Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Original Song

The competition: I’m Standing with You (Breakthrough), Into the Unknown (Frozen II), Stand Up (Harriet), I’m Gonna Love Me Again (Rocketman), I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away (Toy Story 4)

Previous winners: Shallow (A Star is Born), Remember Me (Coco), City of Stars (La La Land), Writing’s on the Wall (Spectre), Glory (Selma), Let It Go (Frozen), Skyfall (Skyfall)
My winner: Glasgow (Wild Rose)
The facts: This is the eleventh nomination for Warren in this category and her third consecutive bid following songs from “Marshall” and “RBG.” She has yet to win. John won in this race back in 1994 for one of his three nominations that year for “The Lion King.” Anderson-Lopez and Lopez have a perfect Oscar track record, with wins in 2013 for the original “Frozen” and in 2017 for “Coco.” Newman won for songs from “Toy Story 3” in 2010 and “Monsters, Inc.” in 2001, earning an additional nine nominations in this category and nine in the score race, including one this year for “Marriage Story.” Erivo is also nominated this year for her leading performance in her film. “Rocketman” took home the Golden Globe and a handful of other guild and critics’ prizes. The last seven Golden Globe winners have gone on to be nominated here, with five of them triumphing.

Who should win: I chose other songs that made the fifteen-wide finalist list (and some that didn’t), and out of these, I’d say that “Stand Up” and “Into the Unknown” are my favorite.s
Who will win: While I’m Gonna Love Me Again isn’t a lock like some past tunes, I think it’s far enough ahead of the rest.

Movie with Abe: Breakthrough

Breakthrough
Directed by Roxann Dawson
Released April 17, 2019

A film’s title can have significant meaning, and can also serve to reveal where its story is ultimately headed. Some cinematic experiences, especially those based on true events, aren’t reliant on suspense and plot twists to deliver satisfaction, but instead on the power of what’s portrayed to speak for itself and be fulfilling in its own right. Going into a movie with a sense of what you’re going to get out of it can be both appealing and irritating, since expectations being met exactly may end up being lackluster and all too predictable.

Fourteen-year-old John Smith (Marcel Ruiz) is playing with his friends on a frozen lake when he falls through the ice. His two friends emerge quickly, but it takes first responders considerably longer to find him and bring him up. A lack of pulse compels Dr. Sutterer (Sam Trammell) to call his time of death, but the arrival of his willful adoptive mother, Joyce (Chrissy Metz), produces a response in him. Joyce dedicates every moment to being there for John and maintaining a positive attitude, leaning on her husband Brian (Josh Lucas) and her new pastor, Jason (Topher Grace), who she dislikes immensely until he shows up and prays with her for a miraculous recovery.

The title here refers both to John’s fall and his incredible journey back to life, which is dramatized in this heavily Christian production. Joyce is first seen arguing with Jason about who reserved the church space she is using for a meeting, and the two are highly competitive about their approach to faith. Yet there’s never a question of not believing, just simply a clash on how to do it. When Jason remains by her side and insistent that her hope should be maintained, while doctors and friends express doubts about John’s condition, they become bonded together, both espousing an extreme devotion to prayer that they believe has the power to save this boy who should by all accounts be dead.

Ruiz, in his film debut, is unconscious for most of the film, and as a result the spotlight is much more on Metz. Best known for “This Is Us,” Metz delivers an extremely hokey performance here with a regrettable accent, and she’d be much better remembered for her powerful rendition of the Oscar-nominated song “I’m Standing with You,” which plays over the credits and serves as the only reason that this reviewer (and other ardent Oscar fans) saw this film. Grace is capable as always, properly representative of the charismatic nature of many religious figures. This film showcases a formidable survival, but does so in the most obvious and predictable way possible, unnecessarily adapted into this religion-centric production.

