Vote: Oscars (2022) - Best Picture - Your Choice (1 Viewer)

[SamT]

Vote for who should win, your choice. No predictions. Another thread will be made for predictions for AMPAS's choice.
This poll will close automatically before the Oscars.

Results:

1 - Votes: 8 - 25.0%
CODA

2 - Votes: 5 - 15.6%
Belfast
West Side Story

3 - Votes: 4 - 12.5%
The Power of the Dog

4 - Votes: 3 - 9.4%
Licorice Pizza
Dune: Part One

5 - Votes: 2 - 6.3%
Drive My Car
Nightmare Alley

6 - Votes: 0 - 0.0%
Don’t Look Up
King Richard

 

[MartinP.]

My choice or what AMPAS will choose?

 

[TravisR]

My choice or what AMPAS will choose?

Yeah, I know what I like but that's different from what I think will win.

 

[RobertMG]

Yeah, I know what I like but that's different from what I think will win.

Oscars? Losing viewers every year --- bet you every wonderful THF poster here can put on a better show! Oh for the days of Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal!

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I think this year has a pretty excellent bunch of pictures and that the list highlights how it is ridiculous to have to choose amongst them.

You have small human stories going up against big science fiction films, beautiful genre films, and a massive musical. Period films, against present day films, against fantasy future films. You can't really compare the pictures to one another at all. I mean in terms of huge filmmaking Dune and West Side Story are as big as it gets. So, in a way you could compare them as large-scale undertakings, but one is a musical and one is a big ambitious science fiction film. That's not a fair comparison.

It's kind of a bounty of riches in this year's class but really all you are really doing is choosing which was your favorite. These all were well made, well directed, and well-acted films. So, it kind of comes down to which story you most enjoyed.

This is not a complaint more of a, well, appreciation of the diversity of pictures we have here.

If I am just choosing by favorite, not best, I would go with Licorice Pizza but I mean that's not a knock on anything else on this list. It just was the most enjoyable to me to be wrapped in the blanket of Licorice Pizza for a couple hours than these others. I also don't think Licorice Pizza will win because it is not "serious" enough. Which I think sinks Dune and West Side Story as well. It also removes the noir pleasures of Nightmare Alley, which is truly beautiful and lovingly made. The comedy of Don't Look Up has no shot. I think King Richard also is out.

So, in my opinion the Academy will choose between four of these films. Belfast, CODA, The Power of the Dog, and Drive My Car. For some time I thought The Power of the Dog was a sure thing. Now, I am not so certain. Nothing to do with the film but rather the way the Academy likes to distribute awards. They may feel Dog has won enough other awards and so got enough attention that they give best picture to CODA (maybe the new favorite?) or Belfast.

I can't predict. I am no good at these things.

 

[TravisR]

If I am just choosing by favorite, not best, I would go with Licorice Pizza but I mean that's not a knock on anything else on this list.

Out of the nominees, I'd probably go with LP or Nightmare Alley as my favorites of the year but they won't win. And there's basically no chance of it happening but it'd be funny if the vote got split and Nightmare Alley ended up winning Best Picture since no one saw it.

Outside of the nominees, I really loved Last Night In Soho. I think that will end up being the movie that I rewatch the most from 2021.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Out of the nominees, I'd probably go with LP or Nightmare Alley as my favorites of the year but they won't win. And there's basically no chance of it happening but it'd be funny if the vote got split and Nightmare Alley ended up winning Best Picture since no one saw it.

Outside of the nominees, I really loved Last Night In Soho. I think that will end up being the movie that I rewatch the most from 2021.

Well, Nightmare Alley is just an example of outstanding filmmaking all around. However, yeah, it is a genre film, a remake, it just does not have the weight or seriousness the Academy tends to want to vote for. I loved it too. I think Licorice Pizza and Nightmare Alley are the two films I will most revisit and geek out about from this list.

I think "most revisit" is the most interesting aspect in play.

Also, I seem to have an issue with Timothee Chalamet. He was in three films I saw from 2021 and I did not enjoy his performance in any of them. I am trying to figure out what my problem is. To me he seems quite boring as an actor but he was in Don't Look Up, Dune, and The French Dispatch. So, directors I like seem to like casting him. Every time I see him though I think, "Geez, they could have cast someone better in this part."

Some critics seem to feel his best performance was in The French Dispatch and I enjoyed that film but found his to be the worst performance in it. I just don't find his voice or face very expressive. Which to me is a hinderance for an actor. Maybe he will get better as time passes. He dragged Dune down for me as the central character. This was one of the areas where I though Lynch's Dune topped the new one. MacLachlan was just better as the central character.

 

[TravisR]

Also, I seem to have an issue with Timothee Chalamet. He was in three films I saw from 2021 and I did not enjoy his performance in any of them. I am trying to figure out what my problem is. To me he seems quite boring as an actor but he was in Don't Look Up, Dune, and The French Dispatch. So, directors I like seem to like casting him. Every time I see him though I think, "Geez, they could have cast someone better in this part."

Some critics seem to feel his best performance was in The French Dispatch and I enjoyed that film but found his to be the worst performance in it. I just don't find his voice or face very expressive. Which to me is a hinderance for an actor. Maybe he will get better as time passes. He dragged Dune down for me as the central character. This was one of the areas where I though Lynch's Dune topped the new one. MacLachlan was just better as the central character.

I didn't really think of it when I first saw Dune but on a second viewing, Chalamet's age or young looks gave me some pause. He's not bad in the movie and the guy can't do anything about his face or age so it's not like it's a failing on his part but it did make me wish for a slightly older guy in the role. Also, I thought his age and looks worked just fine for his role in The French Dispatch so I don't want to sound like I'm trashing the guy.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I didn't really think of it when I first saw Dune but on a second viewing, Chalamet's age or young looks gave me some pause. He's not bad in the movie and the guy can't do anything about his face or age so it's not like it's a failing on his part but it did make me wish for a slightly older guy in the role. Also, I thought his age and looks worked just fine for his role in The French Dispatch so I don't want to sound like I'm trashing the guy.

