Another year means another Oscars ceremony and another round of nominee review catchups. This time we have five of the most-nominated films, three of which are in the race for Best Picture. One Battle After Another enters the field with 13 noms, Marty Supreme and Frankenstein follow with 9 a piece. Hamnet has a very respectable 8 nominations while Bugonia rounds it out with 4 nominations in big categories. With that in mind, lets see if any of these entries live up to the hype.
One Battle After Another
Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another is an epic in its own unique way, following a group of revolutionaries who reunite to rescue a teenager at risk of capture. It’s a politically-geared dark comedy that’s wildly entertaining and beautifully crafted from its screenplay to editing, acting and beyond.
It takes a minute to get accustomed to the tone and narrative style of this film; the first act is focused on setting up our characters and the necessary backstory for what’s to come. For a full 30 minutes it feels tonally and structurally insane, moving at a blistering pace while covering more than a few years of revolutionary warfare. Signified by a hefty time jump, the film then shifts into the core story where the tonal chaos is more refined and the narrative follows one continuous arc increasing in tension and hilarity.
The best way to describe this film is that it’s frantic in every way, from the narrative to the score. It’s a beautiful hodgepodge of satirical comedy, tense action and gripping character drama, hooking you early with intrigue and then keeping you invested with a fast-moving plot and rapidly-developing circumstances. The score is agitated and frenetic at the best of times, enhancing the tension and unease through the second and third acts. This crosses over to the editing and cinematography; it’s full of stunning long takes, quirky zoom pans and close-up shots I’ve not seen before. They’re not random choices either; every element has clearly been selected and united by Anderson in what is a masterful example of directing.
Amongst all of the chaos and satire is is Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance. It took decades for him to get his first Oscar back in 2016, but he’s on the brink of a potential second Academy Award thanks to this phenomenal presence. DiCaprio’s ability to transform into a unique, charismatic character that has you forgetting everything they’ve ever done makes him one of the best in the business. His dedication to this role is immense, committing to every scene and nailing both the emotional drama and hilarious comedic beats. Every other scene I had to take a second to marvel at how incredible of an actor he is.
In the end, One Battle After Another is a directing triumph for Paul Thomas Anderson. He has crafted a riveting film that’s politically-geared, macho in nature and full of satire, making fun of the powers it seemingly glorifies while putting a spotlight on revolutionary movements. It’s hectic, chaotic, frantic and fast-paced, weaving comedy with drama to create a story that’s thrilling and
9.4/10
Frankenstein
There’s nothing Guillermo Del Toro loves more than pairing gothic romance with dark fantasy, and he’s executed it once again. With Frankenstein, he explores the relationship between Victor Frankenstein and his creation, one which exposes who the true monster is and only leads to tragedy.
Guillermo Del Toro is a visionary director and he’s crafted a brilliant piece of art that excels in its narrative, visuals and score. Speaking on the narrative, this is very much a character study, but it’s one that shifts from a study of Victor to a study of the creature; a tale of love, pain and tragedy. I love the way this story is told; with its very slow, deliberate pacing that allows you to sit in the awe and emotion of every moment. What I love most about GDT is how well he gives his monster characters a personality, one which makes them more human than human. He does a fantastic job of bridging the gap in this film and making the creature a being who’s easy to understand.
When it comes to the gothic angle, this is a little less immense than some of his other films, but the beauty is still seen in the costumes, sets and cinematography. The intricacies of the set design and costuming are absolutely stunning; giving the world so much life and character that it’s hard to look away. Couple that with Dan Laustsen’s stellar cinematography that captures the world in breathtaking light and you have yourself one of the most beautifully crafted films of the year. There’s even small bouts of horror that keep the tension high without being the focus. Blood and gore is utilised to highlight the violence and pain of the story; making it as essential as every other element.
As far as performances go, I’d have to say this is Jacob Elordi’s best performance of his career, and ironically he barely says a word as the creature. Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankestein is as great as you’d imagine him to be; a dedicated actor who dives into his characters and extracts every ounce of emotion. Meanwhile, Mia Goth has a somewhat limited role as Elizabeth yet she makes an unbelievable impact on the story, themes, emotion and messaging. She’s criminally never been nominated for an Oscar, but I believe that’s coming sooner rather than later.
In the end, Frankenstein is a masterfully crafted piece of cinema, one in which every element from the cinematography to the acting and Alexandre Desplat’s chilling score comes together to create a unified experience. It’s beautiful yet chilling, haunting yet tragic, and a truly mesmerising adaptation that was perfectly placed in Guillermo Del Toro’s hands.
9/10
Bugonia
When you see Yorgos Lanthimos attached to a film, you know what you’re about to witness will be nothing short of unconventional. Bugonia is an English-language remake of a South Korean film, following two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap a wealthy CEO believing she’s an alien sent to Earth to destroy the planet.
Much like Lanthimos’ other films, Bugonia repeats a recurring hurdle of mine, which is that the first act is tough to get into. The narratives he deals with typically require a certain level of investment, and that investment comes over time, especially through the second act. As time goes on, layers are thrust upon the narrative that enhance the complexity of the story and have you second guessing yourself at every turn. It’s a narrative that’s unpredictable yet predictable in the most beautiful way; having me hooked and entirely on edge as I was never sure how any scene and tense interaction would end.