C-

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Original Score

The competition: Joker (Hildur Guðnadóttir), Little Women (Alexandre Desplat), Marriage Story (Randy Newman), 1917 (Thomas Newman), Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (John Williams)

Previous winners: Black Panther, The Shape of Water, La La Land, The Hateful Eight, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Gravity, Life of Pi
My winner: I Lost My Body
The facts: This is the forty-seventh score nomination for Williams, whose last win was back in 1993 for “Schindler’s List.” This is the eleventh nomination for Desplat, who triumphed in 2017 for “The Shape of Water” and in 2014 for “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” This is the ninth score nomination for Randy Newman, who has won twice in the song category and is also nominated this year for a “Toy Story 4” song. Thomas Newman has thirteen previous nominations, the most recent of which was for “Passengers” in 2016, and has yet to win. The last time the Newman cousins were nominated together was in 1995. This is the first nomination for Guðnadóttir, who becomes only the seventh female composer nominated in the score categories. The last woman to win this category was Anne Dudley, who triumphed in 1997 for “The Full Monty.” In the past two decades, this award has gone to a film not nominated for Best Picture only four times. Guðnadóttir has won the Globe, the Critics’ Choice Award, and the BAFTA.

Who should win: During my initial viewing experiences, I remember “1917” and “Little Women” presenting strong music. More recently, listening to “Joker” has made me appreciate that one to the point that it would be my top choice from this list.
Who will win: Barring a surprise, I think this goes to Joker.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Film Editing

The competition: Ford v Ferrari (Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker), The Irishman (Thelma Schoonmaker), Jojo Rabbit (Tom Eagles), Joker (Jeff Groth), Parasite (Yang Jin-mo)

Previous winners: Bohemian Rhapsody, Dunkirk, Hacksaw Ridge, Mad Max: Fury Road, Whiplash, Gravity, Argo
My winner: Parasite
The facts: Schoonmaker is tied both for the most awards and most nominations in this category, with wins for “Raging Bull” in 1980, “The Aviator” in 2004, and “The Departed” in 2006 and four other previous bids. She was last nominated for “Hugo” in 2011, her sixth nominated collaboration with director Martin Scorsese. McCusker was nominated in 2005 for “Walk the Line.” All five of these films were nominated for the ACE Eddie Award, with “Jojo Rabbit” taking the comedy prize and “Parasite” beating the other three for the dramatic award. Four of the last ten Oscars winners didn’t win either ACE Eddie. The winner of this award hasn’t gone on to win Best Picture since “Argo” in 2012, and it’s actually much more common for the two not to match up, though all but two of the last ten winners were nominated for the top prize. All five of these films are nominated for Best Picture. The last time a foreign language film contended for this award was in 2007, and the only time such a project ever won was way back in 1969 when “Z” triumphed.

Who should win: “Parasite”
Who will win: As tends to be the case, one of the biggest films of the year, namely “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” isn’t present. The same goes for “1917,” though that film tries to look like it doesn’t use much editing. That, I think, leaves Parasite out front, though it’s possible that “Ford v Ferrari” could manage a technical win here. I don’t see the other three winning.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Costume Design

The competition: The Irishman (Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson), Jojo Rabbit (Mayes C. Rubeo), Joker (Mark Bridges), Little Women (Jacqueline Durran), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Arianne Phillips)

Previous winners: Black Panther, Phantom Thread, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Great Gatsby, Anna Karenina
My winner: Dolemite Is My Name
The facts: This is Powell’s fifteenth nomination after double bids last year for “The Favourite” and “Mary Poppins Returns.” She won in 1998 for “Shakespeare in Love,” in 2004 for “The Aviator,” and in 2009 for “The Young Victoria.” This is Durran’s seventh nomination, and she won in 2012 for “Anna Karenina,” earning double nominations in 2017 for “Beauty and the Beast” and “Darkest Hour.” Bridges won in 2011 for “The Artist” and in 2017 for “Phantom Thread,” and was also nominated in 2014 for “Mr. Turner.” Phillips was nominated in 2005 for “Walk the Line” and in 2011 for “W.E.” At the Costume Designers Guild Awards, “Jojo Rabbit” defeated “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and the other three films cited here weren’t nominated.

