Key Takeaways
- The past weekend's box office showed a decline, impacting new releases and the fate of potential sequels.
- Oscar nominations sparked a listener mailbag segment, addressing snubs and the influence of film release dates.
- The Best Picture race is closely contested between 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another,' with 'Sinners' gaining significant momentum.
- Campaign strategies, rather than performance quality, were cited as reasons for Leonardo DiCaprio's Best Actor snub.
- Hosts discussed potential new Oscar categories, including 'breakthrough performance' and an 'ensemble' award.
- The awards viability of unconventional films like 'Eddington' and the Academy's approach to sequels were debated.
- Early Oscar wins and the diminishing influence of fall film festivals for major contenders were analyzed.
- The episode concluded with an update to the hosts' Best Picture power rankings following the official nominations.
Deep Dive
- The hosts updated their Best Picture power rankings following the official Oscar nominations.
- They acknowledged a past oversight, admitting that 'Begonia' should have been included in earlier rankings from December 19th.
- A debate ensued over whether 'One Battle After Another' or 'Sinners' deserved the top spot in their updated list.
- Ultimately, 'One Battle After Another' was finalized at number one, with 'Sinners' ranked second.
- The discussion considered historical biases and genre snobbery within the Academy that might affect 'One Battle After Another's' chances.
- The past weekend's box office declined, attributed to a storm and the underperformance of a new Chris Pratt film.
- '28 Years Later' saw a 70% drop, grossing $21 million domestically, casting doubt on a third installment.
- A third '28 Years Later' film is possible, with a screenplay in existence and potential Netflix co-financing, alongside Oscar winner Cillian Murphy's return.
- Upcoming releases include 'Send Help' starring Rachel McAdams and the Jason Statham action film 'Shelter'.
- Listener questions focused on the perceived snubs of 'No Other Choice' and 'The Testament of Anly' from Oscar nominations.
- 'No Other Choice' by Park Chan Wook was not nominated, potentially due to its transgressiveness or Neon's distribution strategy favoring other titles.
- Film release dates significantly impacted award chances, with 'No Other Choice' positioned as a Christmas commercial release.
- 'Ann Lee' faced a limited release and poor box office, possibly due to its unconventional nature, late campaign, and difficult themes.
- An exceptional performance in 'Ann Lee' could be historically overlooked, suggesting an earlier release might have altered its fate.
- The hosts noted surprise at the volume and strong sentiment of listener emails concerning the film 'No Other Choice.'
- The film was identified as belonging to a 'mainstream cinephile' category, differentiating it from more niche arthouse cinema.
- This strong audience engagement followed discussions about the film's Oscar snub and varying critical reception.
- 'Sinners' emerged as a major contender for Best Picture with a record 16 nominations, surpassing 'One Battle After Another's' 13.
- Its multiple nominations for strong acting (Winmi Misaku, Del Roy Lindo), score, song, costumes, and production design (leveraging the 'Black Panther' legacy team) could influence voter perception.
- Acclaimed crew members like Oscar winners Ruth Carter and Hannah Beeckler, and cinematographer Autumn Dural Arcapa, bolster 'Sinners'' case.
- The possibility of 'Sinners' winning numerous below-the-line awards, similar to 'Mad Max: Fury Road,' may impact above-the-line decisions.
- Despite both films being studio-funded, 'One Battle After Another' aligns more with traditional Academy tastes for historical dramas.
- The hosts revealed they do not host Oscar parties, preferring to watch the ceremony in silence as a sign of deep professional respect.
- Strategies for hosting include incorporating games like ballots and elimination rounds to keep guests engaged.
- Advice covered appropriate guest count, the importance of sound systems, and film-themed food and drink ideas.
- Confirming the correct start time for the Oscars broadcast was emphasized to avoid common guest confusion.
- The hosts defended the expansion of Best Picture nominees to 10, arguing it successfully brings more seen films into the conversation.
- A listener inquired about expanding acting nominations from five to 10, mirroring the Best Picture category.
- Proposed new categories included 'breakthrough performance' or 'comedic performance' rather than simply increasing existing slots.
- Concerns were raised that genre-based categories could exacerbate issues of 'category fraud' within the Academy.
- One host highlighted Elizabeth Olsen's committed performance in the Hulu film 'The Assessment' as entirely overlooked.
- Josh O'Connor was cited as a potential award contender for 'Wake Up Deadman' despite limited precursor recognition.
- Sean Fennessey praised Ray Fiennes' dedicated performance in 'Bone Temple' as a worthy contender, noting his underappreciated commitment.
- Jennifer Lawrence's Oscar snub for 'Die My Love' was attributed to the crowded 'troubled mom' category, despite her acknowledged talent.
- A listener proposed a new Oscar category for 'best needle drops,' citing disappointment with original song nominations.
- The hosts debated the viability of such a category, suggesting it might be too 'internet-y' for the Academy.
- The idea of a 'best ending' category for films was also discussed, acknowledging the challenge of concluding a movie effectively.
- The Academy's perceived disinterest in sequels was noted, with 'Dune Part 2' receiving fewer nominations than 'Dune Part 1' despite some considering it superior.
- Early Oscar broadcast wins for specific acting categories, such as for Delroy Lindo or Won Met Mu in 'One Battle After Another,' are considered key momentum indicators.
- Wins in technical categories like editing and cinematography for 'Sinners' could also signal its overall strength toward Best Picture.
- A trend was observed where Best Picture hopefuls like 'One Battle After Another' and 'Sinners' bypassed traditional fall film festivals.
- The discussion questioned if the influence of these major festivals on award prospects is diminishing for top contenders.