His age and appearance don't bother me. I basically think what makes a great film actor is an expressive face and/or voice. This is what tends to make them magic in front of a camera. They don't have to be beautiful, which seems the primary standard today, they need to be highly expressive with their face and voice. Some truly great actors also are incredibly expressive with their bodies as well. This is, for film acting, an even higher level. For some these things just come naturally and for others they work at it.

He is a young guy and perhaps just has not mastered or even been asked to work on these things yet.

A good comparison, in my mind, is Matt Dillon and I watched him recently in Over the Edge, his first film. Dillon is not really yet an actor in the film but he is really good in it for two primary reasons. First the director knew what he was doing and how to capture behavior on film. So, although he is working mostly with kids that were not actors, he knew exactly how to utilize them. Second, Dillon, who Chalamet reminds me of a bit, is naturally expressive with voice, face, and amazingly in his first film, his body. Everything about him works in front of the camera.

Chalamet has none of this in my opinion. I think his role in The French Dispatch is better written than his role in Dune. I think the director that best utilizes him and his qualities is McKay in Don't Look Up. He seems get the best of the three performances out of him basically because it is the is the most loose performance. It is the one where Chalamet seems like he is riffing.

So, basically while I think Anderson and Villeneuve are the more accomplished directors, McKay gets the best performance of the three out of Chalamet.

As a young man Dillon had natural charisma and worked well in front of the camera. Chalamet, just doesn't. He has a pretty face and what seems a total lack of charisma.

 

[TravisR]

His age and appearance don't bother me. I basically think what makes a great film actor is an expressive face and/or voice. This is what tends to make them magic in front of a camera. They don't have to be beautiful, which seems the primary standard today, they need to be highly expressive with their face and voice. Some truly great actors also are incredibly expressive with their bodies as well. This is, for film acting, an even higher level. For some these things just come naturally and for others they work at it.

He is a young guy and perhaps just has not mastered or even been asked to work on these things yet.

A good comparison, in my mind, is Matt Dillon and I watched him recently in Over the Edge, his first film. Dillon is not really yet an actor in the film but he is really good in it for two primary reasons. First the director knew what he was doing and how to capture behavior on film. So, although he is working mostly with kids that were not actors, he knew exactly how to utilize them. Second, Dillon, who Chalamet reminds me of a bit, is naturally expressive with voice, face, and amazingly in his first film, his body. Everything about him works in front of the camera.

Chalamet has none of this in my opinion. I think his role in The French Dispatch is better written than his role in Dune. I think the director that best utilizes him and his qualities is McKay in Don't Look Up. He seems get the best of the three performances out of him basically because it is the is the most loose performance. It is the one where Chalamet seems like he is riffing.

So, basically while I think Anderson and Villeneuve are the more accomplished directors, McKay gets the best performance of the three out of Chalamet.

As a young man Dillon had natural charisma and worked well in front of the camera. Chalamet, just doesn't. He has a pretty face and what seems a total lack of charisma.

I'll give you that Chalamet isn't really commanding the screen but I don't think that's a lack of charisma or abaility as much as he is generally turning in more quiet or subdued performances. Maybe he's just fooled me.

And as an aside, yeah, Matt Dillon and all the kids are legitimately good in Over The Edge which is amazing considering all the obstacles (non-actors, low budget) they were working with. Also, the soundtrack to that movie is cool.

 

[SamT]

And strange. Travis, you have no personal choice, your pick? You only engage in predicting the future and if I remember correctly, you were right the past few years.

Update: Nightmare Alley it is!

 

[Pawl]

I don’t watch the Oscars anymore, but I would definitely choose “West Side Story” because Steven Spielberg is a great director, and I thought “La La Land” should have won over “moonlight”.

 

[Pawl]

A good comparison, in my mind, is Matt Dillon and I watched him recently in Over the Edge, his first film. Dillon is not really yet an actor in the film but he is really good in it for two primary reasons. First the director knew what he was doing and how to capture behavior on film. So, although he is working mostly with kids that were not actors, he knew exactly how to utilize them. Second, Dillon, who Chalamet reminds me of a bit, is naturally expressive with voice, face, and amazingly in his first film, his body. Everything about him works in front of the camera.

I think Chalamet is a bit overrated these days, and I felt he phoned-in his performance in “Dune”. However he was great in “Beautiful Boy”…he can be brilliant at times.

 

[SamT]

I would definitely choose “West Side Story”

Then vote for it!

 

[Pawl]

Then vote for it!

Okay, sounds like a great idea

 

[SamT]

But you have not yet!

 

[SamT]

Interesting, no votes for King Richard? I understand Don’t Look Up not receiving any votes but King Richard deserves more than 0 votes. Maybe more than Dune!

 

[fdabbott]

Power of the Dog should not even be on the list. What a piece of junk.

 

[SamT]

16 hours left.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I have only seen four of these. Dune: Part One and West Side Story are at the top of the pack as far as those are concerned. Both were incredible movie experiences, and I would find it hard to choose between them. West Side Story is something I have loved for a long time prior to the existence of this film and it is an indelible musical for me, so seeing the new film done so well was an incredibly emotional experience. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Dune is something I went into cold and was introduced to completely by this film, and it was breathtaking. So I'm split on those.

Belfast was absolutely great too. I liked much of Licorice Pizza even if it is a step below the others.

I'm not really qualified to say anything about the others as I have not seen them.