Who should win: “Little Women”
Who will win: It’s a competitive category. I’ll bet on Little Women, though it could easily be any of them.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Production Design

The competition: The Irishman (Bob Shaw and Regina Graves), Jojo Rabbit (Ra Vincent and Nora Sopková), 1917 (Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh), Parasite (Lee Ha-jun and Cho Won-woo)

Previous winners: Black Panther, The Shape of Water, La La Land, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Great Gatsby, Lincoln
My winner: Ms. Purple
The facts: Vincent was nominated in 2012 for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Gassner won in 1991 for “Bugsy” and has also been nominated for “Barton Fink,” “Road to Perdition,” “The Golden Compass,” “Into the Woods,” and “Blade Runner 2049.” Sandales contended in 2011 for “War Horse.” Haigh also won in 1991 for “Bugsy” and was nominated for “Barton Fink,” “Forrest Gump,” “Road to Perdition,” “Dreamgirls,” “True Grit,” and “Hail, Caesar!” At the Art Directors Guild Awards, “Parasite” won the contemporary feature film prize, while “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” defeated the other three nominees in this race in the period feature film category.

Who should win: “Parasite” is my favorite of this bunch.
Who will win: Though I’d love for “Parasite” to take it, I think Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will prevail.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Cinematography

The competition: The Irishman (Rodrigo Prieto), Joker (Lawrence Sher), The Lighthouse (Jarin Blaschke), 1917 (Roger Deakins), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Robert Richardson)

Previous winners: Blade Runner 2049, La La Land, The Revenant, Birdman, Gravity, Life of Pi, Hugo
My winner: 1917
The facts: This is the fifteenth nomination for Deakins, who finally won on his most recent try for “Blade Runner 2049” in 2017. This is the tenth nomination for Richardson, who won previously for “JFK” in 1991, “The Aviator” in 2004, and “Hugo” in 2011. Prieto was nominated in 2005 for “Brokeback Mountain” and in 2016 for “Silence.” This is the first nomination for both Blaschke and Sher. Since the ASC has existed, its winner has only gone on to win the Oscar fourteen out of thirty-three times, and five times in the past decade. The BAFTA and the ASC were both awarded to “1917,” and the Spotlight Award from the ASC went to “The Lighthouse.” A Best Picture nominee has won this award every year over the past decade except for in 2017. The last black-and-white film to win this award was last year’s “Roma.”

Who should win: “1917” is the best of these, but they’re all extremely well-shot.
Who will win: This is going to 1917.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Adapted Screenplay

The competition: The Irishman (Steven Zaillian), Jojo Rabbit (Taika Waititi), Joker (Todd Phillips and Scott Silver), Little Women (Greta Gerwig), The Two Popes (Anthony McCarten)

Previous winners: BlacKkKlansman, Call Me By Your Name, Moonlight, The Big Short, The Imitation Game, 12 Years a Slave, Argo
My winner: Jojo Rabbit
The facts: Zaillian was previously nominated for “Awakenings” in 1990, “Gangs of New York” in 2002, and “Moneyball” in 2011. He won in 1993 for “Schindler’s List.” McCarten was nominated in 2014 for “The Theory of Everything.” Gerwig was nominated in this category and the director race in 2017 for “Lady Bird.” Phillips was previously nominated for “Borat” and also contends for his directing this year. The last film to win this award without a Best Picture nod was “Gods and Monsters” in 1998. Only “The Two Popes” isn’t nominated for a WGA Award. “Little Women” won the USC Scripter Award and the Critics’ Choice Award, while “Jojo Rabbit” prevailed with the WGA and BAFTA.

