It is destined that when hundreds of movies release a year and only five can be nominated for an award that a crowd favorite is going to be left out. 2023 has been a spectacular year for cinema. Acclaimed directors such as Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese are having their films being awarded while newcomers such as Celine Song, Cord Jefferson are making their mark felt. Barbie and Oppenheimer got people back in their local cinemas, a feat that is necessary for the survival of movies as we know it. When there is this much excitement in the cinema world, there are blogs like these to save those who put in the tireless effort and miss the "Oscar Nominee" on their IMDB profile. Here are five (and one bonus) important feats in 2023's cinematic landscape that should have had their names flashed on the grand stage with all the bigshots come March 10th.
Best Director
Alexander Payne - "The Holdovers"
A sad sign for Best Picture prospects is Alexander Payne being left off of the Directors list. However 2023 is an extremely stacked year for films. For once there is not a film that seems shoehorned in to the Best Picture category, making the Best Director spot even harder to judge. Everyone there is deserving, but it is hard seeing such a well directed film that balances joy and grief so effectively missing out here. The Holdovers has locked up Best Supporting Actress, and is fighting for Best Lead Actor and Best Original Screenplay, it is clear the Academy appreciates the end product here. There is no doubt that Payne's vision will be shown for Christmas's to come for all to enjoy.
Best Actress in a Lead Role
Greta Lee - "Past Lives"
What I indicated above about the Best Director race holds true to the Best Lead Actress race this year as well, but unlike with the Holdovers, Past Lives is not making its mark in more than two categories this year. Bustling on to the scene thanks to A24's marketing insight, Celine Song's debut picture is held together by her great direction and fantastic performances from Actor lead Teo Yeo and Supporting Actor John Magaro but the woman they both yearn for is the center of this piece. Greta Lee plays Nora, a woman settled into her life in New York City decades after leaving her childhood crush, Hae Sung, in South Korea. She is now married but a piece of her still belongs with Hae Sung. Her struggles of being in between two worlds manifests itself in her emotions as we journey along with her in this period when Hae Sung comes to visit her for the weekend across the ocean. Lee captures a concept not so unfamiliar to many viewers and leaves it all on the screen in her shy smiles and stray glances. A nuanced performance that will inspire romance films for years to come.
Best Supporting Actor
Charles Melton - "May, December"
This was the last entry I wrote because it was so hard to encapsulate what I feel is the most important role of the year being left to dry in an awards show that is supposed to empower achievement. Charles Melton changed his life with this performance and hopefully this snub does not force him back into making television targeted for teenagers. Melton plays Joe Yoo, a victim of grooming that has to break free of his oppressor. Sounds like the main character right? No, Melton is a certified supporting actor as Natalie Portman plays the lead, an actress whose job it is to shadow Melton's wife, the perpetrator of his abuse, for a movie that Portman is shooting. Melton is the hero of our story even if we are not following him directly. He is who you are rooting for as you uncover more of the story around him and his wife. We see his interactions with his children who he just wants to live their childhood free from damage. There are so many powerful scenes in this movie, but none of them come close to when Melton takes command, or even when he sits back. He is able to showcase that in this adults body is in fact a child whose development was stunted and was never able to grown up. I pray that this performance lives on in critics eyes and that it will resurface for years to come on the Critically Acclaimed section on Netflix for people to discover.
Best Supporting Actress
Julianne Moore - "May, December"
Julianne Moore once again had the chance to work with her muse Todd Haynes, but this time one of the Academy's favorite actresses got struck down. In an extremely weak year for the Best Supporting Actress field (especially compared to last year, where all but the winner deserved to win) where Da'Vine Joy Randolph has rightfully already ran away with the prize, there was plenty of room for an established actress still bringing her A game with an emotionally complexed villain role. Moore plays Gracie, the subject of study for an actress who is about to portray her tabloid life on the big screen. She plays the perfect foil to Natalie Portman, showing her only what she wants her to see. Her combination work with Todd Haynes showcases itself in the scene where her daughter Mary is trying on graduation dresses ("I want to commend you for being so brave and showing off your arms like that") to being in full control of everything around her ("Insecure people are very dangerous aren't they?"). In my opinion she should be an easy #2 to Randolph, but clearly the Academy's vendetta against this movie can shove Moore behind one note performances such as America Ferraria's Barbie role.
Best Original Score
The Boy and the Heron
What makes The Boy and the Heron's score so special is its ability to conform and enhance the ridiculous (I mean that in a good way) images on the screen. Watching Mahito become entranced with the devilish Heron who stalks and teases him while the piano in the "Grey Heron" tracks play in the background makes the scene feel realistic. The film includes unique works such as "A Girl on Fire" and "The King's Parade" that rattle off the personalities of the characters on screen. One final shoutout to "Ask Me Why?" a perfect track for unraveling the themes of the story played in front of you. The Boy and the Heron is hard to understand with it's man eating parakeet's, rooms of a thousand doors and block building puzzles, but the backing tracks help guide the way.
Completely Skipped Over with 0 Nominations
Asteroid City
As much as I am a fan of May, December at least it was given an Original Screenplay nod. Wes Anderson's most Wes Anderson piece yet went entirely unrecognized this nomination morning. With only one best picture nomination and three writing nominations over an almost 30 year career of critically acclaimed films it might be safe to say the voting body just does not get Wes Anderson. That is ok as he is clearly loved by the various actors who line up for their first appearances in his films (here Tom Hanks, Steve Carrell and Margot Robbie do so). Wes' production design and cinematography all match if not improve from his previous works and the message the movie brings disguises itself amongst the vibrant colors popping out from the barren dessert pop up town.
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