The voting process for the Oscars is “Ranked Choice Voting”, often referred to as RCV. It is also known as preferential ballot. Voters rank their candidates in order from favorite […]
The voting process for the Oscars is “Ranked Choice Voting”, often referred to as RCV. It is also known as preferential ballot. Voters rank their candidates in order from favorite to least favorite.
If no candidate has a majority of 1st place voice, the contest goes into an instant runoff that eventually results in the majority winner. This style of voting helps eliminate the sweeping tsunami of one movie winning all the awards, result in more diversity. There are less Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King sweeping the Oscars.
This has been a net positive for The Academy awards, and the next step is revealing the ballots of the voters so we can see who the outliers are and such. Air them out!
Now that I have seen them all, here is my preferential ballot, starting from my least favorite of the ten nominated, to my favorite.
10. Elvis
The movie as a whole is not bad, but its quality is a roller coaster ride. The start of the movie is brutal and takes 30 minutes to acclimate too. By the middle you have Austin Butler winning you over and it is intoxicating. However, by the end, Tom Hanks is on the screen a lot and that ends much of the momentum built. Much like how Vegas ended up killing Elvis, it also ended up killing the movie.
I understand why Everything Everywhere All At Once is loved. I understand why Everything Everywhere All At Once is praised by critics…for the most part. I did not connect with emotional moments within the story. There is so much going on that you don’t have time to process half of the things happening. My favorite parts from the movie are when it is at its quietest, but those moments are few and far between. Also my hot take, I would not have nominated Michelle Yeoh for Best Actress, and I would not have Ke Huy Quan win Best Supporting Actor.
The tale of sorrow of two old friend has wonderfully dark comedic moments, but the drama doesn’t hit the nail on the head. At least not for me. The Banshees Of Inisherin falls into the same sphere as Everything Everywhere All At Once; a movie I can respect for the skill in the movie and I can respect the craftsmanship of the script, but the effect falls flatter on me than most. People say they were in tears at the end, but I felt as lost emotionally as Pádraic, not knowing where to place my confusion.
Listen here. I will say it. Steven Spielberg makes good movies. This is the truth. Rarely does he ever put something on the screen that makes you question why you wasted your time watching it. The Fabelmans is very good, but it is not great. I do no understand Michelle Williams being nominated. That is my biggest confusion. The majority of the performances, hers being the most glaring, seem too hokey for a movie that addressed some real dark themes throughout it. Visually, The Fabelmans is gorgeous. The production design is out of this world.
6. Triangle Of Sadness
What a weird movie. Triangle Of Sadness is structured for three very specific acts, each taking place in a different location and each highlighting a different major character. The second portion of the film on the Yacht is the highlight, and the captain’s dinner is something that is not soon forgotten. The way that Triangle Of Sadness pokes fun at the wealthy and their lifestyle, yet also somehow pits them in a pitiful light sticks acts like gum on the bottom of the desk. You don’t want to touch that feeling, but once you do it is impossible to un-feel it. Also the final dialogue between Yaya and Abigail is a perfect final note.
James Cameron. Talk That Shit. TALK ON IT. The man did it again. The last hour of Avatar: The Way Of Water is as remarkable an action sequence as any of his other action masterpieces. Throw it up there with the T2: Judgement Day chase scene, or the Aliens “game over man” sequence. Three hours flew by watching this movie. I do not know all the kids names, nor some of the water tribe members. That doesn’t matter. Avatar: The Way Of Water is a visual marvel. Cameron has the magic pill for audience’s attention, and he is able to adapt it for every sort of potential watcher.
Holy shit this movie blew me away I was least excited to watch Women Talking out of all the Best Picture nominees, but I am beyond thankful that I did. This movie’s screenplay, adapted from a Miriam Toews novel, has certain lines that pierce the truth of some human flaws deeper than one would like to admit. For myself, the line “Sometimes I think people laugh as hard as they’d like to cry.” is all too true. Jessie Buckley is unbelievable, and Claire Foy is also outstanding. In terms of my own “Best Ensemble” award, I would give it too Women Talking.
3. All Quiet On The Western Front
Holy lord. All Quiet On The Western Front is the best looking movie of the year.You could watch this movie on mute and still know exactly the story it is trying to tell. It is an anti-war war movie, and I can not stress how effectively it gets its message across. All Quiet On The Western Front makes no man’s land look like worse than living hell. How glory are we in a world to have 1917 (2019) and All Quiet On The Western Front made so near each other. The visual of the tanks coming through the smoke and over the hills is maybe the best visual of any of the movies nominated.
2. Tár
Tár is the best made movie of those nominated for Best Picture. Todd Field created a world where Lydia Tár seemed like a cemented piece of realism. Cate Blanchett brings to life a character that will stick in your crawl. Her speech at Juillard is one of the best scenes from the entire year. If you want to think about power and what it takes to have it, as well as the immense skill to succeed in a hard world, Tár is the movie for you. It is a fascinating, horrific, and vacuuming. Enter the world of modern classical music and Lydia Tár will make sure you never leave.
The perfect blend of outstanding filmmaking and entertainment. Director Joseph Kosinski and actor Tom Cruise fused together their remarkable patience and ambition and created the greatest nostalgia trip I have ever witnessed. The opening 20 minutes gets the drug out to the viewers, and you think it is the initial high, until suddenly you are thrust into something greater than you have ever thought. From a movie watching experience, Top Gun: Maverick puts the audience in the driver’s seat and leaves everyone in in awe from start to finish.
“A vacationing family discovers that the secluded beach where they’re relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly, reducing their entire lives into a single day.” Director: M. Night ShyamalanWriters: M. Night Shyamalan, Pierre-Oscar Lévy, Frederik PeetersStaring: Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, Alex Wolff, Thomasin McKenzie, Abbey Lee, Nikki…
Here is a new project.I am going to embark on. I am going to reflect on various Oscar categories that I complete, regardless of the year. Let me study up a bit more of the movies that were nominated come respective Academy Awards and hopefully get me to remember more of the ancillary cast members…
“A young German soldier’s terrifying experiences and distress on the western front during World War I.” Director: Edward BergerWriters: Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, Ian StokellStaring: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron HilmerRated: RRelease Date: October 28. 2022IMDB All Quiet On The Western Front (2022) won four Oscars at the 95th Academy Awards; Best International Feature Film,…
Stanko's Stance 