Who should win: Four of these are in my top ten, and “The Irishman” was pretty strong too. I’m fine with any of these.
Who will win: It seems like this is where Jojo Rabbit is going to be rewarded, though both “Little Women” and “The Irishman” could stage an upset too.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Original Screenplay

The competition: Knives Out (Rian Johnson), Marriage Story (Noah Baumbach), 1917 (Sam Mendes and Kristy Wilson-Cairns), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino), Parasite (Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won)

Previous winners: Green Book, Get Out, Manchester by the Sea, Spotlight, Birdman, Her, Django Unchained
My winner: Parasite
The facts: Tarantino has won this prize twice, for “Pulp Fiction” in 1994 and “Django Unchained” in 2012. He was also nominated in 2009 for “Inglourious Basterds.” Baumbach was nominated in 2005 for “The Squid and the Whale.” Mendes won Best Director for “American Beauty” in 1999, and is nominated in that race this year alongside Tarantino and Bong. Only five foreign-language entries have ever won this award, the most recent of which was “Talk to Her” in 2002. Four films in the past twenty years have triumphed without a corresponding Best Picture nomination, and the last of those was “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” That would apply only to “Knives Out” this year, with this bid serving as its only nomination. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” has won most precursor awards, but it lost out to “Parasite,” which also won the WGA where Tarantino wasn’t eligible, at the BAFTA Awards.

Who should win: I’m all for “Parasite” taking this.
Who will win: It’s unknown if “Parasite” will muster the strength to win in this category and others on Oscar night, and so I think predicting a third victory for Tarantino and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is probably safest.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Supporting Role

The competition: Kathy Bates (Richard Jewell), Laura Dern (Marriage Story), Scarlett Johansson (Jojo Rabbit), Florence Pugh (Little Women), Margot Robbie (Bombshell)

Previous winners: Regina King, Allison Janney, Viola Davis, Alicia Vikander, Patricia Arquette, Lupita N’yongo, Anne Hathaway
My winner: Yeo-jeong Jo (Parasite)
The facts: The only past winner in this category is Bates, who won in 1990 for “Misery” and was nominated again in 1998 for “Primary Colors” and in 2002 for “About Schmidt.” Dern, who has won every precursor, was nominated in 1991 for “Rambling Rose” and in 2014 for “Wild.” This is Robbie’s second bid after “I, Tonya.” This is Johansson’s first time nominated, and she also contends in the lead race for “Marriage Story.” This is Pugh’s first nomination. Bates and Robbie are the only ones whose films aren’t up for Best Picture.
Who should win: Robbie or Johansson
Who will win: There’s no suspense left in this category with Jennifer Lopez out of the running. Dern is going to win.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Supporting Role

The competition: Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood), Anthony Hopkins (The Two Popes), Al Pacino (The Irishman), Joe Pesci (The Irishman), Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Previous winners: Mahershala Ali, Sam Rockwell, Mahershala Ali, Mark Rylance, J.K. Simmons, Jared Leto, Christoph Waltz
My winner: Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco)
The facts: Every one of these men except for Pitt won an Oscar in the 1990s. Hanks triumphed in 1993 for “Philadelphia” and in 1994 for “Forrest Gump,” and has also been nominated for “Big” in 1998, “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998, and “Cast Away” in 2000. After being snubbed for headlining several Best Pictures nominees in the past decade, he’s now the lone nominee from his film. Hopkins, who won in 1991 for “The Silence of the Lambs” and was nominated again in 1993 for “The Remains of the Day,” in 1995 for “Nixon,” and in 1997 for “Amistad,” is joined by his costar and screenplay. Pacino won on his most recent try in 1992 for “Scent of a Woman” after career bids in 1972 for “The Godfather,” 1973 for “Serpico,” 1974 for “The Godfather Part III,” 1975 for “Dog Day Afternoon,” 1979 for “And Justice for All,” 1990 for “Dick Tracy,” and 1992 for “Glengarry Glen Ross.” Pesci won in 1990 for “Goodfellas” and was nominated in 1980 for “Raging Bull.” Pitt, who has won every precursors, was nominated in 1995 for “12 Monkeys,” in 2008 for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” and in 2011 for “Moneyball.” Though he’s never won an acting Oscar, he was a producer on 2013 Best Picture winner “12 Years a Slave.” Multiple nominees from one film happen occasionally, and in the most recent case – 2017 – resulted in a win for one of them.
Who should win: Pesci
Who will win: It’s going to be a category made up entirely of winners thanks to the assured victory for Pitt.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Leading Role

