Mudbound - 4 nominations

Actress in a Supporting Role, Mary J Blige
Cinematography, Rachel Morrison
Original Song, "Mighty River," Music and Lyric by Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson
Adapted Screenplay, Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

The lives of a white family and a black family immediately after World War 2 concludes is the story portrayed in Mudbound.  They live and work on the same farm, and both have members of the family who have returned from the war.  The title of the film signals the ubiquitous mud all over the farms in Mississippi, the daily slog of living life as black person in the world of Jim Crow laws, and even the experience of coming home from war and having to deal with daily life while managing one's memories and new/old realities.  The two soldiers find comfort in each other - one white (Jamie), one black (Jason), and they risk everything with their friendship, one that is not accepted by society, or even their relatives.  

Then they have their families - Jamie's brother who is stuck in Mississippi's racist culture as is their virulently racist father (member of the KKK), and Jamie's sister-in-law with whom he has a very powerful and maybe dangerous connection.  Jason's family, who work for Jamie's family on the farm, dream of a more empowered time when their children can be anything they want to be.  Mary J Blige gives a strong performance as Jason's mother, who worries every day for her children and their futures, and must support her husband who has been injured and cannot work.

The movie starts off slow and because it begins with the end, you have to stick with it to begin to understand what is happening.  There are six narrators and six powerful lenses through which the story is told.  Parts of the film are very hard to watch because they are so real and so cruel.  The violence is almost the lesser of the two evils, where every fiber of your being is screaming to right the wrongs of this time in our history.  The film is dark (hello Cinematography nomination) and there are parts that are even difficult to see, though maybe that is better.

The fear, the disempowerment, the lack of basic justice - these all come through powerfully in this film. It is worth every moment of your time. 

Listen to the nominated song:

Watch the trailer: