is about one sound going to the next sound, but sound mixing is for the sounds going up and down and stuff. And La La Land did that well.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Fine. Whatever. Just so everyone\u2019s on the same page, what does sound mixing mean, exactly?<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>So it\u2019s basically when you mix sounds, and it sounds good. Does that make sense?<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Makes perfect sense. Just out of curiosity, how is that any different from sound editing, which is also a category at the Oscars?<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>Sound editing is making each sound sound perfect, so basically editing the sounds to be mixed later on. Make sense?<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Makes some sense. At what point is a given sound no longer considered edited and should \u00a0be classified as \u201cmixed\u201d?<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>Well sound mixing is what you hear in the final, polished version of the movie. Sound editing is more of a pre-production process…I guess?<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>OK, so does each Oscar voter watch an unfinished version of the movie where the sounds are considered edited but not mixed, which sounds very unpleasant, to somehow determine best sound editing, and then also of course watch the final version where the sounds have been mixed? And then have to compare the two versions? Or do they listen to each sound in isolation? I don\u2019t get it. <\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>Nah, that seems unreasonable.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Why are there two categories for sound?<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>I have no idea.<\/span><\/p>\n

WINNER: Whoever gets to show off their sexy outfit and chiseled face when they present Sound Mixing.<\/b><\/p>\n

LOSER: Everyone else.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Supporting Actor <\/b><\/p>\n

JB:<\/b> This is another close call. From my perspective I don\u2019t see the Academy giving the award to the red-headed kid from that movie about the man standing by the sea. He doesn\u2019t show much depth. For one, he\u2019s a Bostonian. He\u2019s also a hockey-playing teenager who sleeps around, so it\u2019s a genuine concern that when he gets the Oscar he\u2019s going to start swinging that trophy around in front of his pants as if it were a penis. The award has <\/span>got<\/span><\/i> to go to Dev Patel. Interestingly, it says that he is the supporting actor, but it <\/span>looks<\/span><\/i> like he\u2019s the main character. No-no-no. Don\u2019t be misled, as was I initially. The lead actor seems to be the little boy. From the looks of it, the little boy beat Dev Patel to the leading actor spot. The little boy was phenomenal when he was on screen. Nevertheless, the trailer indicated Dev Patel could hold his own without showing that he was attempting to steal the show from the lead actor, who was played by that little boy. He remains composed and shows almost no signs that being upstaged by a toddler is getting under his skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

WINNER: Dev Patel, \u201cLion\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Supporting Actress<\/b><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>I know. She\u2019s favored by the so-called experts by like a zillion, but Viola Davis enters the \u201cFences\u201d<\/span> trailer at the 1:37 mark and with one line pretty much cuts through everything that happened before she arrived. She takes control of the space around her, and blows the rest of her competition into oblivion in the process. There are theoretically other contenders in this category, but writing any more words here would be a waste of everyone\u2019s time.<\/span><\/p>\n

WINNER: Viola Davis: \u201cFences\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Original Screenplay<\/b><\/p>\n

EL: \u201c<\/b>Hell or High Water.\u201d The advertisement before this trailer (because that\u2019s how things work now) was THIRTY SECONDS of Taylor Swift endorsing AT&T, so right off the bat I was a little sour. Still, nothing that Chris Pine\u2019s sleek, stormy visage couldn\u2019t fix. As for the <\/span>writing<\/span><\/i>, I\u2019m still uncertain. Anything with Jeff Bridges is immediately dark and funny, but it\u2019s a deep field, and it doesn\u2019t seem like there\u2019s as much quotable material here as elsewhere. As for \u201cManBySea\u201d<\/span>\u2014<\/span>\u201cif you could take one guy to an island with you because you knew he was going to keep you safe, who would you take?\u201d is a sweet line to start a sweet trailer that nearly brought me to tears (more on this in a minute). In \u201cThe Lobster,\u201d everything feels a little bit off in the best possible way. Colin Farrell doesn\u2019t look like a guy you want to punch in the face; he just looks like a guy. Everything is weird, everything is funny; you should see it. (Please, it\u2019s only two minutes.) \u201c20th Century Women\u201d<\/span> seems like it\u2019s in danger of becoming\u00a0that indie film that everybody loves so much they start to hate (see: \u201cThe Royal Tenenbaums\u201d), but something else here feels sharper, warmer, more complex. I can\u2019t tell if it\u2019s the acting or the writing, but then again, what the hell do I know? \u201cLa La Land\u201d: LALALALALALALALALA. Sorry, I was so overcome with emotion that I burst into song. Now that we got that out of the way, \u201cManBySea\u201d seems horribly depressing (actually, SPOILER ALERT:<\/span> it\u2019s horribly depressing) and \u201cThe Lobster\u201d<\/span> seems sad too. I don\u2019t have a lot to go on, basically just a couple shots of Colin Farrell and John C. Riley looking like weirdos alongside some animals. But I would rather laugh while I\u2019m crying, and \u201cThe Lobster\u201d<\/span> looks like it delivers time and time again.<\/span><\/p>\n