The competition: Cynthia Erivo (Harriet), Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story), Saoirse Ronan (Little Women), Charlize Theron (Bombshell), Renee Zellweger (Judy)

Previous winners: Olivia Colman, Frances McDormand, Emma Stone, Brie Larson, Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep
My winner: Holliday Grainger (Animals)
The facts: Zellweger won in 2003 for “Cold Mountain” on her third consecutive nomination after “Bridget Jones’ Diary” and “Chicago.” Theron also won that year, for “Monster,” and was nominated again in 2005 for “North Country.” Ronan has been cited before in 2007 for “Atonement,” in 2015 for “Brooklyn,” and in 2017 for “Lady Bird.” This is the first nomination for Erivo and Johansson, both of whom have another bid this year: Erivo for her song “Stand Up” and Johansson for her supporting turn in “Jojo Rabbit.” Golden Globe comedy winner Awkwafina is not nominated. Only Johansson and Ronan’s films are nominated for Best Picture. Zellweger, whose film has one other bid, for makeup and hairstyling, has won every precursor.

Who should win: Zellweger or Johansson
Who will win: No one else has momentum to defeat Zellweger.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Leading Role

The competition: Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory), Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Adam Driver (Marriage Story), Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)

Previous winners: Rami Malek, Gary Oldman, Casey Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eddie Redmayne, Matthew McConaughey, Daniel Day-Lewis
My winner: Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell)
The facts: The only previous winner in this race is DiCaprio, who won on his last try in 2015 for “The Revenant” after four previous nominations, for “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Blood Diamond,” “The Aviator,” and “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” Phoenix has been nominated three times before, for “The Master,” “Walk the Line,” and “Gladiator.” Driver contended last year for “BlacKkKlansman.” This is the first nomination for both Banderas and Pryce, whose films are not nominated for Best Picture but each have additional nominations. Phoenix, whose film is the nominations leader, has won every award on the path to this one, and the comedy Golden Globe winner, Taron Egerton, isn’t nominated.
Who should win: I’d pick Pryce or Phoenix.
Who will win: This is going to Phoenix.

Movie with Abe: The Traitor

The Traitor
Directed by Marco Bellocchio
January 31, 2020

One of the key reasons that the mafia is able to operate is that its members are aware of a code of silence. Acknowledging its existence means that there are crimes to prosecute and people to go after, and the main rule when those affiliated with this kind of shadow organization are arrested is that they don’t talk. Law enforcement officials and government agents are aware of this, however, and may offer an alluring deal to compel their targets to become cooperating witnesses. The chance to have a clean record and earn protection can look a whole lot better than spending a lifetime behind bars.

Tommaso Buscetta (Pierfrancesco Favino) is a high-ranking member of the Sicilian mafia who has served some time in prison and established his own separate business in Brazil, in part as a way to stay far from the violence within the mafia in the early 1980s in Italy. After his two oldest sons disappear and are presumed dead, Buscetta is arrested and remains firm in his resolve not to talk. When a suicide attempt fails before his extradition to Italy, Buscetta decides that he will cooperate with Judge Giovanni Falcone (Fausto Russo Alesi), prompting a large-scale trial with enormous implications for the Cosa Nostra.

It’s been a big year for mob movies, with “The Irishman” offering a peek at real-life events in America around the same time. This film feels distinctly Italian, with particularly entertaining and unbelievable scenes of chaos when many mafiosos are standing angrily and refusing to remain calm in large cells within the giant courtroom. The way in which the justice system works in Italy as portrayed here are also fascinating, namely defendants’ abilities to opt to cross-examine witnesses by speaking directly to them rather than through lawyers. At times, it does feel like a circus, one that explains how such a massive entity like the mafia can continue to function even when the law knows exactly who its members are.

