Here they come! The Oscars are starting to roll out the awards, first up The Shortlist. We have nine categories of which are more than likely going to be our front runners for the 93rd Annual Academy Awards. Not surprising are the films that are given more than one nod in a category; which are Visual Effects, Music Score and Song, International Film, Documentary Feature, Makeup & Hairstyling, and Shorts.
Leading The Way
In the lead with three mentions apiece are Disney’s Mulan (Score, Song, and Visual Effects), David Fincher’s Mank (Score, Makeup, Visual Effects), and Netflix’s holiday film Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (for Song, Score, and Makeup & Hairstyling).
Receiving two mentions each are films: Birds of Prey, The Little Things, The Life Ahead, The Midnight Sky, Minari, Soul, One Night in Miami, One and Only Ivan, Tenet, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Amazon was not to be left out of a nomination as the Stacey Abrams documentary, All In The Fight for Democracy received two for Docu Feature and its original song, “Turntables.” A noteworthy nod is Documentary Feature Welcome to Chechnya, which received a remarkably rare mention in the 10 finalists for Visual Effects. This may be the first time a documentary has ever received a nod in the latter category.
Visual Effects
The Visual Effects category is one of my favorites. Sadly this year it was hit hard by the pandemic. Major studios are moving so many tentpole films out of eligibility this year. This has opened a door to a diverse set of contenders that includes films like the animated Soul. Included in the category are Disney’s The One and Only Ivan and Mulan. As we expected Christopher Nolan’s Tenet made the cut. Early 2020 releases also making the cuts are Love and Monsters, Birds of Prey, and Vin Diesel’s flick Bloodshot. Shockingly two films left out were Warners’ Wonder Woman 1984 and two Tom Hanks films with strong effects: Greyhound and News of the World. Really academy?!?! You snubbed those and gave one to Bloodshot? I’m a big Vin Diesel fan but all I can do is SMH over this one.
Original Song Category
The Original Song category could make Oscar Night interesting if the five of the nominees performed on the show. Of the 15 that made the cut are “Husavik” from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga and Wuhan Flu” from Borat Subsequent Movie film. Now wouldn’t we all like to see Will Ferrel and Sacha Baron Cohen show up singing those songs live? The only songwriter on the list with two competing songs is Diane Warren. Her songs from The Life Ahead and The One and Only Ivan, finally gaining her notice after losing nominations in the last eleven years. Glad to see her losing streak over. Snubbed in the category was my and other fan faves Justin Timberlake and Andra Day for Day’s “Tigress and Tweed,” from The United States vs. Billie Holiday. This was considered to be a favorite since they received Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations.
The Shorts
The field for Animated shorts and Live Action and Documentary Shorts was narrowed down. Surprising us in the Documentary Shorts is the Netflix entry called What Would Sophia Loren Do? A charismatic story about a New York woman’s lifelong love for the famous Italian icon. This is a tie-in to Loren’s screen return in The Life Ahead — which, notably also score on AMPAS shortlists for Song and Score.
The full Oscar nominations will be announced, with these categories trimmed down to five final nominees each, on March 15. ABC will air the 93rd Annual Academy Awards live on April 25.
Here are the nine category shortlists revealed by the Motion Picture Academy today:
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
All In: The Fight for Democracy
Boys State
Collective
Crip Camp
Dick Johnson Is Dead
Gunda
MLK/FBI
The Mole Agent
My Octopus Teacher
Notturno
The Painter and the Thief
76 Days
Time
The Truffle Hunters
Welcome to Chechnya
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Abortion Helpline, This Is Lisa
Call Center Blues
Colette
A Concerto Is a Conversation
Do Not Split
Hunger Ward
Hysterical Girl
A Love Song for Latasha
The Speed Cubers
What Would Sophia Loren Do?
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Quo Vadis, Aida?
Chile, The Mole Agent
Czech Republic, Charlatan
Denmark, Another Round
France, Two of Us
Guatemala, La Llorona
Hong Kong, Better Days
Iran, Sun Children
Ivory Coast, Night of the Kings
Mexico, I’m No Longer Here
Norway, Hope
Romania, Collective
Russia, Dear Comrades!
Taiwan, A Sun
Tunisia, The Man Who Sold His Skin
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Birds of Prey
Emma
The Glorias
Hillbilly Elegy
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
The Little Things
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
One Night in Miami…
Pinocchio
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Ammonite
Blizzard of Souls
Da 5 Bloods
The Invisible Man
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)
The Little Things
Mank
The Midnight Sky
Minari
Mulan
News of the World
Soul
Tenet
The Trial of the Chicago 7
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Turntables, from All In: The Fight for Democracy
See What You’ve Done, from Belly of the Beast
Wuhan Flu, from Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Husavik, from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Never Break, from Giving Voice
Make It Work, from Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Fight For You, from Judas and the Black Messiah
lo Sì (Seen), from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se)
Rain Song, from Minari
Show Me Your Soul, from Mr. Soul!
Loyal Brave True, from Mulan
Free, from The One and Only Ivan
Speak Now, from One Night in Miami
Green, from Sound of Metal
Hear My Voice, from The Trial of the Chicago 7
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Burrow
Genius Loci
If Anything Happens I Love You
Kapaemahu
Opera
Out
The Snail and the Whale
To Gerard
Traces
Yes-People
LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
Bittu
Da Yie
Feeling Through
The Human Voice
The Kicksled Choir
The Letter Room
The Present
Two Distant Strangers
The Van
White Eye
VISUAL EFFECTS
Birds of Prey
Bloodshot
Love and Monsters
Mank
The Midnight Sky
Mulan
The One and Only Ivan
Soul
Tenet
Welcome to Chechnya
Mamma, Mimi, Michele, call out any one of those names and I will answer. There are several hats on my shelf. My passions are photography, being outside, movies, tv, pop culture and anything haunted or spooky. People are my other interest, I love meeting new people and socializing. When I lived in Savannah GA I worked as a tour guide both haunted and historical tours. I met people from all over the world, that was the best part of the job. All of this I can write about too, that’s the beauty of being a writer.