WINNER: “<\/b>The Lobster”<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Best Picture<\/b><\/p>\n

JB: \u201c<\/b>La La Land\u201d is my pick. <\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Based on the trailers?<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>Yeah, what\u2019s the problem?<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Gosling doesn\u2019t even say anything! You love Ryan Gosling! You wrote a 25,000 word piece for this very publication singing the praises of Ryan Gosling!<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>I feel like that\u2019s where you and a lot of other people who don\u2019t know that much about film are misled. A movie is not one person. Movies are a bunch of people working together, and if you look at the trailer, you\u2019ll see so many people.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>I took Intro to Film Narrative once. <\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Look, I get it. \u201cLa La Land\u201d<\/span> is your movie. \u201cArrival\u201d is my movie. However, I\u2019m ready to be a good sport about it and say that the trailer for \u201cArrival\u201d makes it look like just another alien movie, kind of like the way the trailer for \u201cLa La Land\u201d<\/span> makes it look like one big self-congratulatory Hollywood mess.<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>Eli, I\u2019m sorry your heart is a cold black nugget of opacity that doesn\u2019t let any sunshine and happiness into it.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>To our (few (but proud) readers (Marines)): I\u2019m sorry one of our authors has abandoned an unbiased approach and is letting his personal baggage hijack the chances of your winning your Oscar pool. Please forgive him. Julian, if you watch all the trailers (and people are saying you may not have), the films we\u2019re really choosing between are pretty obvious.<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: \u201c<\/b>Arrival\u201d was kind of scary and scary movies don\u2019t win best picture.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>Let\u2019s get back to our methodology. Actually no, first let\u2019s agree on how unimpressed we are by everything involving \u201cHacksaw Ridge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>I dunno. I kind of liked \u201cHacksaw Ridge,\u201d especially since Mel Gibson hasn\u2019t been around for a while, so it\u2019s nice to see his name back in Hollywood<\/span>. <\/span><\/i>He\u2019s a <\/span>very<\/span><\/i> respected director, after all.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: …<\/b>how about we just get to the pick?<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>I said it before and I\u2019ll say it again: \u201cLa La Land.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: <\/b>I\u2019m just going to flip through all of our noms real quick. Musicals work best when they\u2019re on a stage. The trailer for \u201cLa La Land\u201d<\/span> was not on a stage (and neither was the movie). The trailer for \u201cArrival\u201d<\/span> was incomplete (and to be fair, they were faced with an impossible task). The trailer for \u201cMoonlight\u201d didn\u2019t give a hint of what the movie could possibly be about. The trailer for \u201cHacksaw Ridge\u201d<\/span> seemed like it used every single inspiring moment from the movie<\/span>\u2014<\/span>and it <\/span>still <\/span><\/i>looked bad. The trailer for \u201cHell or High Water\u201d<\/span> looked compelling but didn\u2019t seem like anything special. The trailer for \u201cLion\u201d<\/span> was confusing. The trailer for \u201cHidden Figures\u201d<\/span> was inspiring, but the trailer for \u201cFences\u201d<\/span> was undeniably powerful while also maintaining a contained and logical structure\u2014something none of the other trailers did. So there, you have my pick. It\u2019s not the flashiest, but \u201cFences\u201d<\/span> is my winner for the trailer awards. What are you thinking?<\/span><\/p>\n

JB: <\/b>I don\u2019t like conflict, so I want this argument to end. Thankfully, I also pick \u201cFences,\u201d because \u201cFences\u201d was remarkable. <\/span>Fences<\/span><\/i> was straightforward, and both Denzel Washington and Viola Davis delivered powerful performances.<\/span><\/p>\n

EL: \ud83d\ude42<\/b><\/p>\n

WINNER: \u201cFences\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ahhh, the Oscars. For many of us, Hollywood\u2019s grandest awards show offers us a time to believe\u2014if only for a moment\u2014that our understanding of film may align with that of the experts. Unfortunately, most of us aren\u2019t blessed with the luxury of being able to blow hundreds of dollars on movie tickets (and buckets of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":574,"featured_media":2036,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[55],"class_list":{"0":"post-2012","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-film","8":"tag-awards","9":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/574"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2012"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2012\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}