Favino portrays Buscetta as a sympathetic figure, one who isn’t seen perpetrating much violence of his own and instead reflects back upon what he’s done and seen with regret and introspection. Alesi makes Falcone a relatable figure, one who won’t stand stonewalling and truly wishes to see justice served. This film is long, clocking in at two hours and twenty-five minutes, but it has a lot of content to cover, which it does fittingly and formidably. This feels like a trip into the life of Buscetta, a figure who is far from innocent yet, in his own way, sought to atone for his sins. Italy’s official submission for the Best International Feature Oscar is an immersive, arduous biopic that hits at the heart of one of the country’s most well-known secrets.

B+

Movie with Abe: Ad Astra

Ad Astra
Directed by James Gray
Released September 20, 2019

There are many different type of space movies. Some feature large interplanetary conflicts complete with many battle scenes and alien species. Others begin on Earth and follow astronauts and other explorers as they venture out either in search of a last hope for saving mankind or merely to try to discover the unknown. The specifics of the science aren’t necessarily important as long as the overarching story is appealing and solid. Those seeking action and excitement won’t always find that in some of the quieter, more contemplative science fiction that takes a step back to marvel at the vastness of space and all the possibilities – good and bad – that come with it.

Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) is an astronaut who, after nearly being killed in a power surge, is sent on a mission to attempt to stop this wave of deadly surges that threatens the entire planet and solar system. He learns that his father, H. Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones), may not have died sixteen years earlier while on a mission of his own as Roy always believed. Roy travels with Colonel Pruitt (Donald Sutherland) to the Moon and must endure many threats as he nears his ultimate destination, where he will transmit a message to his father that everyone hopes he will be able to hear.

This film comes from director James Gray, whose last project was “The Lost City of Z,” which followed the hunt for an ancient civilization in South America. It definitely qualifies as low-key, utilizing sufficient visual effects but opting to focus in on the experience of its central character in a manner reminiscent of the recent “First Man.” It might also well be compared to some of the quieter, subtler moments of “Interstellar” with the tone and pacing of “Annihilation” and “Moon.” It doesn’t completely feel like its own movie in its own universe, but its similarities to other projects make it moderately accessible.

Pitt is on track to win his first Oscar for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and this film, released just two months later, represents a chance for him to hone a different kind of performance. It’s not his most stirring turn, but it works well enough. This film represents an expected science fiction endeavor, one that doesn’t tread surprising new ground but performs ably in probing the risks of ambition and the dangers, both internal and external, of being cut off from civilization for too long.

B

Movie with Abe: Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Directed by Joachim Rønning
Released October 18, 2019

Fantasy films, particularly those based on classic stories or fairy tales, tend to follow a certain general narrative. Things begin generally at peace, but a misperception of someone’s true nature leads to unfortunate consequences, likely resulting in an extended conflict that won’t be resolved until after certain irreversible casualties are incurred. True love may save the day, or some more platonic form of care and respect that allows an important individual’s mind to be changed so that they may ally themselves with the good guys. Predictability isn’t necessarily a damning factor, but a film requires some special spark to be worthwhile in its own right.

Aurora (Elle Fanning) rules the kingdom of the Moors while her mother Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) serves as its mostly unseen protector. When Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson) of Ulstead proposes to Aurora, Maleficent is invited to join his parents for dinner, revealing notions of peace from his father, King John (Robert Lindsay), and hateful sentiments from his mother, Queen Ingrith (Michelle Pfeiffer), whose treatment of Maleficent is far from respectful. When a curse befalls John, Maleficent is blamed, prompting a war between humans and the Dark Fae, one in which Maleficent and Aurora will need to decide where exactly they stand based on their intrinsic connection to the other species.

This film is a sequel to 2014’s “Maleficent,” an uneven adaptation of “Sleeping Beauty.” Like that film, it’s heavy on the effects and its mythical creatures, something that is visually appealing at times but ultimately feels more emphasized than the plot of the film itself. The story feels obvious from the start, an unneeded addition to lore that has been covered and explored many times over. There’s little about the character of Maleficent that makes her presence feel crucial, with Queen Ingrith taking more of the spotlight.

