By Giulia Piceni. Illustration by sk0ac.
The Oscars night is one of the most awaited events (along with Fashion Week). Even if the final results are all in the hands of the Academy, sharing one’s expectations with another film lover can be a fun way to pass the time while waiting for the final verdicts. In the Italian time zone, the event will be broadcast at 1 am on March 11, making it quite a sleepless night!
Many cinema enthusiasts are already predicting the Oscars 2024. The competition this year is fierce, but there is a consensus that Christopher Nolan’s Oppennheimer, the movie that has been filling cinema theatres all summer in a friendly competition with Greta Gerwing’s Barbie, will shine the brightest during the awards ceremony. For the leading actor category, many are rooting for Cillian Murphy, while others are sure that Paul Giamatti’s performance in The Holdovers will be triumphant. There are some noteworthy male supporting roles, such as Mark Ruffalo for Poor Things and Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction, but it seems that Robert de Niro is the favourite to win for his role in Killers of the Flower Moon. The same movie features Lily Gladstone, who seems to be the favourite for the leading actress category, but Anette Bening in Nyad is also worth watching out for. In the supporting actress category, Danielle Brooks is expected to win for her role in The Color Purple.
The full list of categories and nominees of Oscars 2024 has been available for some time now; as a result, we have decided to select our favourite movies and provide a fun resume of their plots and nominations to help you prepare for discussing the event and impress even your most knowledgeable movie-obsessed friend.
OSCARS 2024: MAESTRO BY BRADLEY COOPER
Maestro is the latest movie directed by Bradley Cooper, and the American actor and filmmaker has been nominated for the leading role. Produced by Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, Maestro narrates the story of the renowned conductor Leonard Berstein, who passed to history for writing the musical West Side Story, among many other Broadway successes.
In the movie, the main character’s personal and professional life intertwines with themes such as trust and infidelity. The character, based on Leonard Bernstein, had many affairs with male peers outside of his marriage with actress Felicia Montealegre, played by Carey Mulligan, who has also been nominated for Best Leading Actress. The movie itself has received nominations at the Oscars 2024 for Best Cinematography, Make-up and Styling, Best Picture, Sound and Writing.
Why should Maestro win? According to rumors, Bradley Copper trained for the role for nearly six years: an Oscar seems a valid compensation for such prolonged effort. Furthermore, the movie was able to highlight the personal story of one of the most significant musicians of the last century, focusing on the emotional sphere without labeling fellings. Love and all its pains were depicted in the rawest form, bringing them to light with authenticity
POOR THINGS BY YORGOS LANTHIMOS
The eerie coming-of-age story of the young Victorian lady Bella Baxter, by the master of horror Yorgos Lanthimos, is one of our favourite picks. The intricate costumes, which have already been described in a previous article, the unsettling scenarios in which the movie is set, and the empowered female protagonist, played by Emma Stone, have bewitched all its viewers since it was first released.
The list of nominations for Poor Things at the Oscars 2024 is quite long, including almost everything that could be won: Picture, Leading Actress, Supporting Actor, Director, Original Score, Cinematography, Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup & Hair Styling and also Film Editing. The panorama looks extremely promising, and there’s a possibility of Emma Stone winning her second Oscar after the 2016 success of La La Land.
Why should Killer of the Flower Moon win? The movie has drawn attentionto a money-driven bloodshed that has been ignored for decades. It’s a reminder of paying respect to minorities, protect and preserve them rather than exploiting their resources and livelihoods. Similar dynamics are still happening today: due to Amazonia’s deforestation, many tribes and indigenous people are obliged to move away from their territory or forcefully succumb to the corruption of our world. In this sense, Scorsese’s film invites to cast a gaze at the past and critically examine the ongoing discriminations occurring in contemporary society.
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON BY MARTIN SCORSESE
Martin Scorsese’s ability to transform the Western genre into such an emotionally touching story – whose script was inspired by the non-fictional homonym novel by David Grann – should be categorised as a masterpiece. Set in 1920s Oklahoma, Killers of the Flower Moon succeeds in depicting the homicides of the native Osage Nation, who were killed for profiting from the oil discovery on their tribe’s land. This is a highly relevant topic, especially in a time in which genocide is taking place.
The role of the killer, Enrest Burkhart, is played by Leonardo di Caprio, while the crime boss role of William King Hale is played by Robert de Niro, who has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Other interesting nominations include Best Cinematography, Costume Design, Directing, Film Editing, Music (Original Score), Best Picture and Production Design.
ANATOMY OF A FALL BY JUSTINE TRIET
The latest thriller movie by Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall, is set in a snowy chalet in the middle of nowhere near Grenoble. The main character, the German novelist Sandra Voyter, played by Sandra Hüller – who has been nominated for Best Actress – has to defend herself from the accusations of having killed her husband, Samuel Maleski.
True crime is a genre that not everybody may be a fan of. Still, Triet succeeded in giving life to an engaging visual apparatus that has been able to bewitch the viewer both on the plot aspect and the cinematographic. The film has received multiple nominations, including Best Director, Film Editing, and Screenplay.
Why should Anatomy of a Fall win? The plot, and especially the finale, were able to highlight how the nature of truth is feeting and ungraspable, as the boundaries between truth and lies are not clearly defined. The movie is also an invitation to take responsibility for one’s actions and a reminder that people around us have are affected by our behavior,more deeplythan we might think.
OTHERS OSCARS 2024 MOVIES TO ROOT FOR
The previously discussed movies, along with other important titles such as Poor Things, Barbie and Oppenheimer, seem to be the favourites, but many other outstanding works deserve recognition.
In the Animated Feature Film category, The Boy and the Heron by Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki has been widely discussed and highly recommended. This animated masterpiece by Miyazaki has filled the childhood memories of many of us, and its visual poetry never ceases to amaze even the older audiences. With numerous references to the arts and the author’s personal history as well, this animated movie is certainly among the most promising nominations.
Zone of Interest by Jonathan Glazer has given food for thought to many, especially in regard to the current state of international politics. Some critics have suggested that the movie might have had a stronger impact if it was presented as a short film instead, as the main themes are repeated all along the movie. Nevertheless, the depiction of blind violence is skillfully achieved even though it is never directly explicitly depicted on screen.
Nominated in the category of International Feature Film, Io Capitano by Matteo Garrone tells the story of two teenagers, Seydou and Moussa, who dream of reaching Europe. Through the vibrant colours of Senegal, the deathly sand of the Libyan desert and the dangerous waters of the Mediterranean, the film covers the delicate theme of immigration.
The movie has struck a chord with the Italian audience, who is sadly familiar with the numerous deaths that occur just a few kilometres away from the isle of Lampedusa. Io Capitano is ready to impress the Academy.
