A full ten films were nominated for Best Picture by the Academy:
- Nightmare Alley
- Don’t Look Up
- Dune
- Drive My Car
- Belfast
- Licorice Pizza
- The Power of the Dog
- West Side Story
- King Richard
- CODA
Here’s what Alex Fieldcamp had to say about each nominated film.
Alex thought Nightmare Alley, the 1940’s con-man carnival film starring Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale, and Bradley Cooper, was entertaining but least likely to win Best Picture in this formidable field. He enjoyed the story of how Cooper learns the tricks of the trade to swindle the curious and wealthy New York elites.
Don’t Look Up was one of Alex Fieldcamp’s favorite films on the list. This dark comedy tells the story of two astronomers who discover a planet-destroying comet but cannot get the media, politicians, or the public to believe them. This Netflix film featured an all-star lineup including Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande, Cate Blanchett, Timothee Chalamet, and Meryl Streep.
The Popular Sci-Fi Adventure film Dune follows the journey of a gifted boy who must fulfill his destiny by traveling to the most inhospitable planet in the universe, stars Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet. Alex acknowledged the rich storyline but noted that sci-fi is not his favorite genre.
The Japanese drama Drive My Car was a surprising addition to the list, according to Fieldcamp. It’s the story of an aging widower actor who reluctantly hires a 20-year old girl as his chauffeur. As the story unfolds, the two develop a special relationship on the road.
The black and white film Belfast, starring Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, and Judi Dench, was directed by Kenneth Branagh and is considered “semi-autobiographical.” It follows a working-class family in Belfast during the 1960s as tensions grew between Catholics and Protestants in the area. Alex Fieldcamp feels the film has a shot at winning Best Picture.
Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age film set in the 1970s in the San Fernando Valley. This comedy-drama stars Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman. Alex Fieldcamp is a fan of the movie but doesn’t see the Academy bestowing it with the Best Picture Oscar.
Alex Fieldcamp’s preemptive favorite for Best Picture is The Power of the Dog. It’s a western featuring a not-so-likable main character—a cruel, mocking, domineering rancher who torments those around him.
Next up is West Side Story, a Steven Spielberg remake of the timeless tale of romance that transcends two rival gangs—the Jets and the Sharks—in 1950s New York City.
King Richard, the biographical story of the tennis kingmaker Richard Williams, played by Will Smith, reveals the inside story of how Venus and Serena were molded into tennis superstars by their father, who is another Oscar contender, according to Alex.
CODA is an acronym for “Child of Deaf Adults.” One such child is Ruby, played by Emilia Jones, who helps her parents keep their fishing business going while attending high school. She becomes conflicted as her passion grows after joining the high school choir club.
Who will win? We’ll all find out on March 27.