That’s due, of course, due to the casting of Pfeiffer, who always enjoys chewing scenery and rarely gets great roles these days. She’s a formidable match for Jolie, who, like in the first film, isn’t trying very hard. Fanning is good as always, though this too isn’t the most challenged she’s ever been. There is a formula to these kinds of films and a way to make them feel new and exciting, but that’s not what’s on display here. Many, like this reviewer, who wouldn’t have otherwise seen this movie are screening it exclusively to see its Oscar-nominated makeup and hairstyling, which, while decent, is far from reason enough to sit through two hours of all-too-familiar unfulfilling fantasy.

C

Sundance 2020 Wrap-Up

I’m thrilled to be attending and covering the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah for the seventh time. I’m seeing as many movies as I can each day and will post reviews of each as I can, as well as video reviews uploaded to YouTube.

I've been writing up some of the films I see for The Film Experience. Head over there to read my wrap-up of the festival, including my top ten films, best performances, and a review of the official award winners.

It's been a great festival - make sure to read and watch all my reviews!

Sundance with Abe: Promising Young Woman

I’m thrilled to be attending and covering the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah for the seventh time. I’m seeing as many movies as I can each day and will post reviews of each as I can, as well as video reviews uploaded to YouTube.

Promising Young Woman
Directed by Emerald Fennell
Premieres

No matter how much may have changed over the past few centuries or even decades, men still have a distinct advantage over women in America and the world as a whole. A patriarchal society has led to the exclusion of women from certain male-dominated industries and types of activities, which in turn prevent those who have managed to get in from ascending to leadership positions and even having the opportunity to learn about them. This is a disturbing and alarming truth, and it’s a logical inspiration for a film about someone who isn’t content with letting men off the hook, particularly those who don’t think they’re all that bad.

Cassie (Carey Mulligan) leads a seemingly unremarkable life as a thirty-year-old barista living at home with her parents after dropping out of medical school years earlier. She spends her nights, however, going to bars and pretending to be drunk so that she can eviscerate the men who bring her home under the guise of helping her and then try to take advantage of her. When she runs into Ryan (Bo Burnham), a medical school classmate who asks her out, she is reminded of the many people who put her on this path who she needs to ensure are made unquestionably aware that the way they have acted and continue to act is not acceptable.

This film gets off to a biting start with its opening scene, which features shots of men dancing in khakis, framed the way that women are often used as eye candy. From there, Cassie delights in faking confusion and inebriation and then terrifying whatever man was unlucky enough to have taken her home so that he will forever feel ashamed of himself. It’s a very effective formula, one that leads to plenty of humor in the way that it exposes depravity and the lengths men will go to in order to justify their actions as superior to someone else’s who would have done worse.

Mulligan, who got her big break when “An Education” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival eleven years ago, delivers a tour de force performance as Cassie, playing each scene differently as it best suits her to make her point. It’s an extraordinary turn, one that should hopefully bring her back into the awards spotlight. The rest of the ensemble is well-cast, including Burnham, but none hold a candle to Mulligan. This extremely entertaining, entirely captivating film is much more than a revenge thriller. In her feature film debut, “Killing Eve” writer Emerald Fennell has crafted a scathing satire that works on every level and never fails to enthrall.

A-

Sundance with Abe: Downhill

I’m thrilled to be attending and covering the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah for the seventh time. I’m seeing as many movies as I can each day and will post reviews of each as I can, as well as video reviews uploaded to YouTube.

I'm writing up some of the films I see for The Film Experience. Head over there to read my take on "Downhill," the American remake of the Swedish film "Force Majeure."

Sundance with Abe: Promising Young Woman

I'm at the Sundance Film Festival and recording one-minute reviews of everything I see. Subscribe to the movieswithabe YouTube channel to catch them all!