Without a doubt, the dialogue and performances carry this film. The screenplay is absolutely impeccable, capturing so much context and realism in every line that you just can’t help but be enthralled by every conversation. It’s so good in fact that it has a very high chance of winning the Oscar. Emma Stone is remarkable, delivering a powerhouse performance that had me locked in, with every facial expression telling a story with or without the dialogue to accompany it. Jesse Plemons is also astounding, portraying his damaged character in a way that’s scarily authentic. The two of them bounce of each other perfectly, with most of the film being a conversation piece.
It’s a dark comedy with a hint of satire, and both the dark and satirical elements are felt throughout. There’s heavy subject matter on the surface and some quite harrowing scenes, but the horror that comes from those moments is offset by the satire, rounding out a great darkly comedic tone.
In the end, Bugonia is a thrill ride that will send you through a rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions. It’s not perfect and is a little harder to get through in terms of the first act, but the tone levels out and turns into a deeply compelling character study and global commentary. It’s such a rewarding watch that should be seen.
8.8/10
Hamnet
If it’s a cute, good-vibes watch you’re looking for; one which will leave you smiling from ear to ear and full of life, Hamnet isn’t that. This film tells of the inspiration behind Hamlet, following Agnes and William Shakespeare as they deal with the devastating death of their son, Hamnet.
This film is as beautiful as it is devastating; a tragedy that inspired one of the most famous tragedies. For that reason, this is the furthest thing from an easy watch. It starts off painting the picture of a 16th century family going through all the highs and lows of love, pain, sickness and health. The first act, or even half of the film, is spent getting you acquainted with the characters and drawing you in to their love story. It’s so effectively done that I was immediately hooked by their connection and cared for their wellbeing. Aside from some slower dips in the first and third acts, the screenplay is quite consistent, with gripping dialogue that challenges the actors and leads to more deeply emotional moments.
It’s an emotionally heavy story, one which will require you to have the tissues at the ready as it explores grief in all its forms and how that impacts people differently. There’s almost no reprieve once it shift firmly into “tragedy” territory, making for a third acts that’s a lot slower as the passage of time shrinks immensely. Amongst all that emotion is a visually stunning tale that makes the most of its period setting. The costuming, locations and even aspect ratio evoke a vibe that puts you back in the late 1500s.
Performance-wise there’s no looking past the exceptional performances from both Jessie Buckley (Agnes) and Paul Mescal (William). I’ll start off with Mescal, whose delicate performance shines from the opening scene to the last, getting more and more intense with time. He’s fantastic, but the script doesn’t demand as much of him as it does Buckley, who is the film’s greatest asset. Her performance is raw, gritty and unbelievably powerful, dipping into some dark places as her character is subjected to some harrowing experiences. It’s one of the strongest performances of the year, so the Oscar would be very well deserved.
In the end, Hamnet is a grueling watch due to the weight of its themes and emotional narrative, but it’s one that’s beautifully rewarding in the end. It’s a deep study of family, life, love and grief, accompanied by an exceptional duo of performances. Don’t even get me started on the emotional impact of this film when “On the Nature of Daylight” starts playing. It has some pacing issues throughout, but this is a beautiful film both visually and in its narrative.
8/10
Marty Supreme
Presenting the most tonally wacky and narratively wild ride of the year; Marty Supreme. Josh Safdie’s first solo-directed feature follows Marty Mauser, a table tennis player with dreams and ambitions that succumb to his narcissistic tendencies.
Knowing only that this is a film about a table tennis player is a crazy way to go into it. The narrative shifts its entire focus countless times throughout, resulting in 20 different subplots and genres being tied together by Marty Mauser’s constant drive for success. Every direction it goes in is random, spontaneous and entirely unexpected; it’s as if Safdie rolled a dice every 15 minutes and focused on the corresponding subplot. Sometimes it’s a sports drama, sometimes it’s a dark comedy and sometimes it’s a crime thriller… they’re very jarring tonal shifts, but they work most of the time.
The narrative is chaotic and explosive in how it progresses, sometimes to its detriment, but at the same time it has a fun, playful vibe to it. It’s quirky even when it’s being serious; with a lot of personality being injected through the editing, cinematography and score. I found myself asking what the fuck was going on, while also surprisingly enjoying the tonal seesaw that is this adventure. Table tennis may be the crux tying everything together, but it’s the other subgenres (like a Bonnie and Clyde portion) that are the most memorable.
Being a character-study, Timothée Chalamet is at the forefront of every scene as Marty Mauser. Chalamet is playing a narcissistic douchebag and doing it so convincingly you’d almost believe he’s not even acting. He plays the role with so much charisma and a loud, boisterous attitude that he feels right for the role. I’ve never been a big fan of him, but this may be his best performance. My issue with the character is that due to his hunt for success at the expense of everyone around him, he becomes a very unlikeable protagonist, making it hard to support and root for him.
In the end, Marty Supreme is an interesting character study, one in which the character doesn’t have a likeable bone in his body but is still an entertaining ride. The story shifts through a barrage of subplots, each with its own jarring tonal shift. It can be hard to get into at times, but the weirdness and quirky energy is somewhat refreshing. It’s very random and unconventional, so it’s not for everyone, but I value the craft and ambition Safdie exhibits.
7.8/10
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